HOw long does it usually take for the withers to catch up to the height at the rump? My yearlings rump is 2 " higher and I am wondering when he will actually be that tall?
When they are about 4 yeas old!!! LOL!!!
They all go up and down, back and forth between being butt high and not.
Remember the saying: 3 Days, 3 Months, 3 Years. Don’t bother looking at them any other time!!!
Maggie
Mine was 3" butt high at one, and her whithers haven’t caught up yet. At 3 1/2, she’s still at least an inch higher behind. I am waiting for the day when I see an even back!
Some are never really butt high, while others are butt high for years. Of course some never quite grow out of it, but as a yearling he has plenty if time to even up. My two year old is still pretty butt high, but her dam was nice and level, and I have no reason not to believe that my filly will look the same. Of course, it did make me laugh when my friend offered to help me break her. My reply was “Sure, in another year or two”
How long will it take his withers to be the height of his rump? His rump if 15.1 now and his withers are 14.2. How long does it usually take for his withers to be 15.1?
Again, it all depends, and since he’s only a yearling, he still has lots of growing yet to do on both ends.
So, when you are determining mature height, do you take into consideration the rump height or do you just go with their height at the withers?
If I was guessing maturity height, is it safe to say he will be 16.2 (14.2 at withers now)or should I assume that he will be closer to 17 hands (b/c his rump is 15.1)?
Height is determined at the withers, for all real purposes.
If you are trying to determine adult height on a yearling, you look to the string tests:
- string between ergot and elbow, rotate the ergot end around the elbow end, and where that ends up is the adult height
- measure along the contour of the leg from the middle of the knee to the coronet band, and inches = hands. 15 1/2 inches = 15.2h.
thanks JB!
It’s not bad enough yet…wait til it is at least 4 inches difference and the neck is on upside down and both front legs come out of the same hole. THEN it will start getting better. PatO
[QUOTE=columbus;5786827]
It’s not bad enough yet…wait til it is at least 4 inches difference and the neck is on upside down and both front legs come out of the same hole. THEN it will start getting better. PatO[/QUOTE]
Yeah, that’s what my horse looked like for the first five and half years of his life. Now, at almost 6, he’s FINALLY starting to level up. His butt is currently 14.3, his withers are at 14.2 and I am having faith that the withers will reach 14.3. It’s also nice to note that his legs don’t come out of the same hole now. His neck is still upside down, but getting better.
Neither of his parents are butt high, ewe necked horses with three inch chests, so I keep praying he isn’t going to stay that way.
[QUOTE=bluedapple;5785415]
So, when you are determining mature height, do you take into consideration the rump height or do you just go with their height at the withers?
If I was guessing maturity height, is it safe to say he will be 16.2 (14.2 at withers now)or should I assume that he will be closer to 17 hands (b/c his rump is 15.1)?[/QUOTE]
rump does not mean much. As a ballparlk figure adding 2 hands to the wither height at 12 months usually works fairly well. So…14.2H yearling = +/- 16.2H adult
OK tried these on the TB Yearling Colt … SCARY
[QUOTE=JB;5785446]
Height is determined at the withers, for all real purposes.
If you are trying to determine adult height on a yearling, you look to the string tests:
- string between ergot and elbow, rotate the ergot end around the elbow end, and where that ends up is the adult height
- measure along the contour of the leg from the middle of the knee to the coronet band, and inches = hands. 15 1/2 inches = 15.2h.[/QUOTE]
Height at 12 months: 15.1 = 17.1 hh full grown?
Ergot to Elbow and Up: 18hh let’s not go there
Measuring contour of middle of knee to coronet band: 17.1hh
Here are some photos of Mr Potato Chip:
https://www.facebook.com/PotatoChipTB
Are these height estimates reliable?
They are pretty darn reliable, but not foolproof. I’d say you have a 17h-er on your hands 
15-1 at 12 months could easily end up 17 hands. My filly is 15-2 at the wither and 15-2.5 at the rear at 24 months and I would be willing to put money on her ending up at 16-2 by the time she is 5-6 years old (give or take a half inch).
How tall were the parents and grandparents?
[QUOTE=WeDoItAll;6328917]
Height at 12 months: 15.1 = 17.1 hh full grown?
Ergot to Elbow and Up: 18hh let’s not go there
Measuring contour of middle of knee to coronet band: 17.1hh
Here are some photos of Mr Potato Chip:
https://www.facebook.com/PotatoChipTB
Are these height estimates reliable?[/QUOTE]
Sometimes. None is fool-proof. I’ve had the middle of the knee to coronet band be off by 2 or 3 inches at maturity; but that was measuring a baby. I’ve heard it’s better to do that measurenebt at a year of age or older for it to be more reliable.
I’ve done my 3 year old Saddlebred/Perch cross. It says he will be 17.1hds. At almost 4 he is 16.1 so I dunno. We’ll see. His mother is 17 and some change and dad is 16.3.
You can’t do string tests on foals as the cannon/forearm bones are not nearly done growing. Doing so easily gives you measurements a few inches too short 
Nope it was the horse that wound up a few inches too short! :lol:
