How big do you think my filly will be ?

[kim1978]

I own a lovely 19 month old skewbald filly whom im worried isnt going to be big enough for me. Her dam is a 16hh thoroughbred mare and her sire is a coloured cob, but i dont know his height. Cerys currently measures at 13.2hh on her withers and is bum high. She seems to be following her dam in terms of her build. I really dont want to have to sell her, she such a big part of my life.. Do you guys have any idea/experience, what she is likely to make approximatley ? Thanks guys x

 

[forestfantasy]

how big do you need her to make?

My filly was 14.2hh at 15 months and has made a good 16.1hh (Dam: 17hh WB x ISH - Sire 15.2hh Anglo arab)

I'd guess at approx 15hh.

 

[caberston]

have you tried the string test? cant say i've ever done it myself but many seem to think it gives a reasonable estimate!

 

[Tinsel Trouble]

have you tried the string test? cant say i've ever done it myself but many seem to think it gives a reasonable estimate!

what is this 'string test' people talk about, and how does it work?!

 

[caberston]

i think you have to measure from centre of knee down to coronet and the measurement in inches gives you final height. e.g. 15 inches would be a final height of 15hh.... sounds a bit wafty to me but a lot of people swear by it!!

 

[starbar]

You might find this useful

http://www.behindthebitblog.com/2008/01/predicting-foal-height.html

 

[diamondrockharvey]

Don't know if this will be any use to you but my boy was around 13.2hh when he was 18 months old and he is now 15.2hh and still growing at the age of 3 and a half!
His dam was 15.1hh and his sire was only 13.2hh!!

I never thought he would get so big! I was hoping for 14.2hh!!

 

[JFTDWS]

Completely irrelevent, but i mis-read the title of this thread and the child in me could not stop giggling..... Sorry, needed to share that!

lol


I don't know - my just turned 2 y/old is currently 13,1 ish and I'm hoping he'll make at least 14,2 Who would know

 

[whisp&willow]

its anyone's guess really!!

my filly is now 18 months, and the last time i measured her (a couple of months ago) she was 14hh

she is out of a 14.3 h mare and 16 h stallion. I'm hoping she will make at least 15.1... but no more than 15.3!!



her mother (14.3) actually measures more like 15 hh but has really high withers! she is out of a 14.2 hh mare and a 13 hh stallion.... so you never know!!

 

[Spring Feather]

Completely irrelevent, but i mis-read the title of this thread and the child in me could not stop giggling..... Sorry, needed to share that!

Me too lol

 

[Spring Feather]

I have a 7 month old foal who has consistently string-tested at 17.1hh. The foals dam is 16.2 and the sire is 17hh. The foal measured 14hh at 6 months so I think will easily make the 17.1hh predicted.

A lot has to do with the genetic makeup of dam and sire so someones youngster who was 13.2 at 1 year old could make a much bigger mature height than someone else's at the same age.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

The best way to get an average height is. get a leadrope the soft hanging down to the ground then hold the lead rope against her shoulders runing up the outside of her front leg in line with withers , then still with soft end just touching the floor,then still holding the end against the elbow pick other end up and hold straight up in the line of her withers, where it reaches is aprox where her withers will be at full height

 

[Ladydragon]

I have a 7 month old foal who has consistently string-tested at 17.1hh. The foals dam is 16.2 and the sire is 17hh. The foal measured 14hh at 6 months so I think will easily make the 17.1hh predicted.

Hmmm... I think I'd better get myself a bit of string... Our Sec D foal is just 8mths and easily taller than the 13.2 ponies on the yard...

I was expecting him to round out about 15 / 15.2...

 

[Spring Feather]

Hmmm... I think I'd better get myself a bit of string... Our Sec D foal is just 8mths and easily taller than the 13.2 ponies on the yard...

I was expecting him to round out about 15 / 15.2...

But his genetic makeup will be around 15hh-15.2hh mature height Some get taller quicker, some bulk out quicker. My foal's a Hanoverian so the genetic makeup is different from your Welshie

 

[Ladydragon]

But his genetic makeup will be around 15hh-15.2hh mature height Some get taller quicker, some bulk out quicker. My foal's a Hanoverian so the genetic makeup is different from your Welshie

*Breaths sigh of relief* His dad isn't very big but his mom is a very big and chunky girl... My husband would need a crane to get on yours...

