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Itchy Boobs
Posts: 360
 
| Throughout the industry you see large horses like latte that are taller and have huge strides. Then you see horses like stingray and babyflo who are 14 hands but can still cut the clock of against the 16 hh horses. What are your preferences and what sized horses do you guys have? |
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  Neat Freak
Posts: 11216
 
Location: Wonderful Wyoming | I'm short, 5'2" and still like a bigger horse. Mine are usually 15.1-15.3. I like them stout, but not so beefy it takes away from their agility.
Edited by wyoming barrel racer 2014-03-04 7:49 PM
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 Best of the Badlands
Location: You never know where I will show up...... | I prefer to run the size that wins! 
I've had nice horses that were 14hh and some that were 16hh, and everything in between.
Lately I've been riding bigger horses but I'm kind of fat and it's easier to get a bigger horse than it is to lose weight.  
Edited by rockinas 2014-03-04 2:51 PM
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 Cinnamon Honey One
Posts: 6549
Location: between here and there | LOL Rockinas!! Now I know why I like riding the bigger ones too!  |
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 Underestimated Underdog
Posts: 3971
Location: Minnesota | I used to prefer taller horses but now I honestly don't care either way. I would of loved to find a short 14.0 to 14.3 horse when I was looking last summer but I happened to find a big ol 15.3 red dun instead.
I should add that I'm just under 5'3 and to get on my new mare I either need a step or loose fitting jeans. 
Edited by Ctrygirl14 2014-03-04 3:04 PM
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9991
Location: Kansas | I like the bigger horses. But 15.1-15.3hh is perfect for me |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 502
Location: United States | I'm 5'2" also and I prefer a bigger horse around 15.3/16 although my other horse is 15HH on tippy toes. |
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 Scorpions R Us
Posts: 9586
Location: So. Cali. | I like a big strided horse, and I know you can get those in big and small.
I had a mare that was 15hds when her feet were passed due, catty and choppy, just not my style.
My current mare is maybe 15.1-15.2hds, Huge stride. My retired gelding is about 16hds and covered ground with ease.
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | I'm 5'9" and I have to keep my stirrups uncomfortably short to ride my 14.2(-3ish. he might even be shorter than that) gelding.
Next horse I ride won't be under 15h. (I also find that my leggy appendix was more smooth vs my short and stocky guy)
If I was shorter or my height was more in my torso vs. my legs I might be more open minded, but that's not the case. |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: Gainesville, TX | I like 15.1-15.2. I don't really want to ride anything above 16 or under 14.3. |
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 Dark Chocolate is Good for You
Posts: 2407
Location: TX | my 14hh (if she is luck) qh mare and my moms 16.3hh ottb gelding, I am 5'8" tall, I wish the mare was bigger, but she is gritty as all get out!
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 Party Girl
Posts: 12293
Location: Buffalo, Wyoming | Right now we have horses that range anywhere from right at 14HH to pushing 16HH.
When just riding I prefer to ride the taller ones as they are smoother. When running I like to run the smaller ones as they seem to be more push style and that is what I like running. The taller ones seems to be more free running. I should say that I have ran some bigger sucker that were as ratey as can be.
So after I am my going on, I guess give me anything as long as it is ratey. |
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 Firecracker Dog Lover
Posts: 3175
| I have never cared what size they are, as long as they have the conformation that I like. :) |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | I am small…just under 5'0". I really enjoy my 15.0 hand 3YO. i don't have to do any gymnastics to get on her. I do like a bigger horse but prefer something 15.3 and under. 15.2 seems to be the norm of what I have. |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Ive riddent he small 14 h horses and love them. They can make mistakes and make up for them. They have room for error and they are quick and so atheltic.
However I am well bulky/fluffy/muscular/fat lol whichever you would like to call it and 5'8" so I prefer a bigger horses. My gelding is 16.2 and not overly wide but big shoulder and hip. Hes super athletic and has a stride on him. He cant make mistakes often and if he does they usually cost us quite a bit of time because he cant correct them as easily. However, he effortlessly can lope in the 4D usually. Hes a solid 2d/3d horse, just getting our confidence.
A frienf of mine runs a 14h mare and our first year in the big coliseum both our horses loped. Mine was 1.5 sec fast, just because he covers twice as much ground. We both laughed about it because we both felt like we were riding a turtle.
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 Member
Posts: 40
Location: SE Oklahoma | My gelding is 15.2. I did college and high school rodeo on a short mare that was 14.0h, but I felt like I slowed her down. She is now winning saddles for a little girl. I am tall and long legged and I feel like I look silly on the short ones. haha.
Edited by SheWolfe 2014-03-04 9:38 PM
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 Career in Looney Tune Land
Posts: 1717
Location: the high desert | I like them BIG and TALL, but finding one like that is impossible. I have been searching FOREVER for a 16+hand 1350+lb gelding and I swear there are none left. They are either way out of my price range or old or way way way to far away. |
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Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| Iwish - 2014-03-05 2:18 AM
I like them BIG and TALL, but finding one like that is impossible. I have been searching FOREVER for a 16+hand 1350+lb gelding and I swear there are none left. They are either way out of my price range or old or way way way to far away.
I hear ya!!!! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 357
| Iwish - 2014-03-05 2:18 AM
I like them BIG and TALL, but finding one like that is impossible. I have been searching FOREVER for a 16+hand 1350+lb gelding and I swear there are none left. They are either way out of my price range or old or way way way to far away.
We have a couple of these a 5 year old and 21 year old. I swear somedays they look like they grew more and can be intimidating but are like big puppy dogs.
