Height of a horse I would need

Question

I'm five foot five and I was wondering what the height of a horse that I would need

Answer 1

I think that you will need to look at horses more on how they fit you, then the height.  I am your size and can ride anything from a 13.2 hand pony up to my 17.2 gelding.  I wouldn't want to jump over much more then a puddle on the pony, but trail riding isn't much fun on the tall guy.  Really I fit the 15handers great- they are leggy enough to make jumping feel okay and they are short/small enough to be maneuverable.  Size isn't the only factor in this equation.

Answer 2

Well, it depends on what you want to do with it.  Are you looking for a good, all around horse for trail riding?  for jumping?  for reining/roping?  for barrel racing?  

Generally, the right horse for you is based on the horse's & rider's overall weights, not heights.  A good rule of thumb (with exceptions in some cases) is that a rider's weight shouldn't exceed 20 percent of a horse's weight.

Answer 3

15.5, is really 16.2. (it goes from 15.0,15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 16.0). 4 inches to 1 hand.

I'm about 5'8" and my horse is 16.1. As for what height would be good for you, it really depends on the breed and body shape of the horse. For example, my old horse was 15.1, but he's a big thick QH with a huge barrel that takes my height and legs quite well, so I never looked too tall for him. My horse now, is a skinny lightweight TB mare, so she's taller, thus making us look alright together.  

And sometimes, it's not about height. You might find a horse that suits you perfectly that is only 14.3hh. But the horse might have a nice round barrel where your legs can curve nicely over, thus making him suit you, even at your height. You don't need a horse that is all that tall for trail riding and occasional jumping. Find a horse that you'd feel comfortable on and have fun on.

Good luck horse searching! ^_^