Tall horses?

Question

Has anyone else noticed how so many people tell others that their horses are taller than they really are. Last weekend I was at a friends house who had some horses. One of them was a really big draft. When I asked how tall it was the guy said 18.3hh. There was no way in h**l that horse was that tall. I could have believed 17 something but that was ridiculous. My TB is 16.2hh but when I got him everyone kept trying to push it up to 17. Whats so wrong with a small horse? My arab is 14.2 and is way stronger and quicker than my TB. Is it really that much of a status boost to have a big horse? I mainly hear this stuff from all the wannabe cowboys at my barn. I guess they get jealous of all us girls riding around on our big horses and are too macho to appreciate their little but hardy quarter horses. Opinions anyone?

Answer 1

i think some people just think that a bigger horse sounds more impressive. i think people like that are total tossers. does anyone remember stroller (before my time, but i've read about him)? he was a little irish pony (14.2hh) and he won silver at the olympics in showjumping. he out-jumped horses twice his size!!! there is definitive proof that size does not matter.

Answer 2

i know what you mean! i just got a new 17.3 TB and my friend who is constantly trying to "out do" me said her new horse is just like mine but hers is 17.4 (not possible i know). I ride at a huge eventer barn and there are a lot of people there who will boost their horses height up a few inches or a hand when i'm pretty sure when they tell people that others realize they are wrong. I don't know what the thing is with having a tall horse or saying you have a tall one, tall or short they have their own talents! somehow i've always had tall horses because i like them for some reason but i dont lie about their heights, i tell it like it is because other horse people can tell whether you're lying or not.

Answer 3

I think sometimes, stocky-er(sp?) horses seem even bigger than they are, and some people are just bad at estimating size.  I had a 16.2 OTTB as well, people tried to say he was 17.1!  I was like, there is no way I can get on a 17.1 from the ground! Right now I have 15.3 grade gelding and people always try and say he is bigger, and its like, no he is just bulky.  Personally, I don't think 15.3 is that big but other people look at him and say "Gosh he is huge."

I personally like bigger horse, they seem more patient, like I can make my gelding stand in a ditch so I can jump on bareback instead of walking way back to the barn.

Answer 4

yeah i notice this alot too. Especially the 16.2 17 hand thing. Alot of people just want to say they have a 17 hand horse. I think it makes them feel more powerful or something haha. i notice at the  shows all these tiny people on big horses. Their legs are in the middle of the horses barrel. They should just ride something smaller that fits them better.

When i bought my mare she was "17 hands" The vet sticked her and she was 16.2. Big deal its a 2 inch difference why lie? haha.

Answer 5

Yes, I notice that all the time. The tallest guys in our herd are 16.2 and 16.3. Everyone always says : "Oh, those horses must be 18hh!" One of our mares is 15.1 and sometimes I prefer to ride her. I was actually at a lesson and one of the guys in my lesson refused to get on a horse because she was 15.3. He said he wouldn't take anything under 16. I was riding my horse (who is 16.2), and said I would trade him, because he was holding everyone up. He agreed, and it turned out that he couldn't handle my horse because my horse wasn't all the way broke. He ended up asking for the mare back 5 minutes into of the lesson. He then proceeded to call my horse "stupid". Those stupid wannabe cowboys, eh?

Jeez.

Answer 6

My daughter went out hunting recently, her little 12.3hh (131cm) fine show pony got out of the float. And the horse beside us was 17.3hh clyde cross. Looked funny.

Answer 7

well idk!!! im about to lease the cutest little 8 year old horse thats only 15hh!! i agree, size doesn't matter that much

Answer 8

It's really annoying when you are horse-hunting and you make an appointment to see a horse based on the advertised information.  I once drove 2 hours to see a horse when I was looking to purchase one for my 5'7" daughter.

The horse was advertised as 15.3 hands...we wanted 15.1 to 15.3 so it sounded good.  Well, the horse was 14 to 14.1 hands...tops.  I felt like sueing for false advertising.

I asked her where she'd gotten the idea that this horse was 15.3 and she said her vet told her that.  People are such liars.

Did she think people would just not notice?Arrrrgh!

Answer 9

agreed guys men have a mind set the bigger the better.

Answer 10

What?  Haven't you seen my 25.3 hand QH? ☺

I like smaller horses, personally.  But it seems to be in the hunter/jumper world that bigger is better.  Which is dumb.  Size doesn't matter until you get to Grand Prix level.  My 15hh horse can jump 3 1/2 feet just as easily as a 17 hand horse.  Athleticism matters more than size.  I think people just have a Napoleon Complex about their horses.

Answer 11

Some have the mindset that bigger horses=bigger challenge. Thus to prove their master skills, they ride a 20 hh mustang stallion.

Answer 12

lol...I keep trying to say my horse is smaller than he is...that way I can convince myself that I can stretch my pudgy leg up that high...lol.

But yea...I've seen lots of people do that too...called "Small Man syndrome"..you know..you see these dweeby little men driving these big beefed up S-10's *lol*

edit....Calm Before the Storm...you aren't a guy either are ya...lol. It was just a comparison...

