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Veteran
Posts: 106
| Does anyone have any suggestions or tips on how to transition comfortably from a bigger horse to a smaller one? I have always ridden bigger horses 15.3 and up and am very comfortable with them..I myself am 5'7 and the bigger ones seem to take up my leg pretty well.
I have a 4 year old cow bred filly that we raised from a yearling that is extremely nice but she is only 14.2 or 14.3 hds tall and I am struggling trying to get comfortable on her. I feel top heavy on her and like I am sitting on her ears even though I know I am not. Although she is stout for her size I cant seem to get my leg on her...it feels like my legs are just dangling and I have no connection to her barrel. In the hunter/jumper world when you ride the smaller ones...you just shorten your stirrups but I haven't done that to my barrel saddle yet..I already ride pretty short as it is so that I can get up and over....
Do I just need more ride time on her? shorten my stirrups even more?
I try to ride her first if I can before climbing on my open horse. My open horse is a 16 hds and long bodied and its like driving a station wagon...then I get off him and onto a little 14.2 hd compact cow bred honda civic....
Edited by Wishful 2016-10-26 3:29 PM
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
  
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Just spend more time on her so you can get use to the feel of her smaller body.
Edited by Southtxponygirl 2016-10-26 10:10 AM
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Don't shorten your stirrups. I've always riden BIG horses, grew up on hunter/jumpers... I have my first one that I think is probably right at 15 or a tick under. It was an adjustment for me, but I really enjoy her. My biggest challenge was/is not taking much pocket on the 2nd. She's a fun little ride, it's actually pretty nice not to worry about the ground as much as I did with my big guys. Just keep spending time on her. I'm 5'8" and all legs...if you shorten your stirrups, it's going to make you be more forward. She'll probably fill out more in the next couple of years as well.
Edited by MS2011 2016-10-26 10:08 AM
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| I'm 5'10, I've ridden 15hh+ most of my life including giant hunters. I currently run a 15.3hh horse and a 14.1hh pony.
It's tough and will make you a better more aware rider on any size horse.
I don't shorten my stirrups, I've actually been lengthening them to give me a more supportive base in my thighs and hips with less stirrup to brace off of. We breeze a lot and I've got him tuned into my calf rather than my heel.
My winter project is core strength core strength core strength. He has a tendency to get on his front end if I get forward so I really have to be able to stay in position. |
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 Lady Di
Posts: 21556
Location: Oklahoma | The main thing (IMO) with going from big to small is how much quicker they are. For instance, on a big horse, you can sit down for the turn a little early and they will still go around it. With a small horse, they're going to turn right then and they CAN!! lol You have to ride them a lot further into the turn and not sit down too quickly. They are fun,though. It's like going from a 1 ton to a VW. lol I wouldn't shorten my stirrups if I were you....she'll turn right out from under you. Just keep riding; you'll get the feel of her. The little ones are fun, fun, fun.....quick little motor scooters. lol Enjoy. |
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 BHW New Catch of the Day
Posts: 9884
Location: Missouri | dianeguinn - 2016-10-26 11:23 AM The main thing (IMO) with going from big to small is how much quicker they are. For instance, on a big horse, you can sit down for the turn a little early and they will still go around it. With a small horse, they're going to turn right then and they CAN!! lol You have to ride them a lot further into the turn and not sit down too quickly. They are fun,though. It's like going from a 1 ton to a VW. lol I wouldn't shorten my stirrups if I were you....she'll turn right out from under you. Just keep riding; you'll get the feel of her. The little ones are fun, fun, fun.....quick little motor scooters. lol Enjoy.
I totaly agree with you on the sit and turn. I have a little roan who I have a real hard time riding deep because I'm used to sitting earlier on bigger horses. We have been having a hitting problem the last 2 years. This past weekend I had a clean run and won a little cash but it's been a real struggle for me. When I sit, she turns, very catty. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Fatten her up to take up more of your leg, and then you'll adjust gradually to the feel as she gets back fit again.  That's working for me, anyway, with my little 14.1 hander. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 490
| What about going from 14 hds to 16 hds.... Thats the predicament Im in right now!!!! |
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Married to a Louie Lover
Posts: 3303
| Tbred - 2016-10-26 12:11 PM
dianeguinn - 2016-10-26 11:23 AM The main thing (IMO) with going from big to small is how much quicker they are. For instance, on a big horse, you can sit down for the turn a little early and they will still go around it. With a small horse, they're going to turn right then and they CAN!! lol You have to ride them a lot further into the turn and not sit down too quickly. They are fun,though. It's like going from a 1 ton to a VW. lol I wouldn't shorten my stirrups if I were you....she'll turn right out from under you. Just keep riding; you'll get the feel of her. The little ones are fun, fun, fun.....quick little motor scooters. lol Enjoy.
