Tire Size Question

I bought a 2003 Honda Rancher 2×4 350
The guy has a 1" (I think) lift kit on there with 26" tires. To me, it doesn’t run as well as, say a smaller 250 I have with smaller tires. I understand that bigger tires impede performance somewhat, so my question is – with the lift kit on there, can I go back down in tire size – like to a 24"? Also, what do I need to think about from a width of tire perspective?

thanks in advance for any info,
seth_g