Suggested Hand for My Height and Weight
 

I am currently 5' 5'' and 115 lbs. What is the minimum hands my horse should be? I just want to be sure I don't hurt my horse.

Honestly? You could ride just about anything. Height has less to do with capacity then build.
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Thanks! I am also very slender. If I happen to fall. How do I fall "correctly"?

People are way too caught up in how many hands their horse is or should be - which is funny because most people don't even have an accurate height on their horse. Most are over estimated. Build matters way more.

But like Phyl said - you could ride just about anything you are comfortable on at that weight.

up i am just under 5'5 at 110-115 and ive ridden from 14.0 lighter build ( which for me was a little uncomfortable) upto 16.3. While i prefer taller as long as they are wider and I am comfortable with how i feel size wise on them I'll ride anything :). My new gelding is about 14.3 not very wide but not little either.

How long ago did you get your gelding? Also is it easier to ride a gelding than a mare? Or does the gender not matter?

I just bought him Wednesday but I've been riding horses under 15 hands for the past 3 years my trainers gelding I've been riding is barely 14.2 i believe but he is a stocky boy.

It honestly depends I've ridden both and really don't have a preference personally. I love my trainers horses in general ,mares and geldings a like, training has a lot to do with it but some horses of both genders will have personalities you just don't work well with, either suck it up or move on to another horse.

I was just wondering because some say Mares are very difficult to ride but, I have a mare and she's an absolute jem under saddle.

Falling takes years of practice!!!! I've been falling, crashing, and generally eating dirt for near 30yrs. After a while, you natural reaction is self preservation and it just happens lol. But back to horse hieght vs mass for a rider, I'm 6' 170ish. I ride our 14.2 QP and she don't mind a bit. But she STOCKY Though when I ride in daughters saddle I look like a jocky on a mini! It's halarious.
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Yeah it really is a case by case as well as person by person. I know my trainers big show gelding hates woman but is an absolute doll for her nonhorsey husband hah. Oh and the falling thing I got into a habit of rolling into a ball when i come off but it has caused serious problems with my back. Im not sure there is a right way to fall haha.