# Estimating adult height of a yearling?



## WhoaMare (Feb 28, 2011)

Funny how we always want to know what they are going to look like as adults, lol. Anyway, i was told to measure from the ground to bottom of knee and to measure from the top of the hoof to middle of the knee on my long yearling and then extend that from the withers up to estimate adult height. Umm- I don't think so! It came out that she should reach about 16 hands, lol. Well- it IS a possibility- her dam was almost 17h. No clue what daddy was since the mare was bred when I got her, but if I had to guess I would say this gal is not going to be over 15h at maturity. Right now she is 20 months and her butt is 14.2 but her withers are 14.1. I just don't see her growing another 7 inches! Any opinions? Does anyone think she might actually hit 16h? I'm taking bets now, lol...unfortunately we won't know for a few years, hahaha...


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## kitten_Val (Apr 25, 2007)

When I measured both my horses as yearlings I did it same way you did (coronet to knee). Both measurements (even though I didn't believe in one, I didn't think she'll ever make it being such small at almost 2 yo) gave me almost precise height they are at now (as coming 7 yo). :shock:


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

i need to measure my colt tomorrow and see what everything comes out to. i'll try to get pics too so you guys can tell me if i'm measuring correctly.


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## WhoaMare (Feb 28, 2011)

I'm skeptical of the size predictions in general. Then again, I have seen a scrawny little 2 year old who is in training shoot up to 15.3 in the past 8 months! He was probably 14.2 when he came into training and narrow as a fence rail, but now you can tell he is gonna be a BIG boy when he is finished growing. I guess some horses are late bloomers. My filly is supposedly part TWH and part TB- and part who knows what since I had no clue that mom was even bred, much less what she was bred to. Both known breeds are late bloomers (so i am told). I am crossing my fingers that she doesn't mature as tall as the prediction says though. I'd like her to stay short so I can actually get on her, lol. She still looks like a baby right now, but even so I am not totally convinced she will grow another 7 inches...and hoping i am right!


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## crimsonsky (Feb 18, 2011)

out of curiosity - what are your thoughts on the effects of gelding on a horse's final size? what i mean by that is - if you geld a colt (or at what age you geld him), does that change the final outcome of his adult size (both height and width)? i've heard varying thoughts on the matter and i'm curious to see what people here say. 

perhaps i should start a different thread...


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## WhoaMare (Feb 28, 2011)

Yeah I'd definitely start a new thread on that one, lol. I have no clue what effect it might have if any at all. But I am a mare person so I don't know much about boy horses in general...


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