Thanks for the replies!
Looks like the opinions are split… guess I’ll just have to wait and see :winkgrin:
Hola! Yes, I’ve got a GRP (Black Delight) x Welsh/TB (courtesy of hluing) who will be 5 in March. Last time I sticked-- stuck?-- her in Julyish, she was 13.3hh at the withers and 13.2 1/2 behind. Now her haunches have shot up close to another inch, and presumably her withers will follow.
I fully expect her to keep growing throughout next year, but I’m not sure how much height we’ll end up with. I am super excited that the neck fairy visited, and so did the front-end fairy. Now she’s looking like a dressage horse (and one that doesn’t have both front legs coming out of the same hole!)
Well… I measured her today, and she’s 14.1 1/4 at the withers now! If she doesn’t slow it down, she’s not going to be a pony very much longer…
Okay, WOW! That is amazing growth for a 4 year old!! Thanks for taking the time to share how much your pony has grown.
But now I am really confused about the possibilities for my 12.3h filly… sounds like there’s a chance she might grow between 0 and 2+ inches 
[QUOTE=RoyalJewel;5908063]
… sounds like there’s a chance she might grow between 0 and 2+ inches ;)[/QUOTE]
You’re 100% right!!! LOL!!
HMMMMM…thought I might join in.
Just measured one of my two year olds today. He is 13 hands and frankly I was wanting him to be 13.1 at least. He is NOT a purebred. Sugarbrook Blue Pacific X High Fashion. I am praying over him to grow.
Now if it was one of my smalls, I LIKE 12. 1 and change at two years old. LOL, I purchased a long yearling that was 12.1 3/4 and freaked out. Guess what. This crossbred small got her perm. card at 12.1. 7/8. Dont give up and think TALL.
I think Kiwi will very likely stay pony sized. Her one year older 1/2 sister (really more like 3/4 as quite closely related) had a similar growth pattern. However, you never know. I had one other GRP that grew that much after age 3…so it does happen.
RoyalJewel: it’s beginning to look like a crapshoot, isn’t it? Glad I can help the issue. 
hluing: If she stays proper pony size, great! If she doesn’t, also great! Good thing about dressage is (except for CDIs) we don’t particularly care about height. And I’m short enough to play the pony game without looking too ridiculous. I do understand that it might be more of an issue if she takes an interest in jumping/hunters (looking fairly likely, by the way she tackles the cavalleti).
Best of luck, OP. Hope you get the size you want!
It’s so exciting to see more and more post regarding ponies here. I think folks are catching on to the fun. We have been showing my stallion Stibby-Me, shown under Sweet Rock Solid this year at 4th level, but what really has been a blast is doing a 3rd level musical freestyle. We have actually have won some money this year with the musical freestyle challenges that have been offered!
Longview Sport Ponies LLC
www.longviewfarm.us
[QUOTE=lvf;5909774]
We have actually have won some money this year with the musical freestyle challenges that have been offered![/QUOTE]
Very cool! Congratulations!!
Hmm interesting. I think connemaras frequently are large and go over pony height… where Welsh don’t (in the A and B sections). I think the max height for a welsh B is 13.2, so there is less likely to be taller genetics there, though with her being a cross bred, one never knows. Much easier to predict heights when the background is known.
The height limit for Section B Welsh in the UK is 13.2 hands. For Section A’s in the UK, 12 hands. In the US, the Section B height is 14.2 hands (MUCH to the dismay and horror of breeders in the UK!!) and 12.2 hands for Section A’s.
Thus… the imported bloodlines tend to throw less size, because they simply do not have as much hodge podge of large and small size behind them as ponies bred in the US for generations – long enough to be called “US breeding”, anyway.
[QUOTE=rideagoldenpony;5910226]
The height limit for Section B Welsh in the UK is 13.2 hands. For Section A’s in the UK, 12 hands. In the US, the Section B height is 14.2 hands (MUCH to the dismay and horror of breeders in the UK!!) and 12.2 hands for Section A’s.