I totaly agree with you on the sit and turn. I have a little roan who I have a real hard time riding deep because I'm used to sitting earlier on bigger horses. We have been having a hitting problem the last 2 years. This past weekend I had a clean run and won a little cash but it's been a real struggle for me. When I sit, she turns, very catty.
Ditto. Lost a lot of money forgetting that when I sit hes going to turn, so I'd better be ready to turn.
That also goes back to the strength thing I think. When I feel mine start to set I have to resist going with him for a step. I'm so tall if I go with him I feel like he gets off balance and goes into it |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I have to agree with Dianeguinn, that if you sit too soon, a shorter horse will turn right there and then, and will turn out from under you (I could show you an embarrassing video or two of me with my short horse, LOL). Shorter horses (or at least mine) have been choppier riding than larger horses as well, but it could just be the feel because of stride length. My main mount is 14.2 hands, so I'm relatively used to her by now.
What I find hard is transitioning from a smaller horse to a larger horse. I had a 3 year old last year that was so long strided that I felt like I was going so fast when I was only trotting or loping, LOL. He was only about 15-15.1 at the time I never got him to the pattern, but he was smooth. I have a 2 year old I don't know for sure how big she'll get (according to her parents, somewhere in the neighborhood of 15.1, although currently she is barely 14 or 14.1 hands). Personally I like shorter horses, but I don't rule anything out by size (unless they are a giant 16+ hands, LOL). |
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 Am I really the Weirdo?
Posts: 11181
Location: Kansas | dianeguinn - 2016-10-26 11:23 AM The main thing (IMO) with going from big to small is how much quicker they are. For instance, on a big horse, you can sit down for the turn a little early and they will still go around it. With a small horse, they're going to turn right then and they CAN!! lol You have to ride them a lot further into the turn and not sit down too quickly. They are fun,though. It's like going from a 1 ton to a VW. lol I wouldn't shorten my stirrups if I were you....she'll turn right out from under you. Just keep riding; you'll get the feel of her. The little ones are fun, fun, fun.....quick little motor scooters. lol Enjoy.
No kidding!!!
I recently bought a 14 hand finished horse who is BEYOND turny. I thought my big horses (15.1 to 16 hands) were turny but Fred redefines it. I literally have to try and ride him through the fence to get past barrels where Chance is 5-6 inches taller and runs with a similar style but I can sit down a stride early on him where I have to drive Fred two extra steps.
Chance - 15.1 or 15.2 hands - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w80KGUoGvg
Fred - 14 hands - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIaDvqryQnc
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 516
| OhMax - 2016-10-26 1:04 PM
Tbred - 2016-10-26 12:11 PM
dianeguinn - 2016-10-26 11:23 AM The main thing (IMO) with going from big to small is how much quicker they are. For instance, on a big horse, you can sit down for the turn a little early and they will still go around it. With a small horse, they're going to turn right then and they CAN!! lol You have to ride them a lot further into the turn and not sit down too quickly. They are fun,though. It's like going from a 1 ton to a VW. lol I wouldn't shorten my stirrups if I were you....she'll turn right out from under you. Just keep riding; you'll get the feel of her. The little ones are fun, fun, fun.....quick little motor scooters. lol Enjoy.
I totaly agree with you on the sit and turn. I have a little roan who I have a real hard time riding deep because I'm used to sitting earlier on bigger horses. We have been having a hitting problem the last 2 years. This past weekend I had a clean run and won a little cash but it's been a real struggle for me. When I sit, she turns, very catty.
Ditto. Lost a lot of money forgetting that when I sit hes going to turn, so I'd better be ready to turn.
That also goes back to the strength thing I think. When I feel mine start to set I have to resist going with him for a step. I'm so tall if I go with him I feel like he gets off balance and goes into it
This is so true. I went from a 15.3 free runner type of horse to a 15 hand catty cow horse and boy was I in for a treat. Still learning to get with him cause he's so dang fast for me but I'll be a better rider because of it! |
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