18 Hand Horses...

[j_cheney]

That really drives me bonkers. Why don't people try getting their own butts on a horse that size before they write that their character rides one? Why? Why? Do they not have any idea how bloody big that is?

Rant over. ::sigh::

Comments

[lisamantchev.livejournal.com]

That's the sort of book where they use the horses like motorcycles (for hours on end with little thought to fatigue or the need to water/feed or the state of the rider's... er... nether-regions. *G*)

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes...where is that reference??

The Care and Feeding of a Mortal Mount (http://www.speculations.com/?t=189233)

I read one once where a mule pulled a wagon for about 12 hours straight, in pitch blackness and through mud....Supermule!!

[kara-gnome.livejournal.com]

I used to work with racehorses; Thoroughbreds and Quarter Horses, and every once in a while our stable would get in a Thoroughbred around 17 or 18 hands tall, and they were truly freaky. Slab-backed and spindle-legged; I always felt very sorry for them, because they usually weren't comfortable even in the largest box stalls, and other reasons--they were just too unweildy.

For horses we owned, we had a half-Percheron who was maybe close to seventeen hands, but she had the great big barrel and shoulders and those big hooves and long fetlocks. She liked to jump, and it took acres to maneuver her, but she was great! My favorite was my mare, Lady, who was around sixteen hands, and part Tennessee Walker. She had such a sense of humor! But I always had to get on her with a box or a knee-up. I looked ridiculous riding her, as I'm around five feet tall, so you can imagine.

But sorry for the tangents, I don't think of my horse days very often. You're quite right, 18 hands horses are fine if the novel involves a circus act, but otherwise.... :-)

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Now, the weird thing about this is that the riders in the story are mounting and dismounting....but these were Vikings....I'm 90% certain they didn't have stirrups in Europe til about 1400. (We're not discussing Huns here)

The real circus act would be seeing these guty try to get on the horses (in chain mail) without mounting blocks. ;o)

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

I did some research, and it looks like they probably had stirrups earlier than the rest of Europe...perhaps 9th century...so that eases that one complain.

[spcpthook.livejournal.com]

Getting on can be done. Riding one yeah...but first you have to find one they're rather rare, and then they lack the maneuverability of their smaller brethern.

Watched the budweiser clydesdales one time when they were quarantined on the back side of the hialeah race track after returning from peurto rico. Their grooms exercised them by galloping them across the parking lots riding bareback using their driving harness bridles. Looked like a blast but not something I'd care to do if I was trying to go somewhere. they didn't even carry tack to ride them. Stood beside one and even though I've worked around horses most of my life was simply astounded at how high above me the rest of the horse was.

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

The real trick is....these guys shouldn't have stirrups.

I have actually ridden a clydesdale once....for about 15 minutes, when I was young and far more flexible. I wouldn't want to ride one all day. I'd have to have my hips replaced. ;o)

[spcpthook.livejournal.com]

One other thought I had on this. The oxygen to muscle mass on these larger horses makes them under achievers as far as speed and stamina go. Most of your better race horses are in the 15.2 - 16.2 hand category because they oxygenate their muscle tissue more efficiently. Sheer bulk and strength for pulling, yeah the big guys have it. But if you're riding to the rescue the little mounts win. In other words as mentioned above, yeah pretty much anybody who dashes off on an eighteen hand horse has a creator who don't know much about horses.

Think I had one of these once...actually I'll have to go look now. But mine was a magic spirit horse created for a line of monarchs by a dragon. Of course a dragon's gonna think big!

[j-cheney.livejournal.com]

Phar Lap was 17.1 hands. His heart, it turned out, was twice the size of a normal horse's.

I actually stood next to him once (He's stuffed, in Melbourne? Sydney? can't remember) I recall thinking he was HUUUUUGE.

(I'm assuming you know who Phar Lap was.)

[displacedtexan.livejournal.com]

You saw him in Melbourne. Phar Lap was indeed an impressive looking horse. Here's some info about him:

Phar Lap at the Museum Victoria, Melbourne (http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/pharlap/museum/index.asp)