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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
 
Location: Oklahoma | Do you ever eliminate horses by their height?
I'm 5'9'' and I'm not a fan of how I looked on my 14.3 guy, but I loved him. I'm kinda browsing the market now and I feel like most of what I'm attracted to (price and training point wise) isn't what I'm attracted to lookswise.
Am I just being too picky, or is there anyone else who doesn't like the long legs with short legs combination?
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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
   
Location: Texas | I am not "taller" (5'6") but I don't look at horses (for riding) under 15 hands and prefer them bigger. I was given a gelding that when I started riding him he was about 14.1 (I felt like a giant and he felt very fragile to me). By the time I sold him he was 14.3 at the most and I still didn't like his height.
Now my friend is 6' tall and she will not look at a horse that isn't 16+ hands. She is more of a TB person so 16+ doesn't cut down her options too much. |
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Cold hands and Warm Heart
Location: oklahoma | My favs have always been the shorties. I'm 5'8". My brother is 6'1 and has had great success with short horses, even when his toe drags. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 464
| I'm 6'5". I actually prefer a horse under 15 hands. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 902
Location: Qld Australia | I am quite tall and my hubby is 6 foot 3, while 15 - 15.1 is to me my perfect height, I do not count out smaller horses.
We have had big success with horses around 14.1/2 and suprisingly you would not know they were that short. (Cutters and reiners.) We never purposely try to get short horses but if one had the breeding and or training I want it wouldn't stop me.
With breeding, we try not to breed short horses unless they are extensively proven as most people prefer at least 14.3 in height we have found. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | I'm 5'8 and I prefer bigger horses. I know it shouldn't matter, I mean look at Sherry and Stingray, but I feel awkward on really small horses. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1440
Location: Texas | I'm 5'9 and do prefer bigger horses, but I don't rule out shorter ones. Two of my guys as 16.1 and I just bought a 15.0 mare. She is stockier built so that helps me not feel so big on her. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1066
| My hubby is 6'4 and both of his calf horses are 15 hands (just worked out that way- he hopes his next one is a stocky 15.2 or 15.3). Im 5'5 and my guy is 16.1... again, just worked out that way... Im hoping my next one is in the 15's as its so much easier on my groin to get on! lol. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 974
Location: In the wrong place at the wrong time | I'm 5'10 and definitely prefer them bigger but I would go look at a stockier built shorter one. |
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Member
Posts: 13
| I'm 5'9" my mare is 14.3 it does not bother me because my favorite height is FAST!!!!! |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1035
Location: TN | I'm 5'6" but I have a really long torso so I think I look funny on shorter horses too!  However, I kind of prefer them. I like one to be around 15.0 hands, but I guess I'd ride anything if it was a nice horse. I just like that size. My boyfriend is 5'11" and he loves a short, chunky horse. Two of his best heel horses are short 14.2 and 15.0. |
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Expert
Posts: 1694
Location: Willows, CA | I will probably set the record here. I am 6'7". I love a handy ranch horse but find that a horse under 15 hands does not work for me , as my feet are low enough that when a horse moves hard I may have a hard time keeping from hitting a front leg with my toe. I like a well built horse at 15 - 15.1. I looked for bigger horses for years, but settled around that size for the combination of agility, strength and size. That being said, for me, it is still more about ability than size as long as it is 15 hands.
Edited by winwillows 2014-02-05 6:51 PM
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I AM being nice
Posts: 4396
Location: MD | I'm 6'3". If a short horse is broad enough to take up a bit of my leg, I'm fine riding them. If they're super compact and really drop down in a turn, that can create a bit of an issue for me, as well. I don't write one off simply because they aren't 15.2 HH or bigger though. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1229
Location: Royal J Performance Horses, AZ | I'm 6' and prefer 15.2-16 horses, BUT i have ridden 15-15.1 HH horses and can work with that pretty well, but its not my preference. if its shorter than 15 HHs though I usually wont ride it. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1131
| I'm 5'10 and will not consider buying a horse who is under 15 hands, and if they are under 15.2 hands, they must be muscled up, because that's what I feel most comfortable on. The horse I ride now is a 16 hand, 1300# mare and I feel great on her. I train a 15.2 hand, tiny appaloosa pleasure horse and I can ride him ok, but I prefer the more muscled horses.
