welshied
Well-Known Member
My welsh is currently standing at 14.3hh but his full siblings were 15.2hh he is 4 years old will he grow anymore height wise or is he finished?
At what age does a native stop growing?
- Thread starter welshied
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Bigginge
Well-Known Member
My Sec D didn't stop growing until he was 7 and then he filled out for another year, so I wouldn't be surprised if yours goes up another couple of inches.
Miss L Toe
Well-Known Member
It depends on a lot of things, how was he fed and any setback as a youngster, he will fill out and strengthen, horses are not fully mature till 7 or 8. It may not grow 15.2 unless he looks very leggy and "young"
My own pony grew 3 inches from 4 to 7 but he had been held back as a youngster, he was obviously narrow and backward though not actually skinny when I bought him.
My own pony grew 3 inches from 4 to 7 but he had been held back as a youngster, he was obviously narrow and backward though not actually skinny when I bought him.
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xena_wales
Well-Known Member
Sorry to hijack, but I have a similar question, my Welsh filly was 4 in May, and she's about 14.3 on the back and 14.1 or 14.2 on the front. She did have a hard winter as a foal before I got her at 10 months old. Is she likely to be stunted or do you think she will level up and grow a bit more? She was supposed to make 15hh+, and is currently too small for me.
soulfull
Well-Known Member
Echo both of these. Lin Russell states in a magazine that one of her cobs didn't stop growing until he was 9. I have had 2 WC that didn't stop growing in hieght until 7/8 and the one who had a poor start didn't stop filling out until another year later
I would think she will be fine and level up no problem. I had a welsh that was stunted until the beginning of his 4th year, he still went on to do well, just took him longer. By 8/9 he was fully matured. at 7/8 he was still quite a slim jim even in his chest, he never looked like he would turn out with a leg in each corner but he did.
Miss L Toe
Well-Known Member
She is higher behind, typical of a young growing horse, therefore she will almost certainly grow quite a bit more.
Be careful you do not try to "fatten her up", in winter I may feed a pet scoop of Mare and Youngstock if I feel they need a bit extra, but not as a matter of course, and it depends on the grass, old pasture is best, otherwise I let them graze hedgerows [in hand] to get herbs.
I would let her grow for another year before backing lightly, but you can do long reining and pole-work in the arena, take her for walks in hand and generally let her enjoy herself.
A horse which is high behind will struggle to do any school work, so I think you are looking at two years before you can do much with her, but she should be able to hack out next summer provided you are not too heavy and build up the muscles steadily.
A native pony, in this case a Welsh Section D [I assume] are well able to carry adults, they were used as shepherds ponies right up to the 1960's when farming practices changed, and the quad bike took over.
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welshied
Well-Known Member
He was fed more than enough at the stud i got him from typical stud sort of attitude to feeding he has never realy had a big growth spurt to be honest its all been very slow his bum is about 15hh but didn't know if that was just a normal sort of difference, he does look a little bit leggy and quite weak in his frame you can tell he is a baby looking at him so will it just be filling out or little bit of growing?
Miss L Toe
Well-Known Member
Hopefully he will grow in to his hind quarters height. 15.2 is big for a Section D, though there is a trend towards bigger ones, Welsh studs would not have the same attitude to feeding as TB studs, just the opposite.