Height difference in pair driving.

[Blackwater Farm]

I have a 31" pleasure driving gelding that I drive everywhere and just love to death! I recently aquired his daughter (he was only gelded about a year ago) who I plan on driving in the future. She is only 10 months old right now so it will not be any time soon. She is already closing in on 33" and though I dont anticipate her getting much taller (mom was about 33") I was wondering where you draw the line, height wise, for pairs. How much of a difference is too much? I would love to make a nice driving pair out of them someday so that my husband and I can ride together on our trails. Thank you!

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Movement is much more important than actual height in a pair, but the bigger the difference in size the harder it will be for them to match up. She's going to be pushing it from the sound of things but then again I've seen an Andalusian stallion hitched with a Clydesdale so apparently as long as they go the same speed you can get away with just about anything!

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

What she said.

Myrna

 

[Blackwater Farm]

She looks like she is going to be the long, leggy, refined type where as he is more the stout one. Thats where I think the issues will be...like ya'll said it will be in the movement...thanks!!!! I swear I dont know where she came from, both mom and dad are more the stout type, mom is a bit more refined than dad but baby is all legs and neck!

 

[Knottymare]

I've seen an Andalusian stallion hitched with a Clydesdale

Leia

That must have been something to see!

 

[Margo_C-T]

My pair of bay geldings are 34" and 32". They move and work well together, and when all is said and done, the height difference is minimally noticeable.

Margo

 

[Performancemini]

My husband drives draft hitch and roman chariot. Be it miniature, Shetland, Welsh or big horses; we have always heard from the experienced and "old timers" that you don't want more than 2" difference in height; and of course, the the better matched they are in stride and gait makes a more uniform team. Our mare is 34.5 and the gelding's 35.0. The mare is shorter coupled and has more of a hackney pony gait to her (at times) and the gelding is longer bodied with a more sweeping stride. But as we worked them longer as a team they seemed to adjust to each other and were a uniform pair in gait. Try it, if it just doesn't look right; well, time to find somebody a different match!