# Thoroughbred heights



## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

How tall do you think my gelding is going to end up? He's 2 years old, 15.2hh. His mom is 17.2hh and his dad is 16.2hh. I was told that 15.2hh is short for a 2 year old tb, is this true? i mean, it seems kind of big to me. here's a few pictures to get an idea. Ignore his weight, he's a rescue and i justttt bought him.


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## VelvetsAB (Aug 11, 2010)

_Wikipedia: _The typical Thoroughbred ranges between 15.2 to 17.0 hands (62 to 68 inches, 157 to 173 cm) high, averaging 16 hands (64 inches, 163 cm). 

_That withstanding....you still sometimes will get a short horse no matter what the breeding. Since your horse is a rescue, he might not have gotten enough nutrition to grow to his full potential. He is only 2, so he might still grow some more._


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

yeah but i'm wondering if anyone else had a two year old and what their horses heights were and are now. i mean 15.2 isn't that short, i'm not even 5'2 and i'm done growing, but i do hope he reaches at least 16hh. g


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## Lonannuniel (Jun 13, 2008)

He's still growing, i had a thoroughbred a few years ago, he was 5, and in the years i had him he grew .3hh, so i would imagine at 2 theres still alot of height to gain. i'm not really sure if thats answering you're question, but i hope it was helpfull!


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

that was helpful! i mean i figure 15.2hh isn't a bad horse size.. & i know they grow til at least 5, but yesterday someone was like "he's only 15.2hh at 2?" he's gunna be small. he's only 2 1/2 ! i thought he was big for that age.


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

Aidan was right around 15.2 or 15.3 till he was 4 1/2 and then somewhere between 5-6 he shot up to 16.3....I really did think he was done around 16 but I swear he had a huge growth spurt in 6 months which was surprising to me.

My friends gelding was 16.3 last fall and I was measuring him for a blanket today and he felt HUGE..I think he has got to be over 17hh now and he's just turned 6 over the summer.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

wow ! well then he's got hope  thank youu !


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

My trainer got her TB gelding as a scrawny 4yr old, & he was about 15.3hh. By the time he was 6, he was a 16.2 gorgeous, well-muscled horse. I'd be pretty surprised if your boy didn't shoot up at least a couple more inches.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

i'm really worried about his weight and i'm concerned that his lack of nutrients as a youngster is going to stunt his growth or effect him in the future. /: i've never owned a horse this young. is 15.2hh a decent size for a 2 year old?


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

For a TB, yes, I'd think that was a decent enough size - obviously not as big as he maybe could have been with proper nutrition, but I'd assume he'll continue to grow a bit since he's only 2. Talk to your vet about feeding recommendations so that you can help him get back some of those nutrients that he's been lacking.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

i will. he's getting his coggins done this week. i'm gunna have to get the dentist out to get his teeth floated and all, his wolf teeth maybe affecting his eating as well . i've researched alot about 2 year old weights.

And i know giving them too many supplements can just cancel them out. I need feed suggestions. I fed Compete 10 to my Mustang, but the TB is too young to be ridden so he doesn't really need a performance feed. I would perfer pellets too, over sweet feed. Something high in fat, it needs to have an equal amount of protein too to break the fat down into his body. Anybody have a feed or supplement that works well? What about beet pulp. I'm kinda debating that because that's so temperamental..


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

I feed my filly Advance from Banks Mills

http://banksmillfeeds.com/New Fact Sheets/advance_new.pdf


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## QHDragon (Mar 6, 2009)

From what I understand, contrary to popular belief, TBs are pretty slow maturing. Most aren't done growing until they are 4 or 5. So, he has a while yet! If I were I would talk to your vet about options of vitamins and minerals to add to his daily feed to help him get what he probably lacked early in life. That will help with development and growth. He will be a cute guy once he gets that weight on!


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## PaintedFury (Aug 18, 2010)

My mare was 16.3 hh at three, but that's not normal. She has not grown up anymore, but she has grown out, if you know what I mean. I also have bought a 6 year old in the past that was 14.2 hh, and a year or so later he was 16.2 hh. The difference for him was a well balanced diet, and some vitamins, called Sea Trace. I've looked for them since then and can not find them anymore. I think that company may now be Focus. It was basically ground up Sea Kelp. It worked great.

My uncle taught me how to estimate how big a horse should end up being. Take a string, and stretch it from the point of his shoulder down to his knee, and mark it, then rotate it up from the point of his shoulder to over his withers. This should estimate how tall he will end up being. I don't know if it's accurate or not, but it's worth a shot.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

Thanks QHDragon & CecilliaB! I'm very optimistic about him and starting to work with him. There's nothing i can really do about his past, but i can help in the future. I was told (_so tell me what yall think about this_) :

-He may need his wolf teeth pulled @ 2 years old.

-Deworm him on the 5 day dewormer. (_he looks very bloated but that may just be all the food he's been getting since his recovery. i know he's been dewormed twice this month and been on daily dewormer feed.._)

-You want to feed him a complete feed that contains the same percentage of protein, fiber and fat. Like 10% protein, 10% fiber, 10% fat. (_They all break each other down equally into the body and give the horse the most possible nutrients you could get from a feed_.)

-Supplements - 4 oz of kelp a day. (2 morning / 2 night) + 1 cup rice bran a day + flax seed - 1/2 cup a day.


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

Wow PaintedFury that's funny you mentioned that! haha i just said the Kelp thing in my post too! Guess it sounds like a sure fire thing . I don't know where to get supplements for him, does Tractor Supply sell them? i've only used a few supplements before, my horses have never really needed them except for their coats and occassionally if they were sore. And we had a nice feed store with everything we ever needed in it by my old town. Oh well!


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## PaintedFury (Aug 18, 2010)

I just looked up TSS's website, and it has supplements on it. I don't know what your local store would stock, but you could call them and ask if they have what you're looking for.


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## Sunny (Mar 26, 2010)

Sunny is 2.5 and it seems like she grows an inch every day! According to the string test she should grow a few more inches, which is why i'm holding off on riding until she's more leveled out. She was on a low-end sweet feed when I bought her, and I switched her to Nutrena SafeChoice and it has done wonders for her. Shiny coat, better feet, and she has sure sprouted!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

thanks guys for all the advice! i'm not a big TB person, but i only paid $175 for this guy and he's never been raced / ridden so i think that's a pretty decent deal. I'll go to the feed store and look at all the types. i've heard good things about Nutrena as well. i could probably order online for the supplements if i really need to.


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## CecilliaB (Jan 21, 2010)

Keep us posted. I think a nice good feed and TLC goes a long way to bringing a horse to it's full potential in all aspects including height 

BTW there is a Tracking Babies Growth thread if ya wanna join to post updates and share pictures as he matures!


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## countmystrides (Sep 9, 2010)

CecilliaB said:


> Keep us posted. I think a nice good feed and TLC goes a long way to bringing a horse to it's full potential in all aspects including height
> 
> BTW there is a Tracking Babies Growth thread if ya wanna join to post updates and share pictures as he matures!


i'll definitely keep an update! And i'll search it. i'm not gunna be seeing or taking him home for another week though so i'll start from there. thanks guys soo much!


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