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boon
Posts: 3
| What is everyone's take on the difference in taller horses and shorter horses when tub turning?
I currently run my little Appy, 14.2, and one of my mares, 14.3. I have a sorrel Appaloosa in training who is about 16.2.
I was wondering what people preferred though, and what kind of build they liked a barrel horse to have.  |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
 
| I run a 14.2hh, a 15.3hh, and a 16.1hh. It makes absolutely no difference to me, you can't really judge a horse by how many hands it is. I like a quick footed, well built horse of any size, as long as it has the heart and try to be a barrel horse. As for what type of build, I prefer a horse with a powerful body, correct angles, and something that is built to be sound and correct. I wouldn't run a super stocky 14 hand horse, jmo but when there really stocky built they just don't have the legs for enough speed to be a barrel horse, I also wouldn't go over 16.2hh, because they just aren't as quick and catty. Just remember the size of heart matters alot more then the size of the horse! |
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 Expert
Posts: 3782
 
Location: Gainesville, TX | This is a question that has been asked on here a ton and you will get a ton of responses.
Advantages of shorter horses is that they tend to be turny. They don't tend to need a huge pocket to get around a barrel so they don't have to slow down as much around one either, less wasted space. They tend to have shorter strides though.
Bigger horses have to rate harder (which long term can be hard on their bodies) and slow down more for turns. But they have bigger strides between barrels and on the way home.
Which is why my preference is for a medium height horse of about 15.1-2. But you will see successful horses of all heights. Over 16hh does tend to be getting a bit too big for a lot of people though because of how much they have to shut down coming into barrels. And you don't usually see a ton of horses under 14.1 running either. |
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 Professional Amateur
Posts: 6750
Location: Oklahoma | It's all about the STRIDE. I have to pony my little 14.2hh mare off of my 16hh dude . . she just has a stride to her. She can hang in small indoor patterns or large outdoor patterns. I've found some big horses that can hang in both size pens also.
Stride and heart get my vote.
People have personal preferences though on the horse's size. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| I just wanted to add, I really do like tall horses. I am 5' 11" and have legs for days lol I feel a little big for the 14hh horses, |
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 Regular
Posts: 58
Location: Pa | I like a horse from 14.2 -15.2
I have a pony who doesn't even hit 14hh but her heart is in barrel racing 100% . She runs a perfect patter darn near every time. She is GREAT for rodeos with real tight patterns, but when you get into IBRA shows with a stretched out pattern she can't hang with the big horses because there is just so much straight running. She barly has to slow down for turns she just throws her little body around the barrels. She is finished and runs great but I've had to come to accept she just not in the 1D with the wide patterns . |
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