Really getting neurotic about my young filly. She’s my first (and only) breeding experience.
She’s almost 3 1/2 YO, but only 14.2. Her dam (a thoroughbred) was 15.1 and her sire (by DeNiro/Donnerhall line and out of Copi/Weltmeyer line) is 16.0 (genetically more like 16.2…almost all horses in his line were 16.2ish). I was hoping that she would end up being 15.2-15.3, but I’m getting really worried that she’s going to be a pony. She has basically stayed 14.2 for a little over a year. (The previous year, she grew 2 1/2".)
I’ve heard warmbloods grow 'til like 6, but how does her dam being a thoroughbred impact her growth?
Lately she has begun to look a bit gangly which I’m thinking is a good sign because virtually since she was 4 1/2 months old she’s looked almost perfectly proportioned like a full grown horse. However, currently her hindquarters and withers are the same height
Do you all think there’s a chance that she will grown that 1 more hand?
I hope there’s zero% chance that she’ll stay a pony
Please help…would love to hear some positive experiences/responses from people who’ve had similar circumstances.
Take a soft cloth measuring tape (like the kind used for sewing) and measure from the middle of the knee to the coronet band. However many inches, is how tall in hands the horse will grow. Each 1/4 of an inch is equal to .1 hand.
So if you get 14 3/4 inches, the horse will be about 14.3
[QUOTE=lovemyanimals3;6617066]
Really getting neurotic about my young filly. She’s my first (and only) breeding experience.
She’s almost 3 1/2 YO, but only 14.2.[/QUOTE]
She might, but I wouldn’t count on it. I bred a 15 hand anglo Arab mare to Ideal (16:2) and ended up with a mare that was 14:1. Bred that mare to Mannhattan (16:2) and ended up with a mare that was 15 hands. Genetically speaking, that 15 hand mare “should” have had big genes, right? So, bred her to several stallions varying in height from 16:2 to 16:3. Not one of htose offspring every made it taller than 15:3. So, I made lemons out of lemonades and started crossing her on German Riding Ponies. The result? Belafonte d’Avalon http://www.avalon-equine.com/belafonte-davalon.html ;). So, don’t despair if she doesn’t get bigger. Dynamite comes in little packages :D!
[QUOTE=Tiki;6618069]
Well, as opposed to Kathy, I bred a 14.2H New Forrest Pony stallion to my 15.1H TBxPaint mare and got a (now) gelding who is a hair under 16 hands.
I’ve had a TB mare grow 3/4’s of a hand between her 5 and 6 year old years.
I also bred a 16.2H TB mare to Kathy’s Montezuma, at 16.2 and got a 17.3H horse.[/QUOTE]
I think you meant Montezuma’s sire was Mannhattan, Sheila . Ahhh, genetics are a wonderful thing, no? :D!
Interestingly, we’re in Ireland and went to the Irish National Stud while we were here. They stand a 14 hand TB stallion that apparently did quite well in his career! So, even if your 3 yo doesn’t make the size, lovemyanimals3, I wouldn’t discount her abilities! She may be everything that you hope for!
while it is POSSIBLE at that age to grow another hand…I would not count on it. Another 2" would be more realistic. She will more likely end up 15.1H like her dam. She will probably NOT be a pony though.
[QUOTE=Tiki;6618069]
Well, as opposed to Kathy, I bred a 14.2H New Forrest Pony stallion to my 15.1H TBxPaint mare and got a (now) gelding who is a hair under 16 hands.
I’ve had a TB mare grow 3/4’s of a hand between her 5 and 6 year old years.
I also bred a 16.2H TB mare to Kathy’s Montezuma, at 16.2 and got a 17.3H horse.[/QUOTE]
That is great to hear!! Although I don’t even want her to be 16 hands or more, it’s great to know that can happen. Can you tell me WHEN all this growing took place?
Just curious…do you ride Belafonte d’Avalon? And if so, how tall are you? I’m 5’ 7" (mostly torso).
[QUOTE=Seal Harbor;6617102]All equines grow until they are 6. Which is why you cannot get a permanent measurement card until they are 6, horses or ponies.
She will grow some more, how much is depends on her genetic predisposition.
I had a 3 year old who was 15.2 ish and he wound up being 16.1 when he finished around 6. Then his body matured and he got wider and bigger looking.
I’ve also had a 2.5 year old who may have been 14.3 he is 8 now and measures 15.3 and 7/8ths.
