# Tall rider not tall enough horse?



## jgnmoose (May 27, 2015)

I know plenty of men that are 6' and up who ride horses between 14'2 and 15'2. Don't know the type of showing you are interested in but the ones I know something about rider:horse height is not a thing. Performance type Quarter Horses are mostly going to come in around 14'2 to 15. 

If you ride Western having your feet below the curve of the barrel on your horse is not a bad thing in the first place and is easily solved with some goose neck spurs. You are exactly who these are designed for, long legged rider with a need to cue their horse without a lot of leg movement to reach them. 

Wouldn't worry at all about trying to look like certain types of riders because a lot of them are tiny people so you can never really match their proportions and that shouldn't bother you one bit. Good luck


----------



## ksbowman (Oct 30, 2018)

I'm 6'-0" and 175# and my favorite height is 14.3 to 15HH. Also my inseam is 34" on my jeans if that helps. Are you riding with a little bend in your legs or straight legged?


----------



## LarkMeadow (Dec 19, 2020)

ksbowman said:


> I'm 6'-0" and 175# and my favorite height is 14.3 to 15HH. Also my inseam is 34" on my jeans if that helps. Are you riding with a little bend in your legs or straight legged?


It kind of depends on how I'm riding that day. I usually ride bareback in which case my legs are straight. When I am using a saddle there's a bit of a bend in my legs. I'm not so much worried about how I look and such but more so about how well the horse can carry me and how comfortable we both are. My current horse seems to have trouble with carrying me and it's quite uncomfortable for both of us. I absolutely love to ride him but I worry about the condition of his legs, back ect. As he is getting up there in his years.


----------



## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

I'm only 5'7" but very long in the legs and around 170 lbs after sitting at home all day - and I ride a horse that is around 15 hands. My 6'1" 220 lb SO rides my same horse, and actually looks more well suited to him that I do - just because our proportions are different.

A stockier horse would probably take up your leg better - and I wouldn't rely on a friesian to do that, as many of them are very narrow-bodied. I would look more towards a draft cross to take up your legs better.


----------



## jgnmoose (May 27, 2015)

LarkMeadow said:


> It kind of depends on how I'm riding that day. I usually ride bareback in which case my legs are straight. When I am using a saddle there's a bit of a bend in my legs. I'm not so much worried about how I look and such but more so about how well the horse can carry me and how comfortable we both are. My current horse seems to have trouble with carrying me and it's quite uncomfortable for both of us. I absolutely love to ride him but I worry about the condition of his legs, back ect. As he is getting up there in his years.


How old are we talking and what is his physical condition like?

Generally speaking though a horse that is around 15'2 is pretty tall already, plenty tall for your height and weight. I don't think you need to move into a new weight class of horse to accommodate your size. No need to look at light drafts or something in other words. 

The strongest point on a horse's back is the 14th vertebrae. If there is some discomfort take a good look at your saddle fit, and maybe how you ride bareback also. Saddles area a big topic, but if you post some pictures here of your horse's back and your saddle etc I'm sure someone can help you determine if there is a problem there.


----------



## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

Height wise skeletally a horse is typically done by 3. Some will put on the last tiny bit by 4. They will fill out though 6 and that muscle can add a small amount to height. Drafts can be a little slower height wise skeletally and are typically done by 5 and filling out by 8. Add shoes and you add a little more.

The build of the horse is what you are looking for not height. A shorter stouter horse with sturdy legs, short back and wide through the loin can carry weight better than a draft. Draft crosses, depending on confirmation can handle weight better than most modern drafts which are hitch bred for height with longer backs and for a draft narrow through the loin. Their legs though stouter than a saddle horse or even a cross have lost bone over the decades of breeding from farm type to hitch type and have quite a bit o their own weight to carry.

A slab sided horse doesn't take up leg so even a taller horse may not take up enough if built this way.


----------