Thus… the imported bloodlines tend to throw less size, because they simply do not have as much hodge podge of large and small size behind them as ponies bred in the US for generations – long enough to be called “US breeding”, anyway.[/QUOTE]
14.2? wow… yikes. I’d never look at a welsh that tall lol. if i wanted 14hh I’ll get an Arabian lol. I find the ideal height (in my perfect world) for a welsh is 13hh (sec B obviously). I don’t like arabians to be taller than 15hh though either or QHs (my 3 breeds of choice)… I like shorties lol.
[QUOTE=quicksilverponies;5902264]
The reason ponies can’t get a permanent measurement card until age 6 is mainly because there are many crossbred and unpapered ponies in the hunter pony world in particular. Crossbreds tend to have horse genetics which CAN cause a pony to keep growing longer. Purebred Welsh tend to be finished growing for the most part by age 3 as Gretchen and Tracy said.[/QUOTE]
The age 6 requirement is not limited to ponies. It applies to for example, Junior Hunters and is in the General Rule section.
Pony Hunters ARE much more uniform in breed as most of them are at least part Welsh. In the Small Pony division you see pure Welsh and the cross breds start to show up in the Mediums and the Larges are mostly Cross breds. But 90% have a strong Welsh component.
Hunters tend to be more of a mix. Some have a large TB genetic contribution.
‘Age 6’ may have more to do with the long standing FEI rule that prohibits competing an animal in International Competition till it is age 6. That seems to have defined the age at which horses or ponies are mature.
And I would LOVE to find that 14.1 3/4 Welsh B, guess we won’t be fighting over the same pony.
[QUOTE=Dune;5910507]
And I would LOVE to find that 14.1 3/4 Welsh B, guess we won’t be fighting over the same pony. :D[/QUOTE]
They tend to lose a LOT of breed type, the larger they get. I’ve rarely seen an up to (US) height large Section B that I’d take, even as a gift.
Agree 100%. If you ever get a chance to see a lot of Welsh over and over again, most people will start to notice that the majority of Section B Welsh that are over 13.2 HH start to lose type (that cute Welsh loko factor) as they get bigger and bigger. That being said, I have seen a couple of 14 handers that were still gorgeous. But for the most part, the ones that are over 14 HH and 14.1 HH look like they have some QH or some other breed in them and are very coarse looking…which isn’t the best look for the pony hunter circuit.
FYI, the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of Canada restricts the height of Section B Welsh at 14 HH.
Why did the US and Canada decide to step away from the British height limits instead of sticking (:lol:) with the original idea?
[QUOTE=rideagoldenpony;5910592]
They tend to lose a LOT of breed type, the larger they get. I’ve rarely seen an up to (US) height large Section B that I’d take, even as a gift.[/QUOTE]
How tall is your average (or tallest)? I know you primarily have imports, so I imagine most are in the 13.2 range. Though I guess the US would be one market for those in the UK who have an individual go over…
Yes, I’ve heard that. I wonder why that happens though?? OF course, I would only want one if it still looked like a B is supposed to… I’d probably “put up” with a little less type than you’d be happy with because I’m used to looking at WBs as well as ponies, but I still want that “look”. :yes:
[quote=Daventry;5911266]Agree 100%. If you ever get a chance to see a lot of Welsh over and over again, most people will start to notice that the majority of Section B Welsh that are over 13.2 HH start to lose type (that cute Welsh loko factor) as they get bigger and bigger. That being said, I have seen a couple of 14 handers that were still gorgeous. But for the most part, the ones that are over 14 HH and 14.1 HH look like they have some QH or some other breed in them and are very coarse looking…which isn’t the best look for the pony hunter circuit.
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[/quote]
What is it genetically that makes that happen??
Seems weird that just because they’re taller they loose a certain look… Sorry, OP, for derailing this a bit! Would love to hear when the time comes, whether yours grew or not…:yes:
