is it true that a mare is fully matured at 7 and a gelding 5 years old

[blacksabbeth]

is it true i have heard this so much?and so many times?

 

[missyme10]

It can depend on the breed, some like Fresians are known to keep growing till 8, so I think thats a bit to generalised.

My welshie has also def grown an extra inch or so between the age of 6 and 9, so she can't have been fully matured at 6 x

 

[blacksabbeth]

ok thats interesting ive also been told or heard should i say that if they have a lack of nutrition for a short period this contributes towards a longer growth spurt?but ive also heard that this can stump a horse or ponys growth?im confused!lol.

 

[FanyDuChamp]

Cappy is 14 this year and still not mentally mature!
Seriously I think it is dependant on breed, Cappy is a KWPN Gelderlander and they are very slow to mature physically. TB seem to be much quicker. Depends on what breed you are thinking about.

 

[Louby]

I bought my boy at rising 4, he was weedy and long legged. (Fancied a lighter stamp to my last horse) He is 5/8th TB x ID x Shire. Id say he matured at 7, growing til he was 6 and then filling out massively. He is now a very deep stonker with 9.5 ins of bone

 

[ibot]

ive a 4 year old friesian and there is one in the box opposite which is 8 and the difference in there stance is amazing.

 

[KatB]

My gelding didn't mature until he was 7, and even then still had some growing to do...

My mare on the other hand is rising 5 and a lot more mature physically than my gelding was at that age!!

 

[spike123]

my gelding is 7 rising 8 and has just had another growth spurt.I brought him aged 6 when he was a light to middle weight build and 14.3h.He was 15h when I last measured him but I definitely need to do it again as he has grown quite a bit since I have owned him. He has also shot up 2 rug sizes and filled out quite alot.He is a lippizanner x cob.

 

[Booboos]

R who is a Dutch WB didn't really mature physically till 9!!!

 

[Rouletterose]

I think mares generally don't fully mature until about 8 years and geldings earlier than this, but it depends on breeding and how they're done as babies etc IMO

 

[jenh166]

Absolute tosh, its nothing to do with sex, it just depends on conformation, nutrition and workload.

 

[Theresa_F]

Nope it depends on the type, hence my clydesdale mare and my gypsy cob gelding will both finish growing and maturing at 8 - 9 as they are slow growing breeds. Sex has nothing to do with it.

 

[MagicMelon]

Depends on the horse/breed. Welsh's are known for maturing late. The Welsh Cob I had as a 3yo didn't mature until he was about 7 or 8!

 

[blacksabbeth]

ok thanks so much all of these posts are interesting,i will bear this in mind.

 

[monkeybum13]

It really depends on the horse. On the yard here I am Lace is the same age as a gelding (she is slightly younger) and is much more mature, both mentally and physically. This gelding is very rude and even led on a bridle pulls away and is not backed yet. Lace on the other hand is like a puppy on a lead and is very calm to ride, she was a very ploddy pony after 2 weeks off. Lace is 5 in March and the gelding is already 5.

 

[Kallibear]

There seems to be some evidence that mares (and stallion) mature and finish quicker due to the hormones, but generally end up smaller than if they were spayed/gelded. So gelding will take longer to mature but end up a little bigger than if entire.