[2boys]

Just looking to see any extremes of taller riders riding shorter horses. Thanks!

[mustangtrailrider]

I am 5'10". My mare is no taller than 15hh. Talk about odd. She carries me around like no one else's business. No problem here. We work well as a team. No serious competing in our future, but we are having fun.

[2boys]

You don't have pics, do you?

[SarEQ]

I'm 5'8" and my horse is 14.2 and a half. But he's also got a nice round barrel and I have short legs.

We look nice together, and he's unstoppable and enthusiastic about riding at 30.

We also aren't competing, although we may do a shorter endurance ride next year.

I think (in general) that the weights of the horse and rider matter more than the heights. As long as the rider and tack aren't more than 20% of the horse's body weight (assuming the horse is healthy) there should be no issues. Also, a taller rider 'looks' more natural on a wider horse than a narrow one, if you have a choice between two shorter horses.

[Lazy Palomino Hunter]

I'm in the 5'10" range. I am also slender (around 130 lbs), and rode competitively in college, so I've really run the gauntlet in different size and shape horses that I've ridden.

I find that I do best on big, long horses. One of the best schoolies at my college was over 17 hands (not sure by how much) and wore a 56" girth, and I liked riding him because I really felt like I FIT. Same for this guy, who is in the 17.2-17.3 range (and laughing at that crossrail).

I've ridden my fair share of the smaller guys too- this horse is a touch under 16 hands, but he wore a 50" girth and took up my leg nicely. Of course, as the barrels get smaller, I look progressively sillier on little horses. 16h/50" girth, 16h/48" girth, 16h/46" girth, narrow-ish large pony (?), 13h...

Since I'm sort of long everywhere, and quite, erm, chesty... I find that I feel more comfortable on horses that are relatively long. For example, my project schooling horse (Sassy, whom I lovingly referred to as "Sausage" because she was so long) couldn't have been more than 15.1. BUT- she was about 8 million miles long, and as a result I didn't feel too big on her at all.

More upright necks also make the picture nicer if the rider is tall. My horse Mugsy was an honest to god 17h, wore a 52" girth, and an 84" blanket, but I looked enormous on him. (Just for giggles here, here is my 5'5" friend on him)

In sum... I think fit depends on the rider's proportions. If they have a long leg, a big barrel is necessary for "fit." If they have a long upper body, they'll probably look better on something with a slightly more upright neck and longer body.

[2boys]

Wow, you really can *fit* a lot of different sizes. You make that mare you big! The donkey--not so much........

[Lazy Palomino Hunter]

Wow, you really can *fit* a lot of different sizes. You make that mare you big! The donkey--not so much........

Just for fun... here is the difference between Closing (the 17.2+ guy) and Sassy, on the ground:

Closing and me
vs.
Sassy and me (clearly I was unaware we were going to be taking pictures )

[blackstallion2]

I agree, weight is more important than height. My legs are too short for my round barreled TB, but with his short back and my long back, I look to big on him! He's 16 h, I am 5'4". Yes, my conformation is opposite that of most decent riders! So, ideally a shorter legged and longer backed horse that I could mount with out a step ladder would make a prettier picture.

[Tiempo]

I am 5'10, Tiempo is 14.3.

This is a lousy pic in oh so many ways, but the only one I have handy..

http://i34.tinypic.com/vyl7dl.jpg

[2boys]

I am 5'10, Tiempo is 14.3.

And what do you *do* with your horse? If you don't mind me asking...

[sublimequine]

I'm 5'9"ish, my mare's 15hh even.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7...yabetta008.jpg

She's massively wide, so luckily I don't look huge on her. We trail/pleasure ride.

[Tiempo]

And what do you *do* with your horse? If you don't mind me asking...

Mostly trails (he's a wiz at the really rough, hilly, rocky stuff), but he also does speed events, extreme cowboy races, reining, penning.

We do plan to show some gaited classes next year.

I do look more balanced on him in real life than in the picture, I think what makes it work between us is not only that he is deep chested, but he is a lot of horse with a lot of self confidence and a distinct air of pride about himself, and he carries himself that way.

[Minerva Louise]

I am freakishly tall. 35" inseam.
Me riding a 16 ish hand shire mare. Don't laugh. I need 18 hands.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3605359...n/photostream/

Me riding my horse the first day I got him "home". Please excuse the borrowed tack. He's about 15.3-16 hh.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3605359...n/photostream/

[sublimequine]

I am freakishly tall. 35" inseam.
Me riding a 16 ish hand shire mare. Don't laugh. I need 18 hands.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3605359...n/photostream/

Me riding my horse the first day I got him "home". Please excuse the borrowed tack. He's about 15.3-16 hh.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/3605359...n/photostream/

I don't think you look overly tall on either horse.

[appychik]

I'm 5'10" and Gus is an honest 16hh. He's longer then a freight train too...

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

I currently lesson on an 14.2h Arab mare ... no pics of that but I look huge on her. However, because I stay light in the seat and pretty well balanced, we work well together .

[2boys]

I'm 5'10" and Gus is an honest 16hh. He's longer then a freight train too...

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo...eat=directlink

I currently lesson on an 14.2h Arab mare ... no pics of that but I look huge on her. However, because I stay light in the seat and pretty well balanced, we work well together .

DId you mean to put the hay behind you in that pic? It looks neat.

[2boys]

I'm 5'9"ish, my mare's 15hh even.

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/7...yabetta008.jpg

She's massively wide, so luckily I don't look huge on her. We trail/pleasure ride.

Yes, you definitely fit.

[idtogo]

I am 5 '6" ish and currently have a 15h morgan and he seems a nice fit for me:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...99644495VLMrUN

[2boys]

I am 5 '6" ish and currently have a 15h morgan and he seems a nice fit for me:

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo...99644495VLMrUN

Handsome boy! This is fairly similar to my possible situation (5'5"-just had my husband measure me-with a 14.1ish horse).

[idtogo]

thank you ! I love him, he is like riding a little sports car ! He is the first horse I have owned under 16h and I am really enjoying riding a smaller horse