Answer 13

Good question!  For myself I think big horses are over rated. They eat more, p**p more, need bigger (and pricier) equipment,  They destroy more fences and "stuff" just by sheer weight volume.  They are harder to get on, and need bigger trailers.  If you can't get on your horse without using a mounting block then it is "too big" for you. What if you come off and there is no "block" available?  You're walkin'!  Even if you can stretch yourself up there, often the leg position of the rider is inappropriate for the size of the horse.  I do think it is an ego thing with some people.  Larger people think they need a "big" horse to carry them around.  Amazing how they survived in the "horse and buggy" days.  Not too many people were riding across the US on draft horses.  Wonder why?  Think about why riding breeds evolved?  Purposes that affected livelihood and constant use.  

The most agile and athletic horses I know are smaller, compact, and smart!  

I

Answer 14

This doens'nt happen alot to me becasue a board at a barn thats mostly arabs adn half arabs. But lots of the arab/warmblood crosses are larger and their owners seem to play that up a little bit. I don't know why...I think smaller horses are cuter and much more agile. I don't get why people do that, I just think they like to brag. If you say you've go t a17 hand horse people are going to be like wow thats really big, how do you ride him?

Answer 15

Most people actually have no idea how big their horse is - they guess. And some have no idea where the wither is, and when they measure they put the stick on the neck. And some don't realise that height changes depending on mood / time of year / situation.

I expect for the most part it's ignorance, not arrogance. Someone says, "my horse is 16.2" as a guess, because heck, a lot of horses are 16.2. Person number two says, "my horse is bigger than his" (and it might be, or it might just have a bigger shoulder) and so horse number two is 17h. Person number three's horse has a very pronounced wither, so he puts his horse 3 inches taller than person two's horse, and so it goes on.

I've been to see horses advertised as 15.2h who measure in at 14.2h. And there are ponies with life height certs of 14.2h who are easily 2 inches taller - but there are ways to make your horse look bigger or smaller than he is, and height is not fixed - it depends on a lot of factors.

Answer 16

I board my 15.1 Arab at a mainly thoroughbred barn..So he is kind of the pony there.  I think it is just a confidence boost thing...If you have a bigger horse, you are obviously a better rider because there is so much more animal to control type thing...Haha, I would like to see half of those thoroughbred people get on my Arab for a while...They just don't have as fall to far.

Answer 17

yea u see lots of people lying in horse ads to try and suit better riders because people are afraid of the horse being either too smal or too big for there kid so they get the people to meet the horse when they ride the horse they know if it is too big or too small.

Answer 18

Well, I just say what's on the passport. I have to admit that I've never actually bothered to measure them - maybe that's another thing I will get around to some day.

Ii don't think it's really that important unless you're competing and have to be a certain height for the class. I don't compete so it's no big deal.

Everyone who sees them just says they're %*^$*£! huge !

Works for me.

Edit: Chipin CA - I agree, bigger = more expense and more aggro.

as to not having a handy mounting block, yes to that too, I've had to climb fences before now !

Answer 19

Yeah, I noticed that too... "oh yeah my horse is really tall hes like the worlds tallest horse!" AKA 17.1 HH... yeah

ps. Mdolittle: I have an S10 then again I'm 5' 3" and its not all souped up.

Answer 20

My boy is 15.2 and you wouldn't believe the amount of people who tell me what a sweet pony he is. I think some riding club people have something to prove. Some of them from on top of 15.3's!!!!!!!!!

Answer 21

probably a confidence boost

but i love riding the ponies

:)

Answer 22

huh? that is very strange. But i have seen someone ask a question about her horse and she said it was 19.2. Lol poor little girl had no idea what she was talking about. I would say her horse was actully 15hh. This was a long time ago when i had a different email.

Any way. i love small horses. I have an appaloosa, that is extremly smart, beautiful, loving, and is just an excellent horse. I love her being small because i can easly get on her. Im about 5 feet (i think). and she is 13hh. From what the old owner told us three years ago, she may be 13.2hh. But im not sure. I love those sizes of horses, because i can easly get on them and if i fall of its less impact on the ground! lol jk.

Answer 23

LOL!! yes I see things like that all the time. When I went to see my Morgan before i bought him he was 'supposed' to be 15.2hh. I knew he wasn't that tall, but after I brought him home and measured him come to find out he didn't even hit the 15 mark.

Answer 24

I give most people the benefit of a doubt and realize they have not the SLIGHTEST clue what a "hand" is and how a horse's height is measured.

The next time someone gives you an outrageous answer like "He's 18.3!" Just reply "Wow, so he measures 6'3" at his withers! Gosh, looks more like 5'8", which would be 17 hands -- but I'll take your word for it since you're the expert!"

For some reason, they ALWAYS start backpedalling when it's explained in measurements you can clearly see don't match.

;-)

Answer 25

It's funny that you should mention that. I've been starting to horse shop and it's amazing how many ads say their horse is "a big 15.2" and "looks and moves like a larger horse". Or they up the size....For a while I was wondering if horses only came in 16hh and over or 14hh and under now! I could care less if it's huge or small. I own a 11.3hh welsh who can jump 3+ feet with an adult on him without thinking twice, do a decent dressage test and is braver than all the "big" horses. After owning him I think some of the smaller horses have more guts than the big ones.