My pony didn’t make his predicted height..

[Fortanedancer]

I acquired a nearly 2 year old Irish cob who stood at 12.2 hh and was in a mindset that at that age he’d probably reach a good 13.2/ 14hh once ready to start. Here we are 18 months later and the lovely lad has grown all of one inch.
he’s the stocky sort, about 40 stone, very compact but short backed. I’ve bought a treeless saddle for him as it would be difficult to find one to fit him that I could actually ride him in.... then I got on the scales ?... The 20% rule would mean I have to be 8 st tops and im 8.7. I could actually cry about it because I bought him as an untouched, feral, ungelded nearly 2 year old. I’ve put so much work in to him to get him to the point where he is 100% ready to start his ridden education and I’m afraid I won’t be able to unless I lose the weight. He’s got some quirks and wouldn’t be everyone’s cup of tea so I wouldn’t want to sell in case he was passed around, he also isn’t a child’s pony at the moment obviously.
anybody else ever been in the same pickle? What did you do about it?

 

[asmp]

Personally Id leave him for another year. He will probably still grow anyway. Our youngster didn’t stop at 4 years old!

 

[CMcC]

If he is now 3.5 years old he probably still has some growing to do.
why not give him another 6 months and see whether he has grown a bit more before backing him.
I have a Connemara pony, she wasn’t backed until she was 5. I had to buy a 16” saddle to have her backed in, 6 months later she had was able to take a 16.5” saddle.

 

[ycbm]

He could grow a lot more yet, my 15 0 ½ cob at 4 was 15 3½ at 7.

Could you teach him to drive while you wait?
.

 

[lilly1]

Definitely still time for him to grow.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

Still plenty of time for him to grow. My roan was 15.1hh at three, and is now 16.1hh at eight.

 

[Fortanedancer]

He could grow a lot more yet, my 15 0 ½ cob at 4 was 15 3½ at 7.

Could you teach him to drive while you wait?
.

funny you should say that, I’ve had him in the harness last week just getting used to it, he’s been a dream bless him. So good and so easy. It’s not my forte though and I’m not very good at driving. I could get some help though. ??

 

[Fortanedancer]

Still plenty of time for him to grow. My roan was 15.1hh at three, and is now 16.1hh at eight.

no way! I knew they were slow growers but didn’t realise he could grow a hand from now. I’ll keep my fingers crossed ?

 

[ownedbyaconnie]

I know someone with an Irish draft who was 15hh at 3 and is now well over 16hh at 6. You definitely still have time.

 

[Fortanedancer]

If he is now 3.5 years old he probably still has some growing to do.
why not give him another 6 months and see whether he has grown a bit more before backing him.
I have a Connemara pony, she wasn’t backed until she was 5. I had to buy a 16” saddle to have her backed in, 6 months later she had was able to take a 16.5” saddle.

Sounds like I should wait until the summer. I’ve just had a 7 month old Connie, he’s the same size as my cob already (with a much more pleasant attitude) ! Lol x

 

[thefarsideofthefield]

None of my native large breeds had reached their full height by that age . Some have needed annual height certificates for showing , meaning that they were regularly measured by a vet ( rather than a less accurate home ' guesstimate ' ) and almost invariably showed an increase in height ( sometimes a lot , sometimes a little ) easily up to the 6yo mark . And my Fell , who measured in easily at 6 , was well out at 7 ( so we took up dressage instead ! ).

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I had a 4yo who was 15.1, I let him have a few months to mature and he grew 2".

My foresters mature at different times but let them grow on and don't put too much pressure on too early.

My old chap was 13.1 as a yearling, 13.3 as 3yo and finished off a full up 14.2hh.

 

[Gloi]

Bought a 13h 2yo Fell pony who didn't grow at all except outwards. Current pony was 13.1 at 2 and finished at 14.0 so still some hope

 

[L&M]

My cob was 14.1hh as a 4/5 yr old, by 6 he was 15hh - don't panic yet......

 

[Fortanedancer]

thank you everyone. This has been really reassuring ??

 

[Lipglosspukka]

Even if he only goes up another inch, a stocky, short backed 13hh cob won't blink at carrying your weight!

 

[Errin Paddywack]

When I was about 8st 5lbs I used to regularly ride and hunt my sister's 12hh welsh. My sister did too and she was taller and heavier than me. I couldn't always hold him out hunting and he would go all day. This was in the days when we hacked to hunts and shows. He wasn't a cob either, just a hill pony. He lived to 30 and it was only cushings that finished him off. Give your pony some more time, he is till very young and don't put on any weight. He should carry you easily.

 

[L&M]

Even if he only goes up another inch, a stocky, short backed 13hh cob won't blink at carrying your weight!

Totally this - I used to ride my sons sec b to help keep it fit for him, and that was at 10 stone!!!! Obviously I didn't hammer it about but had no problem going for a gentle hack!

 

[windand rain]

It will easily carry you at that weight infact it would likely carry 1.5 of you if older and correctly muscled short sturdy legs. short backs and good bone are the best weight carriers the bigger and finer they get the less they can proportionately carry

 

[Cortez]

Your pony could well grow a lot more. Why don't you do the string test, which should give you an idea of his potential mature height? (search on here for the details of how to do it). FWIW an extra 7lbs shouldn't worry a stocky, well built cob no matter how much he does or doesn't grow.

 

[C24]

My Welsh D was 14.1/14.2 at 3 years and again at 4 years. At 5yo he measured as 15 hands. All horses are different of course but I’d give him another year, sometimes they just have a late growth spurt ?

 

[Cinnamontoast]

At 5, my cob was 14.2. He ended up at 15.2, so there’s hope yet.

 

[Shysmum]

Shyboy was tiny when I got him as a three year old...was really worried he wouldn't make the 14.2 his breeder promised. He continued to grow until he was about 8, as all cobs do, and now stands at 15 hh. Cobs are very slow growers compared to other horses.

 

[stormox]

So hes about 3 now? 3 this spring? Plenty of time for him to grow!

 

[Jellymoon]

I think you will be fine to ride him any way with your weight, even if he doesn’t grow much more. But fwiw, my 14.1 grew another 2 inches from age 4-7.
I wouldn’t worry, just carry on as you are.

 

[Fortanedancer]

Thank you all! I really appreciate your input, it’s very reassuring and I’m going to do the string test tomorrow as advertised to see what his potential might be ??

 

[Schollym]

There are published research reports that suggest a horses skeleton is not fully formed until they are seven. Some breeds are notorious for being slower to develop, I think Irish draughts fall into this category. My Irish cob was 14.3 on his passport at the age of 4 but was definitely hit 15.2.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Breed makes no difference to skeletal maturing rate. It is a complete fallacy that there are fast maturing breeds and slow maturing breeds.

 

[Louby]

My mare was just 3 when I bought her, she was advertised as 15.3 although friends reckoned she was smaller. Shes very fine and compact and being used to a chunkier bigger horse I was a bit yikes when she didnt seem to grow at all. I did the string test, was very sceptical as thought theres no way she will make 16.3 but at 6 yrs old shes probably now 16,2 and often looks over 17hh ha ha. Definitely try the string test, it would be really interesting to see what it says as it worked for my girl.

 

[Fortanedancer]

Breed makes no difference to skeletal maturing rate. It is a complete fallacy that there are fast maturing breeds and slow maturing breeds.

yes, after all of these comments I’ve been reading up about it. From what I’ve read if correct, apparently no horse will be fully grown before 5 and a gelding can grow even longer than that with stallions maturing sooner than mares and geldings. It’s really interesting and It’s been very reassuring ???