I think our grass must have some super doopah stuff in it though... Our rising three QH is growing like the proverbial weed and I'm hoping he doesn't squeeze over the 16h max...

 

[Foxhunter49]

The string test, which is fairly accurate after the horse is 18 months. is to measure from the point of the elbow to the point of the fetlock. Then reverse the string from the elbow t the withers, and the difference in eight is how much more growing there is for the horse to do.

 

[kim1978]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am definatley going to try the string test tomorrow and ill let you know what it measures. I thought id wait til spring and see if she flourishes, but at same time i dont want to sell her and then she gets to 3 and grows into herself, if you know what i mean !

 

[sam72431]

Mine was 13.3 at six months he is five now and 17.3! Oh dear only meant to make 16.2! Just a quick q as he is possibly still growing (he is hano) would the string test still work or is it only for growing babies?

 

[neddymad]

I have used the string test in the past and it has been quite accurate. I checked it against a mature pony and it showed the correct height. A bit of fun at worst

 

[kim1978]

I took your advice guys and did the string test today on my filly Cerys. It's saying she should make 15:2hh , so im going to keep my fingers crossed and hope she starts to grow !

 

[becca1305]

I think it is pretty accurate generally (the measuring to mid knee from coronet). I tried it on 4 of my fully grown lot- all different breeds - and it was accurate for all of them. However I have tried it on my 2 1/2yo WB and its making her out to be 18hh! so im hoping she will be an exception to the rule, but considering shes 17hh 1/2 an inch atm I probably should just count myself lucky that she is *meant* to stop at 18hh!

 

[C&C]

They say whatever height the horse is at 2 yrs old it usually matures at a hand bigger..e.g:

2 yr old at 14.2hh should mature at 15.2hh or thereabouts

 

[Clodagh]

The string test, which is fairly accurate after the horse is 18 months. is to measure from the point of the elbow to the point of the fetlock. Then reverse the string from the elbow t the withers, and the difference in eight is how much more growing there is for the horse to do.

I'm going to try that this afternoon, my 18 month old is 16.2 and both his parents were just under 16hh!

 

[Beatrice5]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"They say whatever height the horse is at 2 yrs old it usually matures at a hand bigger..e.g:

2 yr old at 14.2hh should mature at 15.2hh or thereabouts"

Sorry don't know how to do quotes properly.

But oh hek Henna is 15.2hh at not quite 2 ( 16 March ) and she is well built already she's going to be a beast when finished them 16.2 tall and with legs like tree trunks - I shall look like a pea on a mountain..... ;0)

Or I can eat lots of cake and not worry

 

[Kacey88]

They say whatever height the horse is at 2 yrs old it usually matures at a hand bigger..e.g:

2 yr old at 14.2hh should mature at 15.2hh or thereabouts

I'm not sure I agree with this, especially coming from Ireland with so many IDs and cobs around! My girl is 6 and has grown an inch since I got her 7 months ago. Cobs can grow until they are 8 years old. Draughts are also slow to mature, I'd say some grow closer to two hands after the age of two.

A lot depends on diet too.

 

[kathantoinette]

Completely irrelevent, but i mis-read the title of this thread and the child in me could not stop giggling..... Sorry, needed to share that!

Me too!!! Only reason I clicked on the thread

 

[Nannon]

I also read this wrong and laughed alot when I noticed

 

[jeeve]

Completely irrelevent, but i mis-read the title of this thread and the child in me could not stop giggling..... Sorry, needed to share that!

me too

 

[M_G]

Completely irrelevent, but i mis-read the title of this thread and the child in me could not stop giggling..... Sorry, needed to share that!

Thank heavens it wasnt just me that did that

 

[CeeBee]

I did the 'point of elbow to point of fetlock' on Nemo yesterday and according to that he has about 3 inches to grow! He is rising 4, is about 14.2 now and was 14 hands and a bit when I got him as a 2 yr old. Did same measurement on Harvey who is rising 7 and it came up almost exact. He was 4 1/2 when I got him and was just over 16 hands. He is almost 16.3 now.
Don't suppose there is any sort of calculation to see how 'long' horses grow?