The string test: how accurate was it for your horses?

JJS

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2013
Messages
2,044
Visit site
As the title says, really! Finally got around to string testing Flower today, and it puts her at dead on 16hh at maturity. Going by the 'two hands a year from one' rule, that seems to ring true to me, and it's exactly what I've always estimated her ending up at. It's a fair bit bigger than I'd have liked - somewhere between 14hh and 14.2hh would have been my ideal - but I do think she'll look rather impressive at that size and build, so no real complaints from me. Just makes it even more important that I do a good job of raising a polite and mannerly young lady as opposed to an oversized thug, I guess!

So, for those who've tried it with their own horses, how accurate have you found it?
 

hollyandivy123

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 January 2006
Messages
6,673
Visit site
its fairly ok for a guess or indication...........................but if you think she might be slightly to big for you, may i ask for first refusal :)
 

Clodagh

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 August 2005
Messages
24,943
Location
Devon
Visit site
Well I did it on my homebred and it said he was going to be 19hh. I laughed and dismissed it. Guess what...!?
 

JJS

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2013
Messages
2,044
Visit site
its fairly ok for a guess or indication...........................but if you think she might be slightly to big for you, may i ask for first refusal :)

She'd be sticking around even if she ended up 18hh! But I'm glad you like her too! :)
 

soloequestrian

Well-Known Member
Joined
14 January 2009
Messages
2,921
Visit site
It was a waste of time for mine - said she would be about 15.2. She's nearly 16.3 now, which is what was predicted for her without the string test.
 

J1993

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 August 2013
Messages
355
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
I have a 2 year old warmblood filly (May baby) and string test says 16.3 she is about 15.1 now and i just cant see her making that height! I really want her to make at least 16.2 so fingers crossed they are accurate!! Her full sister now aged 5 has just made 16hh.
 

Cortez

Tough but Fair
Joined
17 January 2009
Messages
15,148
Location
Ireland
Visit site
I did the string test on all my foals when I was breeding and it was 96% accurate on 200+ horses. It is very important that you measure accurately though; I find a lot of people are not sure where they are to measure. It is from the ergot on the front leg to the point of the elbow, and flip up from there to above the wither - that's the estimated final height. And some, especially the big ones, can keep growing until they are 8.
 

JJS

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2013
Messages
2,044
Visit site
I did the string test on all my foals when I was breeding and it was 96% accurate on 200+ horses. It is very important that you measure accurately though; I find a lot of people are not sure where they are to measure. It is from the ergot on the front leg to the point of the elbow, and flip up from there to above the wither - that's the estimated final height. And some, especially the big ones, can keep growing until they are 8.

That's the way I did it, so should be relatively accurate, I think. I found a very useful illustration that made it nice and easy to follow exactly where I should be measuring from and to :)
 

ThatHorseGuy

Member
Joined
8 August 2018
Messages
22
Location
Ireland
Visit site
I think when I did it on my mare years ago (she’s now 7) it estimated she’d be 16hh and she turned out to be just shy of 16.2hh. It was an okay indicator but I wouldn’t invest my hopes and dreams into it by any means
 

J1993

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 August 2013
Messages
355
Location
Lancashire
Visit site
Glad to read of success stories. My mares sire didn't finish growing till around 7/8 so she may take a while to mature fingers crossed.
 

swilliam

Well-Known Member
Joined
24 October 2008
Messages
335
Visit site
Some friends bought a youngster and were told he'd make 16h. I did the string test and said nearer 18. They sold him to us when he got to 17, and he finished just under the 18.
 

Denbob

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 September 2017
Messages
1,093
Visit site
Mine said 17"2 at 4 but having read Cortez's post I may have measured slightly wrong! He's now 5 and 16"2 (possibly slightly above if you squint), looks like he's got a bit of 'up' left in him and just gone a bit bum high but can't see another hand in there.
 

Blurr

Well-Known Member
Joined
29 December 2011
Messages
546
Visit site
In the past, I've found it to be an accurate measurement. But I bought an RID yearling filly just over two years ago (coincidentally, I called her Flower), string tested her and then threw the string away. It must be stretchy or something. I was promised by the breeder that she'd finish at 16 - 16.1. She's there, and possibly over, now, at 3. But I'm not looking anymore ;)

You can practice the technique on mature horses and decide for yourself if it works. I now think its bunkum, lol
 

PapaFrita

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 August 2005
Messages
25,914
Location
Argggggentina at the moment
pilar-larcade.com
As the title says, really! Finally got around to string testing Flower today, and it puts her at dead on 16hh at maturity. Going by the 'two hands a year from one' rule, that seems to ring true to me, and it's exactly what I've always estimated her ending up at. It's a fair bit bigger than I'd have liked - somewhere between 14hh and 14.2hh would have been my ideal - but I do think she'll look rather impressive at that size and build, so no real complaints from me. Just makes it even more important that I do a good job of raising a polite and mannerly young lady as opposed to an oversized thug, I guess!

So, for those who've tried it with their own horses, how accurate have you found it?

I wish I'd done this with F when he was 4. He was very leggy although only about the same height as LC (who stopped growing at 4) and is now at least a couple of inches taller and wider. I think the string test was pretty accurate with LC, but I was really really hoping he'd make 16hh and he hasn't. He's the same height as his mum was.
 
Top