[TrueColoursFarm]

Ive seen several "guaranteed legitimately 17.3hh or 18hh or 18.1hh" horses for sale on several boards.


Is this height a blessing or a curse??? And would a horse this tall be actually HARDER to sell than a more normal sized 16-16.2hh animal?

I know that people want "bigger" - but is there a certain cut off point where its literally too much of a "good thing" and that 18 hander is actually going to be harder to sell than a 16 hander would be???
And what - in your estimation - IS that cut off point in height where you would no longer even be interested in them anymore because they are TOO big???

[minilove]

For me it would depend on what I wanted the horse to do. Breed comes into play 2. I don't want a 17hh draft for jumping, but a 17hh TB is fine with me.

[horsesR4life]

i would not go higher than 18hh. later on i will be looking for a horse that is at least 17.3hh

[riding_reaper]

I once came across a 17.2hh horse for sale. I called her and she said he was an angel. He was very well broke, had smooth gaits and a clear health record. He was only $700. The reason he was so cheap, she said, was that a lot of people, especially with the large population of trail riders in Kansas, get intimidated or have no use for such a large horse. Heck, I wanted him, but my dad said no and that he was too big. lol. I guess the reason they arent worth as much is the fact that people dont want to spend a lot more on food, plus-size blankets, special trailers, ect.. But I think it would be a blast to have a horse of such a great size.

[Lindsayanne]

Owe it to the good old American ideals of supersize meals and supersize vehicles. I'm not into the big horse fad. The average built rider doesn't even have the limbs to effectively ride a 17.2 or 18 hand monster. If I was shopping now, I wouldn't give a second look to anything over 16.1 - honest with myself, I know I would not be able, physically, to ride it well enough to do either of us justice.

I seriously wonder if in another decade or two, buyers like me looking for an average sized, "boring" colored horse will even have any selection to choose from.

[kvmt10]

My fella is 17.2hh and he is just right. I think it depends on the build. Viktor is a thoroughbred and is short and compact so he doesnt look like a giant.
He can successfully jump and is a great dressage horse.

[EquineJessie]

I have to respectfully disagree about average riders not having the limbs necessary to ride a large horse effectively because IMHO, it all comes down to training. That said, I have ridden a few 17.1-3 horses and I personally wouldn't want a horse that big. Could you imagine a 17 hand roping/reining/barrel horse! Now that'd be something!

[Lindsayanne]

Originally Posted by EquineJessie

I have to respectfully disagree about average riders not having the limbs necessary to ride a large horse effectively because IMHO, it all comes down to training. That said, I have ridden a few 17.1-3 horses and I personally wouldn't want a horse that big. Could you imagine a 17 hand roping/reining/barrel horse! Now that'd be something!

To really affect a horse's movement, to really get their best performance, you have to be able to get your legs around their barrel. Sure, you can make a "trick" horse that will "respond" to a rider with legs perched halfway up their barrel, but for maximum performance- for horse and rider to really be a team, for a rider to be have a 100% effective seat- they've got to be able to get their legs on them in the right place.

[i_luv_moth]

I think people would actually snatch bigger horses up,as they are more rare. You don't really see many 17.2hh+ horses who aren't nutty ex racers!!

[TrueColoursFarm]

Who was the big WB jumper that Margie Goldstein Engle rode that was 17.3-18hh high???

(Margie is about 4'11ish!)

It was really something to see her legs come down just below the saddle flaps and muscle and power this gigantic horse around a huge Grand Prix course and very successfully too I might add!