Foal size question - help please!

[UnRetiring]

Hi Everyone,

I was hoping you might be able to put my mind at ease...

My maiden 16.1/2 ISH mare had a foal back in October to a Trakhener colt who stands at 16.2/3. The foal is now 7 months old and is currently standing at 13hh & is very 'bum high' again.

I had the vet out today for 2nd baby jab & as I was leaving, I overheard him chatting to my Yard Owner & saying that he thought she might make 15hh... I had high hopes that she'd be bigger than that & am now wondering if he was being serious or winding her up (he has quite a deadpan sense of humour). I was so shocked that I just kept walking & didn't stop to ask, which I now think I should have done.

Does anyone have a rough ballpark idea about how I can work out how big she'll be? I really wanted her to be big enough for me, but my feet would drag on the floor if she was 15hh

Thanks lovely people,

Jen

 

[Tempi]

I dont have much advice, but just wanted to say that my mares first foal was tiny and i was very worried he wasnt going to be big enough for me. He is now two and just over 16hh!! He suddenly shot up over the winter last year and hasnt stopped yet!

 

[NotAnotherChestnut]

I wouldn't worry too much - 13hh for a 7 month foal seems a good height to me.. I am having a similar concern with my 3 yo - she's 15.1hh and looks in proportion at the mo.. but as I'm 6 foot, I really need her to be 16hh at least. Both mum and dad are 16.3hh!

Unfortunately, it's just one of those things where you have to wait and see - you can only go on what you know (i.e., height of M&D etc) - 7 months is too young to be worrying - you can get throwbacks but only time will tell - though your little one seems to be growing just fine!

 

[Magicmadge]

My Massive ID maiden mare had a tiny foal last year i thought there is no way she will make 16hh mum is 16.2/3 dad 16hh. She has just tunned 10 months and is 14hh having just had a growth spurt. I expect by the time she is 1 she will be 14.1 or 2 so up to another 2 hands until maturity she should do 16hh. this is her last week

And on her first day out

I don't think you have anything to worry about

 

[UnRetiring]

Thanks everyone - you've put my mind at ease... I think she'll be fine, but I'm painfully aware I know very little about breeding!

She's such a super wee thing though - bold & kind at the same time and so far her manners have been faultless. If she's even half as good as her mum, I'll be a very happy 'granny'!!

Jen

 

[CBFan]

I would expect a youngster who is 13hh at 7 months to make 16hh+ (probably closer to 17hh) especially with that parentage.

 

[Clepottage]

I would expect a youngster who is 13hh at 7 months to make 16hh+ (probably closer to 17hh) especially with that parentage.

Me too, I wouldn't worry yet

 

[GinnieRedwings]

I would expect a youngster who is 13hh at 7 months to make 16hh+ (probably closer to 17hh) especially with that parentage.

Agreed. Especially if she is 7 months now she must have been a late foal and not done quite so much growing in the winter as she would have done if she had been born in March for instance. With the spring grass coming through, she'll probably shoot up in the next few weeks!

The accepted rule is that by 1 year old, a foal will have done 90% of its growing - eg. 15hh @ 1 year old is 16.2hh fully grown...

There is a lot of growing to be done between 7months and a year!!! I wouldn't worry, your vet was probably trying to imply she was going to be a monster!