Is it harder to work with larger horses

[Sp1cer]

Hi,

Im a complete beginner at looking after horses, Im in an excellent yard where you get training by the hour on horse care/riding where Im planning on having 6 hours per week training on horse care / handeling and 2 hours per week on riding. Currently Im sharing a georgeous 15.1 piebald, but we have just bought our own horse who is a 17.1 shire x tb (needed a big one as my partner is very keen and he is 6ft 4) anyway, he arrived at the yard today and when he came out of the lorry i was handed the lead rope and oh how nervous I was he was just huge! Im only 5ft 2 and worried stiff that I wont be able to handle him.

Pam

[Esther.D]

Its all about technique and confidence. I have handled Clydesdales without a problem and I am just under 5ft tall....I also know a very small lady (probably shorter than me, and very tiny built) who has a full yard of horses from 14.2hh-17.2hh who are all in total awe of her and do everything she says :) In fact apart from practical considerations such as getting bridles on etc (you will probably need a box to stand on ;) ) larger horses are often easier than ponies as they take twice as long to decide to do anything and have a much longer wheel base which takes twice aslong to turn..whereas a pony can be up to mischief before you have even realised:rolleyes:

Our 16.1hh cob is much easier to handle than the ponies - he is so easy and gentle and slow to move and they are always thinking up mischief :rolleyes:

The key thing with handling horses of any size : always make them move, rather than you. ie if they try to run you over, stand your ground (if safe to do so) and growl at them/flap arms or whatever and make them stop rather than you moving. Never move out of their way, always make them move over for you. Getting this respect issue sorted at the start makes life much easier later on..

Have fun, once you get used to him I'm sure he will seem no bother at all, he sounds lovely, those big chaps are often very gentle:)

[Wally]

Esther..in a nutshell, they might be big, but they don't know it, Shetlands KNOW they are 17.2hh but think and move like lightning!

You have hours of thinking and reaction time with a big horse, use it and as Esther says, If you think you are bigger than they are they'll beleive you. You have to convince the smaller guys somttimes!:D :D

Let's put it this way, do you really think your man of 6 feet 4 could stop him either? The answer is not a hope, neither could he stop a Shetland if he wanted to do something. It is all down to respect.

[drookitsheep]

I agree - I think it is about confidence and mutual respect.

My first horse was 15.1hh, and I was only about 8 or 9 (so fairly short!) - my mum and I both rode at the time so we had to find a horse to suit us both. Despite the fact I had to stand on an upturned bucket to tack him up, he was brilliant and never pushed me around. Murphy, who I have now measures about 17.1hh, and I'm 5'6"

Just be confident around him and enjoy! The only thing I would say is just watch your toes, as the big guys can be a little clumsy sometimes! Can we see some pics?!

[drookitsheep]

After posting and going back to the main thread I noticed your avatar - he looks lovely! Can we see some more?! :D

[luv2jump2!!!]

I used to ride a 17.2hh horse in my lessons! I'm only 5ft4 now 5ft2 at the time :D

The only problem i had was tacking and rugging him up.. Because he wasn't the hughest fan of a bridle! and his bck was sooo high i couldn't reach for the saddle! hehe! But i managed! would stand on the banking of the stable and place it on his back :D

He was the best horse i've ever ridden! i learned soo much on him! He taught me how to canter, do flying changes ect. ect.

Big horses are the best! :D :D After riding Lofty for 1 1/2 years i don't like riding horses less than 14.2! I like big horses!

Lucy

[*MiRi*]

well my firend started riding when she was just 8 or 9 months old!! she was put on a 16hh horse or something big and he looked after her amazingly aprantly!! Havent you heard the phrase 'a gentle giant' :p lol

Shetlands can be right grumpy poos!! and very strong too :p and there tiny!

xox

ps your stables sounds sooo good. i wish mine did that

[amylou_84]

:eek: Where is this wonderful place in West Lothian? Is it just a livery yard or is also a place they teach riding? Iv yet to find a good place in central Scotland :(

Amy :D

[*MiRi*]

yeah where is this place. i just asked my dad where east lothian is and he ses its on the other side of edinburgh??!!?!?! and i live in edinburgh! what is it called??

xox

[Wally]

Don't forget if you keep any horse in the conditions some Shetlands have to put up with they'd be grumpy and bad tempered too.

[*MiRi*]

what is this yard called?

xox

[notpoodle]

hm ... i always find i get easily intimidated by anything that's over the 15hh mark :rolleyes: although that usually only happens with big horses i don't know ... i'm usually happy to handle 'strange' ponies though, ho-hum ...

julia
x

[*MiRi*]

the thing that scares me about big horses is when they aer spooked or playing up...becasue they are so strong i get worreid but as long as your in control its fine!!

xox

[notpoodle]

i agree :) a spooked 17hh 'device' is way more intimidating than a 12hh pony. but i think that's down to the individual person anyway. some people just have *that* sort of confidence

julia
x

ps: the better you get to know your big horse, the easier it will be :)

[*MiRi*]

yeah i think julia is right!! you do need the right sort of confidence!!

xox

[Wally]

Let's put it this way, you might think you are in control of a Shetland because he is small, but if he doesn't want to play he won't. Andy hates having eye drops in, Shilling hates being wormed, we have gone round the indoor school, one pony with 3 BIG adults attached like the wall of death.

