Ive always heard that horses usually grow 2 hands from there yearling height. Any truth to this or is it just an old wives tale??
It’s pretty accurate +/- an inch most of the time. But by yearling height it means 12 months old. Not a long yearling in December . If the yearling was really 18 months old I would say add more like 6 inches. The two 2 yos here were both 14.2 at 12 month birthday. At 24 month birthday are 15.2 and 15.1h. ( next rule is add 1 h to 2 yo height).
I’d never heard that before reading it on a few of the posts on COTH …
My Balou filly was 15.3 last April - just turning a year old. Balou is what - 16.2hh? and I believe the dam is 16.1-16.2hh. I just cant fathom this filly finishing at 17.2-17.3hh - I just cant. 16.3-17hh - absolutely but I’d be amazed (and pleasantly surprised I guess!) to have her finish 17.2 or over
She’s 16hh now at 18 months old and very much up in behind. Will be interesting for sure to see how she matures … 
I think it would depend a lot on the breed: I can’t imagine using that prediction method with a pony yearling, and I think warmbloods could go either way. My gelding was approximately 15.2 at 2.5 years and at 4 he is standing over 16.2 looking like he has more growing left to do (although I would be happy if he stopped).
TrueColors, I would bet anything your filly will be bigger than 17hh. I have always heard if they are 14.2 hh as a yearling they will mature 16.2hh. Was true for my gelding, was so hoping it was not going to be true for my long yearling. Wait and see I guess.
I do the string test, from ergot to elbow and flip it up gives you a good indication of how much height they will put on.
The “rule” is really for horses, not ponies. I don’t know what that “rule” is. In general I think ponies tend to finish in height faster than horses do - typically the bigger the final height, the longer it takes to get there.
TCF, I totally think your filly will be at least 17h. My WB gelding was 14.3 at 12 months, 15.2 at 16 months, and finished a hair under 17h, which took him close to 7 years.
IIRC there is some height behind Balou?
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My yearling was 14.3 at 12 months. String tests put him at 16.2, 16.3 and 17h, depending on what one. Everyone I know expects him to be around 16.3. Dam is 15.3, sire 17.1, and he is known for throwing height.
Baby is 18 months old and nearly as tall as mom, and looks like he is nowhere near done growing.
In my experience, the +2 hands at 12 months of age (and about +1h at 2yo) is fairly accurate for many young horses.
That said, I have a 2yo TB who looks pretty balanced at 15.2 (30 months). He was a shade over 14.1 at 12 months, and 15.1 at 24 months. His dam is 16.1, sire was 16.3. However, grandsires top and bottom were 15h and 16h.
I would like him to finish at 16.1, which makes sense, but he looks awfully “finished” for this age. He has never looked gangly or growthy as a yearling or 2 y/o. The string test puts him at 15.3 or 16h.
Photo https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_i9Urq3lSTVSGFPcDlPa2k5VVJFdjBBb205UkhtVUJ2bFo0/view?usp=sharing
EventerAJ, fwiw, my WB from above never grew in awkward spurts in terms of butt-high issues. Yes, his neck got a bit long, his head grew a lot one Fall, but his overall body was always pretty balanced.
I know it’s a saying that the ones who grow up pretty usually end up either not so pretty, or on the smaller side, but at least in my guy’s case, that neither was true.
This was him on his first birthday and he looked very similar, if a bit lankier looking, but still balanced, on his 2nd birthday.
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I have a 19 month old filly who is 15.3 in the front end and butt high (16.1 in rear)
Mom is 16.1 (on a tall day), dad is 17h. I seem to remember her being 15 hands at 12 months and the string test telling me 17 hands, so both would indicate a size more like dad.
I think she’s always been pretty, but she’s run 2-3 inches downhill for a long time now. Since both parents are uphill, I"m keeping the faith!
Lord I hope this is not so… my almost 7 month old measured 14 hh tonight.
Ive always heard of the string test. No clue if it’s a wives tale or accurate.
Sorry for a very late reply😂😂ðŸ¤. But I’m looking at a few Lotus T offspring. One is 17.2hands as a 3 year old. What should I expect him to finish at?
Bigger :lol: :lol: :lol:
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17.2 as a 3 yo??? I hope you have long legs:)
Lotus T is a ‘big boy’ himself, so you may well have height. I hate to say this, as I get asked by so many prospective owners about the predicted height of my offspring, but after 30 years of breeding and 6 generations of several mare-lines I’ve decided that the only predictable thing about size is that it is unpredictable! I’ve tried every ‘test’ in the book, but none have been consistently accurate for me. I have a 15.3 hand mare with two 17 hand parents, and a 17.3 hand mare with a 16.2 hand sire with small lineage and a 16.3 hand dam. There are some ‘hints,’ for sure, for future size, but I NEVER make a guarantee of height to a buyer. Many people will, but I try to be honest, and until the horse is at least 2.5 I’m never sure to within a hand.
I´ve learned that the height they have as 1 yo is 90% of what you can expect as fullgrown and the weight 80% (Swedish Warmbloods). My yearling was 154 (15.2 acc to translator) on his 1st birthday and therefore I expect him to be ca 172(16.9 acc to translator). Father 168 and mother 173.
I have a 17.3hand 3 year homebred and a solid 17 hand 2 year old homebred so I do like them very BIG! I also have a 2 year old Clydedale who’s a legitimate 18.1hands. But I didn’t buy the the 3 year old as he was deemed unsafe to ride by Andras himself.
