Immature as a 3yr old? Pics

[Kallibear]

I have a very almost 3yr old coloured cob gelding (3 in two weeks!) but trying to decide if he's looking awfully immature?

This is him yest-

We've surrounded by young horses but all a more blood type, and they all look ready to at least start doing some work this year. But I'm looking at Pipsqueak thinking how ikkle he still looks!

He also lost his baby teeth late - only a couple of months ago. Now he's MEANT to make 15hh+ but currently standing at 14.2ish - does that mean he's got more time to grow in?.........*all fingers and toes crossed*


And it's hard work being a baby:

 

[saz5083]

Aw he's lovely!
I think he probably will come up a bit more. My Welsh D was 14hh at 3 and made 15 (just) and my coloured (out of a cob x tb mare by a friesian stallion) was 15.1 at 3 and made just under 16. The heavier types seem to take a bit longer to mature in general.

 

[mik]

He is so sweet, and just needs time. What a cuty!!

 

[holiday]

I think hes super and think you will find with a bit of spring grass he will suddenly bloom!!! He im sure will still be growing as the heavier types do take longer, and its nice not to push them and allow them to come on naturally.

 

[Faithkat]

I've got a "blood type" (as you put it! AA x WB) 3 year old who was 3 on 26th April, and she looks like a yearling at the moment - really immature with no body. I don't have any recent pics as she looks so 'orrible!

 

[Clepottage]

He'll get there, the cobbier types do take a bit longer to mature, and he's got the whole of his life ahead of him, it's nice not to have to rush him

 

[Holly831]

I've got a "blood type" (as you put it! AA x WB) 3 year old who was 3 on 26th April, and she looks like a yearling at the moment - really immature with no body. I don't have any recent pics as she looks so 'orrible!

So glad to read this!! I have a wb/cob x tb who is 3 on 31st May and looks more like a yearling! - she should make 16hh but currently stands at 15hh, her half sister a full 13 months younger but is wb/cob x wb/cob stands at 15.2hh and should make the same height...people keep asking if I am sure I have them the right way around!

3 year old

She's the one in the middle!

rising 2 year old

Yearling filly (the palamino)

 

[gadetra]

Aw bless he is cute. I'd say he has a bit o growing to do yet-another 6-9 months an ya won't recognise him!!
I have a 4 yr old who stood 15.1hh since ahe was 11/2 who in the last 6 months is up to 15.3hh now-an she really looked like she had done all she was gonna do so they walways surprise you!!

 

[Bunny's Ma]

My gelding will be 3yrs come June. He looks a lot less physically mature than your gorgeous boy! He is meant to make 14.3/15hh and is currently about 14.2hh.

My OH's filly is 3 weeks older than him, meant to make about 15.1-15.2hh and is about 14.3/15hh, and she is physically and mentally soooo much more mature than my boy that I was beginning to worry.

I would put my gelding at 1.5yrs to 2yrs old to be honest. He still does that baby mouthing thing at the older horses and seems a bit thick really, one of my friends says he is like a Labrador puppy.

So, the filly we will start to very lightly work with this summer and my wee guy will be pottered around with, no pressure and left to mature for another year or two. No rush really if he takes a while.

 

[Mocha]

I think he does look slightly immature, but he's a heavy type so he'll mature much slower.

Vega (ISHXRID) looks similar to him now, shes 2. She's also standing at 14'2, but to mature to 16h.

 

[_HP_]

I think he has a way to go yet...my similar cob didn't fully mature till he was 8yrs old.

 

[Kallibear]

Thanks, he is lovely . Well, mostly: This morning I was all for making Horse Burgers out of him AND Toby when they'd broken out of their field and were having the time of their life charging about the crop fields. Sadly my big freezer isn't enough to hold all that meat, so they both get to live another day. But I know exactly which hairy cow-print pony was the insigator..........

Good to hear all those with gangly fugly bugs. He was looking lovely and balanced at 2.5 (with his winter wollies on) but now he's lost his fluff he just looks silly I just look at him and think 'god, you look like a 2yr old'.

I was hoping to break and do a bit of work with his this summer (just gentle wandering about on hacks) but he doesn't even look ready for that. He's been sat on and my tiny mum's been lead about a bit but it looks doubtful he'll be doing more until next year. It seems to be the norm to start horses at 3 so some horses must be much more developed than him!

 

[Amelia27]

I wouldn't worry about what the "norm" is - if you're in no hurry then giving him a little more time will actually benefit him loads in the long run. Many people back at 3 because they plan to sell the horse on as a ridden horse.

I have a 4 yr old who I sat on a couple of times last year and have recently started bringing on a bit. But I'm still taking it very slowly, he's my horse for life so I'm in no rush. I don't plan on jumping him until he's at least 6. I want to make sure he is fully mature before asking anything too strenuous of him

this a really interesting article on growth rates of young horses

http://www.womenandhorses.com/newsletter-2006january.html

 

[Holly831]

Thanks for the link - Just read the article and now have a reasoned arguement as to why mine aren't started until they are older!! - my 'reason' is they have long lives as working horses but only a short time to be babies and left to mature physically and mentally you end up with a much better horse in the long term!