Hands - What do you prefer

[jonbri55]

I'm with you on that one, Hoss! My horse is 16.3 a TWH and when we go down the trail-we are really going somewhere and that's just at the walk! I get on a "regular" horse and they are so slow! We do have the disadvantage in the small places.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Really it all depends on the rider of the horse, the terrain, and the type of work involved. In the area of Iowa that we live and my height and weight I like my horses around 15hh. A little bigger is good a little shorter is good, but like what other's have voiced I don't want a horse so short that I look like I'm riding a pony.

 

[turn&burn92]

15 hands is perfect for me. I barrel race, and big horses can't turn well and small horses are not fast enough.

 

[cowpunk'd]

Taller horses sure don't always have a faster walk. My 15 hh old q.h mare could effortlessly outwalk my sisters nearly 17 hh fancy warmblood,maybe something to do with work ethic? I also made the mistake of trying to climb on that moose of a horse from the ground - it took three chiropractor visits to get my back right again.

 

[flaboy]

Yep, my 15HH baby walks away from most horses he has been around. Then again he is always in a hurry. It he goes from point A to point B he trots with nobody on his back. Sometimes he will just keep pace with the rest but if the area is new, he will git r done.

 

[codymccue]

I like a horse thats around the 15HH mark.It's a good height for climbin aboard and fallin off... :nod:

I think the saying"it ain't the size of the dog in the fight,it's the size of the fight in the dog" holds true to horses...size isn't a measure of drive...and chrome don't get you home... :cowboy:

 

[Angus Cattle Girl]

I've heard so many people think that the bigger the horse is, the better.

I barrel race and pole bend and all that fun stuff. To me, I think the smaller horses are the better athletes. They don't require as much room and they don't have so much body to think about where everything is.

I like stout upper 14 handers to lower 15 handers. Even though they are small, boy some of them can stop a calf like no bigger horse ever could.

It's just my opinion.
Angus Girl

 

[WarriorPatriot]

Since this topic is not dead and still ongoing, I'll through my thoughts in too ;-)


I have a POA mare who is right smack on the 12 hand mark even with my shoulder. I'm 5'4" on a good day. :lol2: But even so I hop on a block, irrigation pipe or flip over a trough to get on her. I can't help my feeling of being short even around her! I must say, I am getting better at hoping on from ground.

As for speed, stride, ability,etc I think it depends on the individual horse. We have a lot of poor examples and traits for many breeds now.

I do like my small pony, but we have a QH too that I'd say is 15 hands? I haven't measured him, and likewise a year and a half old racing lined TB stud colt that is as big as him. Was bigger than the pony when he got here at 4 months! Fancy Pants can fly pretty darn good, for a shorty she has amazing speed, turns, very willing and attentive, getting to be a good trail horse (still young) and sharp learner. I'd say the size don't matter much if you've got a horse that meets your needs and physical condition (I have terrible knees for only being 18 and it kills me being on taller horses sometimes) and if you have a fear of heights you can always get that one that's closer to the ground just in case