TB Height/Growth

I just bought a 2.5 year old TB :heart_eyes:

She is currently 15.3. Any guesses to what her final height might be?
I am hoping she is almost done and hovers right around 16 (I’m not one who needs a big horse!), but we shall see!

For those who are interested Palace Malice (Curlin) x Mystic Rhyme (Lemon Drop Kid) lines.

No specific plans for her- I will dabble in lots of things and let her take the lead and show me what she likes :slight_smile:

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A string test at this age will be very accurate. Get a piece of “string”… baling twine is good for this. Put one end of the string on the point of the elbow. Stretch the other end down to the ergot. Then, without moving the end of the string that is held at the elbow, turn the string upwards, up the horse’s side, up past the wither, while holding the same spot on the string that was previously at the ergot. Once it is pointing upwards, where your fingers are holding the twine is the horse’s final height at the wither. Once the growth plates in the leg are at full size, the last growth is in the body, so that is the last part of the horse’s body to mature, and where the late growth is. The legs are at full size earlier. You will see zero, one or two or three inches of string above the wither. Just add this to the horse’s current measured size to get his final height. It’s fairly accurate. The accuracy is dependent on your handling of the string, locating the exact point of the elbow, and holding it in place as you make the turn.

Though the test is the most accurate after the growth plates in the legs are closed, it can be used earlier too, just to get an idea of the mature height. Horse should be at least 18 months old. By then, though the growth plates in the legs are still open and may grow a bit more, most of the growth is there by then with a TB.

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I purchased my 3.5 yr old at 16.1 thinking I really liked his size. Now at 4.5 he is hovering around 17 hands, hopefully he’s done. :roll_eyes:

Your girl is lovely, her heart shaped face marking sings to me. With those legs, I’d expect her to add some more height.

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Definitely do the string test. It’s not 100% accurate, my homebred tested to 17h every way you could test, his sire reliably produces 17h horses from mares similar in height to mine (16.2-ish), and here he is 12 years later, 16.2 LOL

But it IS pretty darn reliable, and combined with the pedigree, and especially full siblings, gives you an idea.

It seems that TBs who come OT even if they never raced (much) but spent a good bit of time in training, grow more after this age, than those who were never even in training. You just can’t put full energy into growth AND that sort of work at the same time

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As JB said, at her age and having just come off the track, you should expect a growth spurt. As I recall, Palace Malice was 16.1 and Lemon Drop Kid, 16.2+ (although LDK often got small fillies, like my homebred mare who is 15.1 if she stands on her toes. :grinning:)

I love the look of your filly and her expression is wonderful. Best of luck with her!

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She’s lovely.

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Both of mine that were 16.1 at that age finished at 17h, so I’ll say 16.2.

What a sweet face. Congrats!!

Very nice filly! Please keep us posted on her progress.