Im 5 11 and it is all in my legs. There is nothing to small for me. I prefer 15.1 and under , sometimes may even look pass a 16 hand horse
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 410
| Iwish - 2014-03-05 2:18 AM
I like them BIG and TALL, but finding one like that is impossible. I have been searching FOREVER for a 16+hand 1350+lb gelding and I swear there are none left. They are either way out of my price range or old or way way way to far away.
I have one I'm thinking about selling! I love my 16 hand 1300LBS geldings!!! Big powerful and gentle that's my style |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| It doesn't really matter to me what size they are, as long as they do their jobs.
I've had a 52 inch pony run in the 1D (before there were divisions!). I've had a 15H mare and right now I've got a 16+ hand behemouth and a 15.2 gelding. The big boy makes the 15.2 gelding look small, and in reality, he's a very nicely built boy who's average.
I DO know that riding the big one has probably made me a better rider because he's got SO much power and will launch you if you aren't prepared. He dives into his turns and powerhouses out of them. Riding around my foot does not touch the top of the barrel when standing next to it. When running, my kneecap has been in danger. |
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 JMHO
Posts: 1869
Location: Oklahoma | I have a Little Corona gelding that's 16'3 but is very short backed. I'm 5'6 and have been having trouble keeping him from slicing his second barrel. I ride with spurs and he's a very well broke horse. We do alot of bending and flexing. I have a friend that's a lot taller then me, about 5'10 or 5'11. When she riding him she can really get him to lift his ribs and work. It's seems where my heal hits him moves him over, her's lifts him much better. Very frustrating. |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | My old gelding is about 14.1 and my young one is around 15.1-15.2. My ideal range is 14.3-15.1. I do NOT like those 16 hand monsters! I think it's mainly because I hate climbing up on them
I also like the ones that have a nice, big stride, as opposed to a short, choppy one. When horse shopping, I have passed on nice horses if they're too tall for me. It's just a preference, I don't feel like there's any advantage or disadvantage to a particular size. |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | I prefer a 14 hand horse or shorter. I have a young mare now that has grown to around15.1 plus and she is just too big for me. I owned a horse years ago that was around 13 hands and he could run as fast as the really big horses (16.1 plus) I guess I just don't feel in control on a really big horse. |
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 Born not Made
Posts: 2931
Location: North Dakota | I loved my 16.1 hand gelding with his HUGE stride. Rode him for 10+ years. I'm having a bit of trouble getting used to my 15.2 gelding. He feels so SMALL and short-strided in comparison! I definately have a preferance for the BIG horses. |
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 Member
Posts: 38
| My first barrel horse was 14.3, my next 15.2ish and my current is 14.1 on a good day. I grew up riding hunter jumper so while I was used to riding bigger horses, i really enjoy the shorties.
I am 5'4".
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| At the moment I have 14h, 14.3h, 15.1, 15.3 and 16h.. lol |
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 Can You Hear Me Now?
Location: When you hit the middle of nowhere .. Keep driving | I have one guy that's 14.1 and a two girls that are 16.2-3 but the majority are around 15-15.2. And all the young ones should finish at least 15. I don't have a preference really. I find that the 15-15.2 is a good middle ground. When I ride the big girls I hope they love me enough not to try and dump me though because the bigger they are the farther I fall. I'm 5.5 |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| My first barrel horse was 14.3 hands. She was my favorite horse to run. She would rub the paint off barrels without knocking them over. Now I have a 15.3 hand gelding.I have to put my foot to my ear just to reach the stirrup. I love him but it takes alot more effort to turn on the power. My next barrel horse will be 14.3-15.1 max. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 365
| I don't have a preferance, except I'm not a fan of horses over 16 hands. I'm 5'1" with short legs, their just hell getting up onto lol. My gelding is 15.1 hh and big enough, widest horse I've owned at that. |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | Right now I have 4 - 15.1, 15.2, 15.3 and 16 hands. The 15.2 is my gray and he's about the perfect size for me because he's big enough to have a monster stride but small enough he can get down and turn without having to really slow down. I've found that some horses just feel big - my bay is only 15.1 but he feels like a bigger stronger horse.
For the most part, I think there is less margin for error on a smaller horse. Matt has a mare who's maybe 14.2 and she can have a perfect run but get smoked by my bigger horses even with mistakes because they have a long enough stride to make it up on the straightaways.
Honestly I don't care what size a horse is as long as its athletic. I've been beaten by all sizes of horses so when I've shopped the last few times, I've just looked for an athlete. Everything else - height, gender, color, etc - was completely secondary. This is probably why when I wanted a little mare that was anything but sorrel I wound up with a 15.3 hand sorrel gelding. But he's FAST! lol
Edited by rodeowithjoker 2014-03-06 10:30 AM
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 Veteran
Posts: 226
Location: Middle Tennessee | I have two different extremes: a 14.3 MAYBE 15h firecracker and a 16.2-3h powerhouse. Love them both! I am 5'9" so when my little guy really gets down and turns, my boot just about touches the ground, but he is so fun! Really feels like he is hustling. He's a blast to run! Then my big guy feels so powerful, yet effortless, when he runs. I love them bith, but I feel I look normal on my big horse, and pretty funny on my little guy because of how long my legs are!!! |
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 Ima Cool Kid
Posts: 3496
Location: TN | Mine are all short, 14.2-15 hands. I am short too, so it works |
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4627
Location: Texas | I'm 5'8" and I have a 14.3hh mare and a 16.1hh mare. My 14.3hh mare has a long stride, is smooth as anything, and turns on a dime. My 16.1hh mare has a long stride and runs quite similarly to my smaller mare. Can't say the size of the horse bothers me, just as long as they do their job well. |
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