how short is too short?

I'm about 5 ft, 108lbs. Sometimes when I horse browse I find ponies, meet all my criteria, but they're little. What size horse would you reccomend. I want something I can ride and Jump comfortably, and Im not sure a 12, 13 or 14 hand horse will do the job?

Well it all depends on what you are comfortable with. I know my stud horse is 14.3 hands(which is very small for me) cause im 5'10 and when I get on him he fells like he is 16H. So I would be more worried about other things in a horse than size.

You would probably look a little tall on a 12 hand pony, that is really pretty small. You would look just fine on a 13.2 to a 14 hand pony or larger.

I would look at something about 14.3 hh with a maximum of 15.2. Ideally about 15.hh to 15.1 would be just about right. It has size and will fit most jumping courses.

Since many people want either ponies or full sized horses I find that this size range can often be a little cheaper.

What size a horse have you rode in the past? Comfortablity is a big thing really my first lesson horse I rode was 14 hands and I looked ridiculous because im almost 6 feet tall but she was awsome learning partner. My boys are in the 15 hands and their like paradise to me where my dads horse is 16.2 and he's fun to ride but too big for me .. I have a friend whos about your height and she was very comfortable on her 16 hand TB jumper ..

Most horses / ponies will be able to carry you, so the issues become 1. What you are comfortable with, 2. How much you are still going to grow, 3. How long you plan to keep the horse, 4. How high do you want to jump and 5. Do you want a horse or a pony? They do have different attitudes and different needs for sure.

Except for small kids, I don't understand getting anything under 14 hands, but lots of people do and they just love their small mounts. Don't let what you "look like" be an issue unless you are showing. Your comfort, happiness and future are more important - for you and your new horse.

Well I feel your pain...Im only 4'11 and have no hope of ever getting any taller! I find that usually 14-14.3 hand horses are easier to just hop on and ride. That's about the ideal height for any "short" person if you want to jump or something.

I don't necessarily agree with that. I'm 5'1 and my horse is 16.2h. I've ridden tons of ponies as catchrides and retrains atshows and at my stables but I feel more comfortable on the big guys. I'm short but I have long legs so I can ride the bigger horses and still not look like a peanut. The shortest horse I owned was 15.2TB but the second shortest is the one I have now and he's a TB jumper/eventer and I feel so secure on him and we've jumped over 4foot. All my other horses were about the same, my last TB was 16.2, my DWB was 16.3 and my Hanovarian was 18h. If your comfortable on the horse then that's all that matters and as long as you don't look weird on it, like your legs shouldnt wrap around its tummy! Lol

Im 5"2 120lb and I ride a 16.3 standardbred, no prob.
And my legs are not that long at all,

In the past I've ridden a 17h draft with ease too
Its all about fitness, not really height or anything.

If you don't want a little horse, go ahead and get a big horse, its no problem, so long as you can handle it. Test him out first

Ride them and try them. Its more about the width than the actual height. I'm 5'9 and comfortably ride a 13.3 hand haflinger and he is very comfortable for me. His extra width takes up my leg much better than my taller, but narrower horse. Even looking at pictures I look a lot better on the 13.3 hand haflinger than I do the 15 hand horse.

At 5 foot - you could get away with even smaller than me.