gutted hes just not big enough

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maggiehorse

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have just put my 3 yr old up for sale hes just not grown big enough , we put him to a 16.3 tb hes out of our own 16.2 id x tb mare and hes only 15.2, in every other way hes exactly what we hoped for , pointless post really just feeling fed up
 
I've just advertised my rising 4 year old for the same reasons. I thought I'd get away with it as I have been known to do a bit of pony squishing but I really wouldn't feel right riding her at the moment. In a year or two she'd probably be fine (albeit still too small) but she needs to be working now :(

She's 15.1, a really lovely mare who I've had since a foal so it will be sad to see her go :(
 
Conversely I bought a 15hh 3 year old who was for sale as she just wasn't big enough. She is now 6 and she's still 15hh which I am very glad about :D so they don't always grow.
 
Our ISH didn't stop growing until eight and a half! He was 16.1 at 4, now 17h and way bigger in stance.. quite tb looking at 4, now more ID/hunter type.
 
I guess the issue is that he is at breaking age now, and the person who is going to do it and ride/school/compete him is going to be too big for the next few years... If he is aimed at high level competition then he needs his schooling to start really. So can see your point, and it is a bummer!
 
maggiehorse said:
have just put my 3 yr old up for sale hes just not grown big enough , we put him to a 16.3 tb hes out of our own 16.2 id x tb mare and hes only 15.2, in every other way hes exactly what we hoped for , pointless post really just feeling fed up
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I bought my chap last October at 4 1/2 and 15.2hh. He was for sale as he'd not grown big enough for his previous owner. He is now (having JUST turned 5) the other side of 16hh and croup high/currently having another spurt. He is also notably more substantial in his build than he was only 7 months ago. I am not anticipating him to finish growing for quite some time yet.
 
I really would not be selling him at three on account of height. As others have said he could easily grow another 6 inches! If he really is everything you wanted then I would hang onto him, don't back him for another year or eighteen months and then if still too small sell him as backed and ridden away.
 
I had the opposite problem with my old youngster. He was suppost to mature at 16h however as a 3yo he was 16.3 and as a 5yo he was a whooping 17.1hh
 
we bought our ISH at 3 years old standing at 15.3/16hh he carried on growing till he was 9 years old he now stands just under 17.2hh dont underestimate him yet!
 
Puts me in mind of a horse we bred out of an IDXTB to a Belgian WB stallion.

Both parents were 16.2.

At three she was a pretty, fine looking little horse at 15.2, we lightly backed her at 4 1/2 and brought her into work at 5.1/2 she was a 16.3 tank by that time. Still going strong today at 19 and has bred a foal herself.

These horses need time to mature, if you want a big horse you have to give it time to grow and mature. This takes longer the bigger they are.
 
At this time of year he'll surely only just be turning three? Bit young to be doing much with anyways.

I'd be suprised if he DOESN'T grow another 2inchs before his 4th birthday.
 
yeh I wouldnt sell him yet either!

I don't know much about how big they are supposed to get but I know my boy is supposed to make 15'2 and he was 2yrs old on friday and is already 15'3 at the bum, he's grown 3 inches in 3 months!

god knows how big hes going to get if he's still got another 2yrs of growing to do!

is there someone smaller you can get to start the horse until he fills out enough for the bigger rider?
 
Give the poor fella a chance. He's only half-grown. My mare, bought at 5+, grew another two+ inches between then and 7. So long as you are not too heavy for him, I wouldn't imagine your height would be much of an issue at this stage.
 
Puppy said:
I bought my chap last October at 4 1/2 and 15.2hh. He was for sale as he'd not grown big enough for his previous owner. He is now (having JUST turned 5) the other side of 16hh and croup high/currently having another spurt. He is also notably more substantial in his build than he was only 7 months ago. I am not anticipating him to finish growing for quite some time yet.
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Ha - was just going to mention your lad!
 
He's got some Irish in him, he'll carry on growing. My ISH mare was bought as a 5 year old standing 15.1, by the time she was 8 she was 15.3. If you like him that much, why not get a lightweight pro to back him when the time is right and let him grow some more before you make that decision? If he doesn't make the height then sell and he'll be worth more backed and ridden away...
 
My first grow up project horse was sold to me because he had not grown I bought him the April of his three year old year he was fifteen one by the following April he was sixteen three and he matured to just off seventeen hands.
I really would give him the summer.
He was then of course far to big for me but I sold him well and bought my first car and cleared my credit card.
 
What about trying the string test? That's usually reasonably accurate in terms of what height they will finally make.
 
My youngster (WB) was barely 16hands as a rising 4 year old, he filled out and finally stopped growing at around age 7 1/2 at 16.3hands easily.
 
Don't be too hasty with some ID in him he's got a couple of years growing yet! If he's everything you want hold fire on backing him for now until he's finished growing I'd say :)
 
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