Have I bred a midget or is there hope?

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VAO26

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Hi All,

I have a rising 2 year old gelding standing at around 15.1. He was cut at 1. His mum is a 17.1 WB and Dad is a 16.2 ID.

I was hoping for him to mature to 16.2+ as I'm over 6ft tall and need a bigger horse.

Reading conflicting things online regarding how much taller he is likely to get after his second year, however also aware that IDs tend to be 'slower growers'.

He never seemed to go through the 'gangly leggy stage' or shoot up, and has always grown in proportion. Slightly bum high now but not massively. He is quite chunky but not gaining much height.

Has anyone got any reassuring stories of midgets that have turned into giants?

Thanks in advance. 😁
 
Sorry, my midget from bigger genetics, grew slowly and steadily but never made the height I was expecting. At one point I didn’t think he would go over 15.2hh, but by 8 he was 16hh on a positive day or 15.3hh on a negative one 😆😆

That said, on the good news, a slow steady growth and slightly smaller size is, imo, far more likely to see you a sounder horse long term. Silver linings?!
 
Have you done a string test? I found them pretty accurate.

I have had a WB just over 16 hands at 4 end up a good full up 16.2 at 8, and a just over 15hh Irish mongrel finish at 15.3, so there is some hope I think. But my 17hh IDx was already 16 hands at two, so don't hope too much!
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I can't help you with a slow growing story but my last WB's dam was 16hh and sire was 16.1hh, full sister from 2 seasons back was 15.3hh and he was 18.3hh.... you just never really quite know what you're going to get!

My current ID arrived at 16.2hh in May 2023 at rising 3 and he is now 17.1 and a half at rising 5 and he has actually the whole time been croup low, he never went bum high or looked gangly, he's just gone up without me really realising until someone mentions it and I put a stick on him.
 
Another here with a midget from bigger lineage. Dam 16.2hh and sire 17hh. Mine is a full up 15.2hh aged 5.

However, I did have a WB who grew 3” between 5 and 6 years - however he was already tall at 5. So there’s scope for another couple of inches, but I wouldn’t be overly optimistic 😟. Sorry!
 
I read somewhere that horses tend to grow a hand from when they are two, so going by your lad's current height I would say that he would possibly be a smidgen too small for you :( However - the fact that he is growing slowly and surely is great for long term soundness, and being an ID he could shock us all and by the time he's say 7 or 8 be over 16.2 x
 
My IDx have all been 16ds at 2, and they are currently 17ds at 4 and 17ds at 3. My 2yo pure ID is about the same height as yours and i dont expect him to be any bigger than 16.1.
 
I hope there's hope! My filly is about 14.2 and I need her to get to at least 15hh. She's 2 in May. My gelding is already 15.3hh. His mum was around 15.1 and dad 16.2. My filly is too bonkers to string test so instead I just keep hoping 😂
 
I sticked my cob at 14.3hh when I got her as a rising 6yo. Put a stick on her a couple of months ago, and she's a hair over 15.1hh as a 11yo. Pretty sure your filly will make it, DC.
 
I would wait a bit, I have a youngster that I always said would be 14hh absolute tops, but he is just about 3 yr old and has suddenly had a spurt, his shoulders/wither and neck have just extended! He'll never be massive but he's still young
 
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