I have a 14.2 hand gelding who is almost the fastest horse I've ever rode. (Faster than my barrel mare now, cause we raced them one time and he was keeping up with a green rider on him holding him back and having not been rode for 2 years). I hated being that close to the ground being as tall as I am. I still have the crazy thing, but I don't ride him anymore. I have considered selling him, but I don't think there is a market for an unregistered paintaloosa gelding who thinks he's a stud, 14.2 hands and 23 years old that has a horrible work ethic that you can only ride when you race him. lol |
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 The Famous Hot Wing Chicken Girl
Posts: 2964
| I'm 6'1" and sold my shorter horses because I felt too tall for them. I won't look at anything under 15.2 hands now.. Sometimes I still feel too long legged for them. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 667
| I am 5'9 and really like a bigger horse but I always seem to end up with the small ones. My barrel mare was 14.3-15 hands and my rope horse is about 14.1. My other rope horse is about 15.1 and I love that. But I have always had more luck on the smaller horses. Go figure! |
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 Expert
Posts: 3165
| I'm 5'10,
I always want and look for the bigger horse, but height doesn't really seem to bother me too much, i am used to riding colts so I've gotten accustomed to being on a smaller horse, When horse shopping, i tend to look for something no smaller than 15'1, but i won't turn away something 14'2-14'3 if it fits everything else I am looking for. |
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| I'm 5'6 and I will ride anything I like. My horses are 14.2hh, 15.2hh, and 16hh. I find horses over 15.3 have a more comfortable stride. I like the horses that don't feel or look like they're running but are clocking. The smaller one I got a tremendous deal on, and I like her she's gorgeous, but in a perfect world I shop for 15.3+hh. The only reason I would sell is because my back and the smaller strides are uncomfortable, doesn't mean I don't like the horse. I do like how easy it is to get on though ..I have a bad knee! There's pros and cons to both.
Edited by SwishMiss 2014-02-06 8:42 AM
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I think it is totally normal and I don't blame you. I'm short but prefer 15.1-15.2.
I have a taller woman looking at a 3yr old I have. She is used to taller horses, but likes my colt. She had me stick him and he is 15 at the withers and 15.1+ at the hip. Both parents are 15.1 and we don't "grow them up" with feeding as youngsters so I fully expect him to reach 15.1 if not a tad more. I also won't blame her if she passes on him because you have to feed a horse you like as much as one you don't.
I find most people would be shocked if they correctly measured every horse they had and thought it was such and such height. A girl I show with is tall and rides a mare that to me looks not an inch over 15.3. She sticks at 16.1 but is very thin made, tooth pick legs and narrow built. Add the tall rider and she looks tiny. My other friend rides a horse that is all leg, doesn't cinch deep but has a big chest and hip. He appears way taller than his 16.1, even with my tall friend on him. My husband's thick old foundation bred gelding appears under 15 hands but is right at 15. Most people over exagerate at least 2 inches. If height is a big deal when buying sight unseen, get a picture or video with them holding a stick so you can see for yourself. |
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 I"m Jealous!
Posts: 1737
Location: Benton City, WA | BamaCanChaser - 2014-02-05 3:44 PM I'm 5'8 and I prefer bigger horses. I know it shouldn't matter, I mean look at Sherry and Stingray, but I feel awkward on really small horses.
I am with Bamacanchaser: I know size doesn't matter, but I am 5'9" and prefer a good sized horse. I am not in the horse market at this time, but 4 out of my 5 horses are all 15.2 or taller. Its not just that I feel goofy on a smaller horse; I also like to ride the bigger stride...its what I'm used to.
One of my friends in taller than me, and prefers the short cow horse types, so its all personal preference.
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 Veteran
Posts: 193
Location: USA | I'm 5'7'' and not really short but I like my tall horses being 15.3 and above. Most of the shorter barrel horses I've rode have been push style types and it's really hard. Having to keep pushing on into the turn and then on some of the shorter ones like 14.3 I feel so short going around the barrels and it just feels awkward riding one that small. Most taller horses that I've rode have had a longer, smoother stride and I like them a lot better cause I'm not outta breath from all the kicking and pushing. Also, If you kick free runners it's usually a bonus  |
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Taller ladies&gents -- Horse height matter to you?