All horses and ponies do what they do for us because they want to or are kind enough to comply!:) :)

[notpoodle]

i meant that more in a sense that if you're a bit intimidated by their size in the first place, chances are they'll know that and act accordingly :)

[*MiRi*]

thats right cos horses and ponies are soppose to havea 6th snese. they can feel when you are nervous and they someties act like o shes nervouse why is she and then they get nervous if you get me?......;) :rolleyes:

xox

[Tinkerbell]

Hmm... probably is difficult if you want to do limbo dancing!

I'd agree with the others - it's all down to attitude! Although, if someone had just asked you to lead this horse out of the horsebox not knowing his size, would it have been easier psychologically? Sometimes, just knowing that a horse is 17.2hh puts the brain into "He's huge! He'll squish me!" mode.

Good luck with the new horse!

[*MiRi*]

i once just got asked to hold this huge horse for 2 hours!! i was really frighten!! :(

xox

[amylou_84]

I find large horses ok to handle, obviously depending on there temperament. Any sized horse with a bad temperament is hard to handle. However i am 5ft 7" and not exactly small so its not so difficult for me.
However when i was workin with these really highly strung showjumpers...my goodness, they needed constant watching, nudgeing and strong handleing. Going from the field to the stables was a battle of wills! Im not sure if it was because they were just spoilt (they were!) or if it was just there breeding. It was certainly a good way to learn confidence with horses on the ground though :)

Amy :D

[Sp1cer]

...

[amylou_84]

How far do you think it is from Edinburgh? im looking for a good place that does lessons. Whats the nearest

Amy :D

[Sp1cer]

Hi

Its about 20 minutes along the M8 from Edinburgh, its more a livery yard, but the girl who runs it is fully qualified to give lessons, and she mostly gives lessons on your own horse, but she does do some private lessons too - its an excellent yard if your thinking of putting your own horse there and the lessons are very reasonably priced at £10 per hour (thats on your own horse)

Pam

[imabrit_us]

Of the three horses I ride regularly, two are over 17hh . . . the other is a 15.2hh cob. In terms of ground manners, the cob is the cheeky/bossy one (naturally) . . . and he's far more likely to bolt/act up either in the school or out on a hack than the other two.

Yes, they're big . . . both Stan and Nimbus' withers are higher than my head . . . and they're hugely strong . . . but I wouldn't have any more success stopping the cob (or an 11hh pony) either . . .

N

[tonyhopkins]

I swear it's the little ones you have to look out for! ;) I reckon the bigger the better, they give you more time to react.

[notpoodle]

i am still more confident with horses whose withers i can easily look over and who i could vault on if need be :) i guess it's a frame of kind/confidence sort of thing. i see a HUGE horse, my confidence dwindels (unless i know the horse well), i see a small one, i am usually alright (even though i KNOW a small one can do just as much damage as a big one, i guess it's just a psychological thing).

julia
x

[Lovecat]

Murphy = fab name for large, plate-footed horse:D

I've only had one hairy moment with my Murphy and that was when I was leading him up from the field on a very windy day in the winter - he got spooked and decided he wanted to canter back to his box - I ended up having to lead him in circles all the way up the lane, which was quite scary at the time... but it worked and it kept him in walk!

The only other thing I'd add is buy yourself a pair of equitechtor boots - or any steel-toecapped boots! They've saved my life over the last 9 months!

[amylou_84]

Oh yes, i had trainers on when i was leading the..hemm spirited horse and i regretted it! Sore tootsies :D

Amy :D

[In the Irons]

I can't say myself, but my neighbor says that she perfers larger horses - like draft horses, for pleasure riding. She owns two thoroughbreds now, and she is only about 5'2. She used to have a beloved horse that was part thoroughbred, part Hanoverian - and he was about 17 hands. She never had a problem with him - course, she's an experienced horsewoman, but its all additude she says. Just let them know whos leading who.

[fullstop]

Originally posted by In the Irons
Just let them know whos leading who.
that's really neat :D

[Esther.D]

thats right cos horses and ponies are soppose to havea 6th snese. they can feel when you are nervous

its not really a 6th sense...its mostly that they are better at reading body language than us - they can feel/see (depending on whether you are on their backs/on the ground) the tension - after all I bet you were would feel it too if you had someone on your back hanging on for grim death and squeezing you nearly in half! ;). If you fake confidence with positive thoughts and 'confident' body language then you can trick both them and yourself into feeling more confident.

