# Horse rider/height



## WickedNag (Sep 7, 2010)

I am probably very disproportionate in size to my horse. I am 5'3" when I stand very tall  I ride a 16.1hh paint. I am more about having the right horse for me than the size for the most part. Though I do prefer the stride of a bigger horse personally.


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## Cinnys Whinny (Apr 10, 2010)

Sounds fine to me. I'm 5'8" and ride a 15hh paint. My other horse was 14.3.


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## Benny (Mar 10, 2010)

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.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

It really depends on the horse's conformation. Many people that are tall ride a nice solid stocky horse just fine, while a horse with smaller frame might make you look like a giant.


Also, keep in mind the horses conformation. A horse with a weak back/loin could develop back problems with extra weight.


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## dillon (Dec 9, 2010)

doesnt really matter i am 5"2 and the smallest horse i own is 17hands.


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## BarrelRacer86 (Jul 6, 2010)

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.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

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.


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## Lonannuniel (Jun 13, 2008)

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.


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## Strange (Jan 11, 2009)

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.


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## faye (Oct 13, 2010)

dillon said:


> doesnt really matter i am 5"2 and the smallest horse i own is 17hands.


yet in anouther thread you said the smallest was 16hh??


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## Luvs2jump (Oct 11, 2010)

_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## dillon (Dec 9, 2010)

faye said:


> yet in anouther thread you said the smallest was 16hh??


i dont own her i ride her meaning compete this is what you do when you get noticed.


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## equinelyn (Dec 15, 2010)

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.


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## Caitlinpalomino (Nov 16, 2010)

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!!


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## DunOverIt (Dec 14, 2010)

Have you ever watched tie down roping? Or most reining? LOL

Some of those guys are not only tall, but not very small. And often on horses 15hh and under. I'm 6ft and not a stick, and I prefer my 14.3/15hh quarter horses. I'd rather not have to fly off a 17.3hh horse for tie down.


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## Ak1 (Mar 14, 2010)

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


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

DunOverIt said:


> Have you ever watched tie down roping? Or most reining? LOL
> 
> Some of those guys are not only tall, but not very small. And often on horses 15hh and under. I'm 6ft and not a stick, and I prefer my 14.3/15hh quarter horses. I'd rather not have to fly off a 17.3hh horse for tie down.


That also depends on the discipline. In Jumping if your torso is too long then you can seriously throw off a horse's balance in the air if you make a tiny mistake. It's part of the reason why people tent to think English disciplines are so stuck on height.


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## BecArabian (Dec 15, 2010)

well my horse is 15.1hh and im 160cm 
u can ride on any horse just depends on temper


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## BecArabian (Dec 15, 2010)

my friend is 148cm and rides a 13hh horse (sorry 2 double post)


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## maura (Nov 21, 2009)

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


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## Jordan S (Jun 7, 2009)

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.


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## mumiinek (Aug 4, 2010)

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.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

maura said:


> 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.
> 
> ...



Perfect post! I think this sums it up very nicely.


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## Sarahandlola (Dec 16, 2010)

I am 5'1 and my horse is about 15.2hh. She can carry good weight though.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Totally agree with Maura! Great post.


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## dudey (Dec 16, 2010)

i am 5"3 one is 16hands, one is 17hh,17.1,16.2 they are all well behaved i also ride short stirrups and i find them fine too ride they no who is boss


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## RansomTB (Nov 2, 2010)

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.


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## mumiinek (Aug 4, 2010)

mumiinek said:


> I like the way we look but mainly and work together, I have longs legs which is not such a bad thing for dressage.


Uh, that was supposed to read "I like the way we look but mainly work together, I have long legs which is not such a bad thing for dressage."

I swear I wasn't drunk.


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## Supermane (Sep 23, 2007)

mumiinek said:


> Uh, that was supposed to read "I like the way we look but mainly work together, I have long legs which is not such a bad thing for dressage."
> 
> I swear I wasn't drunk.


Lol, I was trying to figure that one out.


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## Saskia (Aug 26, 2009)

LOL, this post was from September  

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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## KawaiiCharlie (Nov 17, 2010)

im 5ft4 & i ride small ponies all the time. i think it just depends on the build of the horse, obviously you dont want a really dainty horse, you should probably go for something bigger built & stocky. but i think you would be fine on a 15hh horse  go take a look.


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