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Horse rider/height

18K views 31 replies 24 participants last post by  KawaiiCharlie 
#1 ·
I'm wondering what people think about appropriate horse height/rider height?

I'm 5'7 and I am not a "skinny" person. I'm pretty proportionate though - neither my torso nor legs are long or short.

I've been looking at horses between 15.2hh and 16hh. While I am tall and strong enough to have a taller horse I don't want a big horse. Anyway there is this STB horse I saw advertised who is a 3 y/o and is 15hh. His add says "solid,compact build".

Do you think he would be worth looking at? I was thinking he might grow...what do you think?
 
#4 ·
It more depends on how you feel on the horse. I can ride a 8.3hh pony, and I'm 5'5. It's fine. But some have weird short backs, or short necks, and it feels awkward riding them.
But it should be right! I'd go and look, and see how you feel on him. And don't worry about looking stupid. I took a 9hh pony to Pony Club once. It's fun. :D
 
#7 ·
It's more about how thick the horse is, how big their barrel is. A big stocky horse will fit better than a tall narrow horse. I'm 5'1" and ride a 14hh pony, he's a solid stocky pony and we look fine together. My boyfriend has even rode him, he's 5'11", pony carried him just fine and he didn't look like a giant on him. I think a solid 15hh horse would be just fine.
 
#8 ·
It sounds like a good size fit from the little information you give us. But it is hard to tell. It also depends on what you are going to do with the horse.

For example, if you just want something for pleasure riding, as long as you are not heavy for the horse and you are comfy who cares what you look like. If you are going to show hunters then looking too big on your horse is a bad thing so you want to make sure you look proportionate.
 
#9 ·
I think it's worth a try! if nothing else it will give you experience as to what sort of horse you are looking for. But size wise, you could probably get away with riding a pony if you really wanted to . I'm 5'7 aswell and looked relativly normal on a 14hh stocky pony. =) but 15hh is a good size, as long you like him personality wise i don't see a problem.
 
#10 ·
I agree that a lot of it depends on the horse's conformation.

I'm 5'7", with long legs, and my current horse is a 14 hh/14.1 hh paint cross, but because he has such a wide back he takes up a lot of my leg and I look pretty good on him. Just go try out the horse, have someone take pictures, etc. If you're not planning on doing a ton of hunters, like Alwaysbehind noted, then it's not really a big deal.
 
#14 ·
I'm 5'6 and my pony is 14 hands. I do look a little big for him but he is part arabian so he has no problem jumping 3'3 courses with me on his back. But I can't show hunter because the judge would penalize me for looking a little big on him.
 
#15 ·
i am 173 cm (about that) and i ride a 15.1hh horse and she is the perfect height for me i am still growing though and my horse has stopped so she might not be my best looooooooong term horse but she is perfect for now.
my sister rides the same horse and she is about 160cm tall (and still growing) but my horse has a lovely tempermennt so she is fine!!!

also i know a 6 yrold girl that would be about 115 cm and she rode a 15.3-16hh horse and she was fine because the horse had a temperment to die for!!
 
#17 ·
I'm 5'11 all legs (about 125 pounds) and ride a 17.3 hand Holsteiner. I dwarf her and it's scary. However with short short short stirrups I ride ponies around 13 and 14 hands and look okay. Find the horse, then deal with height after. The right horse is more important than the "perfect" size
 
#21 · (Edited)
As mentioned by other posters, horse rider fit is influenced by: discipline, horse's conformation, rider's conformation, and the amount and level of work you expect to do.

It's impossible to judge from a rider just posting their height and weight and the horse's height.

In general, gaited horses and western discipline horses can carry bigger and taller riders because 1.) the horses do not move with a long stride or lots of suspension and 2.) the rider does not ride with their lower leg on the horse.

In hunters, jumpers and dressage horses, the rider needs to wrap their lower leg on the horses barrel, or at the very least have contact between their lower leg and the horse's barrel. An experienced or skilled rider may adapt their postion and stirrup length to school a smaller animal but they compromise their security somewhat doing so.

In hunter seat equitation, and to a smaller extent, the collective mark for rider's position in dressage, that the rider "fit" the horse is critcal in order to demonstrate correct, secure position.

For example: I have a 14.2 hand foundation bred QH that's built like a brick with legs. He was ridden by a large man (5' 10", 240 pounds,) in rodeo events successfully. I am 5' 7" and plump. I trail ride this little guy but only jump him lightly. He takes up my leg fairly well but it would be easy for me to unbalance him with my upper body. If I wanted to seriously condition him for fitness, I would get a smaller rider to ride him part of the time or pony him on alternate days as I think packing my weight six days a week for extended periods at a long, swinging trot would be too hard on him.

HTH
 
#24 ·
As mentioned by other posters, horse rider fit is influenced by: discipline, horse's conformation, rider's conformation, and the amount and level of work you expect to do.

It's impossible to judge from a rider just posting their height and weight and the horse's weight.

In general, gaited horses and western discipline horses can carry bigger and taller riders because 1.) the horses do not move with a long stride or lots of suspension and 2.) the rider does not ride with their lower leg on the horse.

In hunters, jumpers and dressage horses, the rider needs to wrap their lower leg on the horses barrel, or at the very least have contact between their lower leg and the horse's barrel. An experienced or skilled rider may adapt their position and stirrup length to school a smaller animal but they compromise their security somewhat doing so.

In hunter seat equitation, and to a smaller extent, the collective mark for rider's position in dressage, that the rider "fit" the horse is critcal in order to demonstrate correct, secure position.

For example: I have a 14.2 hand foundation bred QH that's built like a brick with legs. He was ridden by a large man (5' 10", 240 pounds,) in rodeo events successfully. I am 5' 7" and plump. I trail ride this little guy but only jump him lightly. He takes up my leg fairly well but it would be easy for me to unbalance him with my upper body. If I wanted to seriously condition him for fitness, I would get a smaller rider to ride him part of the time or pony him on alternate days as I think packing my weight six days a week for extended periods at a long, swinging trot would be too hard on him.

HTH

Perfect post! I think this sums it up very nicely.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I'm 5'8. My horse is 17.2, although I look perfectly proportionate on some of the other horses I've ridden, (15.0-16.0 hands). I think it depends on the proportions of both the rider and the horse. I've ridden a 15.0 paint with a heavy build and looked fine. There was one 16.3 horse I rode, and I looked like a flag pole on her, because she was slimly built.
 
#23 ·
I'm 5'10", my horse is 17 hands and I find that just perfect. I like the way we look but mainly and work together, I have longs legs which is not such a bad thing for dressage. Though obviously many things are based on conformation and other things like it was said before, I really think we fit each other very well.
 
#28 ·
I have to agree with everyone about depending on the horse, not just that you post heights. Im 5'5" and I have a 15.3 TB, who I fit on fine, but I did ride a 17.1 TB for a while and showed my friends QH who was 15-15.1. It all depends on the specific horse/rider combo.
 
#31 ·
LOL, this post was from September :P

I got the horse and he's grown! He's probably getting closer to 16hh now and he's decently solid so I think if anything I'll look slightly over horsed later on.

I have no idea what I am going to do with him, I was hoping to give PoloX and Horseball a go but I think he is getting a little big :(
 
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