[$@R@H]

Give me a pony anyday.
My cofidence is alot higher on a pony(even a crazy one) than it is on a sane horse!:D

[notpoodle]

same here :) as i said, i think that's purely psychological ... i'm not scared of riding big horses (as long as they're not crazy, but that goes for any horse), but i feel far more 'at home' and at ease on ponies ... and i think it's much for fun riding and handling ponies, anyway :)

julia
x

[Kanuma]

i must say i havent handled anything over 15hh for years, but i have 3 ponies and 1 arab, all of them different heights and i find that my 12.2hh 23 yearold pony is the hardest to handle and ride, he has been a childrens second pony all his life, they learn the tricks and can turn on a penny, harvey also has a lovely habit of towing you across the yard, no matter how big you are, we had to get him a pressure halter just to control him. the arab is 15hh andnutty but very easy to handle, will do anything you ask him to, the 14hh connie is too stuborn for his own good but my little brother can handle him (cant handle harvey) and my 13.3hh SHP is dead from the neck up!!

[easyhorsecare]

If your horse senses you are feeling nervous around him, he will pick up on it and perhaps make him feel un-easy around you.
Big horses can be real gentle giants. Take time in getting to know him, treat him with respect and don't forget to watch out for his big feet!!
Have fun and enjoyment!
From Tracy

[FRED]

Im a bit late catching up, but there are two things 'comands'that are very usefull, 'stand' and 'back up', a horse that understands you want, when you say one of these words is so so much easier to work with.
Back up is one of the best things you can teach a horse, for their benefit and yours:)
I don't find any difference when handling ponies or the larger horses, there saints for grooming and hoof picking.

[mtdewaddict13]

no...absolutely not.. personally, I think ponies are some of the most dificult horses, but it really depends a lot on age, breed and personality. My 14.3 Morgan Mare is very difficult to ride and I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a beginner on her, even to just walk, unless she was going to be lead around. Whereas my 16.2 QH gelding that lives in my backyard w/ his Appendix QH buddy, Jack, is really easy to ride.

[callie]

Im 5ft 4 and two of my horses are shires callie is 17.3 and toby is 18.3 and all i can say is that i dont mention their height whilst they are listening incase they realise how big they really are! They are both gentle giants , ihave more trouble from my ponies!


www.realequine.co.uk

[Stella2]

I had a gelding for 9 months before my present horse, He is a tad over 15.2hh. I sold him after an accident. He always knew his own strength and we had an ongoing issue with brakes when ridden. Also I was once leading him when he spooked, lifted me off the ground and span me around in the air before I slammed to the ground in a heap (I'm a 'susbstantially built' woman of 5'7").

3 1/2 months ago I bought Flora 16.3hh. She is sensible, well mannered and I guess she doesn't know her own strength. She fits the 'gentle giant' adage really well. That said, I don't give her an inch when it comes to manners. I don't with any horse, but it may be that I back her up and move her over more than I might with a smaller horse, because in the couple of moments that she has forgotten herself the strength I've felt has made it clear that it would be a very bad idea to let manners slip! Thats the case with any horse though as they are all stronger than people.

[april]

I am 5ft nothing and am working around horses ( the smallest of which is probably 16hh) but I have also had the pleasure of working with ponies.(most of which have well earned the steriotype of devious little devils that will exploit any mistake made.) on the whole horses seem to be more gentle than ponies but there are always some that will want to prove you wrong!

[Scarlett 001]

I have mainly ridden horses larger than 16h. I once tried a small guy and was nervous - I could see the ground going past me more quickly! Somehow I feel safer on a taller, older horse when riding (note the older part - I have been riding laid back older school horses - not so sure I'd be happy on a younger green horse of any size!). That is my preference.

As for ground handling - for me it would all come down to temperament. Angel is bigger than Gail at my stables. Angel is gentle and has ground manners galore - I would trust her in most situations. Gail is antsy and will squirm and try and toss in a kick if she can. Angel is easier to handle, although bigger in stature.

[JGarrick]

Is it harder to work with larger horses

That depends, I think, on whether it makes a difference if you're outweighed by 900 pounds or 1100 pounds.

I figure I'm just as squashed either way. So then, what's the difference? As a novice, I figure it like this:

Big:
Con: Have to reach farther to tack up. Further drop when you fall off.
Pro: Better view from up there.

Having ridden just a small variety of school and trail horses ranging in size from moderately small to rather big, I like the big ones. Don't ask why - I don't really know.

[horseygal90]

i don't know why, but I find it a lot harder to ride a small horse/pony because, in my experience, they are harder to control! at least you know if you fall off a horse you arelikely to get knocked out and it doesnt hurt as much!

[Sp1cer]

Thank you all so much for all your replies, I have now been working with Murphy since July and I am getting on much much better now, actually I find him easier to ride than Rory (Rory is 15.1 piebald that I share) but Im a little more confident in leading Rory than I am with Murphy - with me being so small 5ft2, and small arms and Murphy having long legs and a long neck I find it more difficult pushing him back into his own space when he invades mine! :) (need to grow longer arms!)

Pam

[Sp1cer]

Hi,

Ive got lots of nice pics of Murphy and Rory now on my website if you want to have a look.

http://www.toons.org

Pam