Doesn’t matter what “breed” they are, and a warmblood is not a breed it is a registry.[/QUOTE]
Good to know that she could keep on growing for awhile FYI: On the sire’s side: Swedish Warmblood (her sire, Donnermeyer plus her grand-dam, Copi plus Camus, her great-grand dam), Hanoverian (her grand-sire, DeNiro, plus Weltmeyer, her great-grand-sire), and Oldenburg (her great-grand-sire, Donnerhall)
[QUOTE=hessy35;6617084]This is how…
Take a soft cloth measuring tape (like the kind used for sewing) and measure from the middle of the knee to the coronet band. However many inches, is how tall in hands the horse will grow. Each 1/4 of an inch is equal to .1 hand.
So if you get 14 3/4 inches, the horse will be about 14.3
15 1/2 inches, the horse will grow about 15.2
16 1/4 inches, the horse will be about 16.1[/QUOTE]
Did the string test…difficult, though…because of bringing the string up to the withers…with her barrel in the way…I assume it’s a big estimate, “eyeballing” how far above the withers the string ends up RATHER THAN wrapping the string around her barrel. Any guidance on how you did it
Also did the cannon bone test…ended up around 15:1 - 15:2.
[QUOTE=Equine Reproduction;6618378]I think you meant Montezuma’s sire was Mannhattan, Sheila . Ahhh, genetics are a wonderful thing, no? :D!
Interestingly, we’re in Ireland and went to the Irish National Stud while we were here. They stand a 14 hand TB stallion that apparently did quite well in his career! So, even if your 3 yo doesn’t make the size, lovemyanimals3, I wouldn’t discount her abilities! She may be everything that you hope for![/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=camohn;6618466]
while it is POSSIBLE at that age to grow another hand…I would not count on it. Another 2" would be more realistic. She will more likely end up 15.1H like her dam. She will probably NOT be a pony though.[/QUOTE]
15.1H would be fine…15.2 better Just really don’t want her ending up as a pony.
:no::no: No, it isn’t. Breeders can use it as a “guideline”, but I would never rely on it to accurately predict height. It does not take into account that a horse could have a very deep heartgirth, high wither, mutton wither, short cannon bones, long forearm, etc., etc. Now, if every horse had the same average measurements, sure, it would work great.
He is out with a pro rider right now, but yes…I “did” ride him. I’m 5’7", as well. Also, my husband rode him and jumped him when we were getting him ready for his stallion performance test. Jos is 5’8" ;). She may be just fine for you. And my height is mostly in my leg - I have a 36" inseam and he took up my leg just fine.
Not wanting to hijack the thread- but what are the chances of a late 4yo TB gelding growing more? I got him as a late 3 year old and he barely 15.2, skinny and rangy. This past summer and fall he got bigger (and much more fat) and I think he’s probably 15.3 hands. My horse dentist’s wife did some sort of string test on him (she took a measurement somewhere on his front leg and then held it near his withers/back…I didn’t pay attention) and said she thinks he’ll make 16.1 hands. That seems a little far fetched but is it possible he may grow? I was under the impression warmbloods typically grow taller until 6 (and maybe even wider after that) but didn’t think TB’s grew much in height after 4 ish.
[QUOTE=Crown Royal;6618815]
Not wanting to hijack the thread- but what are the chances of a late 4yo TB gelding growing more? I got him as a late 3 year old and he barely 15.2, skinny and rangy. This past summer and fall he got bigger (and much more fat) and I think he’s probably 15.3 hands. My horse dentist’s wife did some sort of string test on him (she took a measurement somewhere on his front leg and then held it near his withers/back…I didn’t pay attention) and said she thinks he’ll make 16.1 hands. That seems a little far fetched but is it possible he may grow? I was under the impression warmbloods typically grow taller until 6 (and maybe even wider after that) but didn’t think TB’s grew much in height after 4 ish.[/QUOTE]
My experience is they get about 1 more inch on average between 4 and 5 and most tbs are done at 5. Pleasant Colony breeding can grow til 7 though.
Interestingly, we’re in Ireland and went to the Irish National Stud while we were here. They stand a 14 hand TB stallion that apparently did quite well in his career! So, even if your 3 yo doesn’t make the size, lovemyanimals3, I wouldn’t discount her abilities! She may be everything that you hope for![/QUOTE]
Slightly OT, but which stallion is that, Kathy? We were at the Irish National Stud in May and I don’t remember hearing about such a small stallion. I’m surprised I missed that! I believe we saw all the stallions there, although some of them were at the far end of their paddocks; I somehow must have glossed over that information!
because virtually since she was 4 1/2 months old she’s looked almost perfectly proportioned like a full grown horse. However, currently her hindquarters and withers are the same height 
. Ahhh, genetics are a wonderful thing, no? :D!
FYI: On the sire’s side: Swedish Warmblood (her sire, Donnermeyer plus her grand-dam, Copi plus Camus, her great-grand dam), Hanoverian (her grand-sire, DeNiro, plus Weltmeyer, her great-grand-sire), and Oldenburg (her great-grand-sire, Donnerhall)
