# How long will my horse keep growing???



## stephbow

So I just bought a little quarter horse filly who is now 2 years and 8 months. She stands at 14.1 hands right now, but her dad was 15.1 and her mom was 15 hands. I've heard horses stop growing around 2 and then just fill out, I'm hoping she gets to at least 14.3 hands, will she keep growing for a while or is she done at 14.1???


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## iridehorses

Welcome to the forum!

Some breeds will continue to grow well beyond 2 years. The heavy breeds and even the Arab will grow until they are about 4 or 5. A QH can grow until they are ~4 but their growing slows down severely at about 2 1/2 or 3. If your horse is 14h 1 at 2 then you have a shot at 14h 3 but should at least get to 14h 2.

This is a fairly good method of estimating your horse's finished height: http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/stringtesting.html


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## My Beau

She most likely will 
My QH gelding grew until he was 5. I second using the string test.


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## Hunter65

My little QH cross is only 13.1 at 28 months. He is string tested to 14.3 so here's hoping. lol


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## stephbow

Oh I'm hoping!!! haha, but thanks for the info, I can't wait to string test her to see!


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## EveningShadows

AWWW! My computer's being dumb and won't open the link...I have a 2 1/2 year old Clyde/TB filly standing 15.3hh-ish right now, was wondering what the "string test" is? Her dam was 17.1hh, her sire 16.3hh so I know she'll mature big but an estimate is nice!


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## smrobs

Howdy and welcome to the forum. Iride has it right but I thought that I would add that sometimes they can suprise you. My mustang Koda shot up another 2 inches from 14.0 to 14.2 after I started riding him in the fall of his 5 year old year. Most of my horses have continued to build muscle and bulk up until around 7 or 8 on average so she will likely get quite a bit heavier even if not taller.


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## qtrhrsecrazy

My QH's grow til 4-5. I LOVE the string test.. it's worked really well for me


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## smrobs

Shay-la, many people do the string test differently. Some measure from the point of the elbow to the middle of the fetlock and double it to get a final height. Others measure from the coronet band to the middle of the knee and however many inches = however many hands tall. My grandpa used to swear by the elbow/fetlock method.

http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/info/stringtesting.html


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## qtrhrsecrazy

The elbow/fetlock is the one I do, and it's never failed me


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## smrobs

One question though, does it have to be done after the horse is a yearling or will it work with older/younger ones too?


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## Plains Drifter

I want to try this both Lillie and Lyric.


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## iridehorses

Jen, I've done it on 10 year olds just to prove the method and it always comes out right.

I don't think the first method would work on a foal since their legs need to grow to full length which happens during their first year but the second method is used for foals. I just don't have any experience with it.


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## rider4life

Seems my QH mare is the exception. She started out at an average growth pattern to 15hh, then between 4 and 10 _slowly _climbed to 16hh. I was able to judge her growth against a friend's big QH gelding, always noting how muscular both were, but how she was shorter for so long. I think the fact that her grand-sire is Impressive, who had a number of TB's in his line, had something to do with it (I just read that he was actually an Appendix). Go figure . .. I think it's also the part of Carolina where we live--she is one happy mare!!
Of course, I am only human and could be wrong . . .


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## Hunter65

I use the knee to coronet method and it seems to work. I believe horses should be one and a half before doing this test. We did it on a bunch of full grown horses and they all measured correct.


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## luvs2ride1979

I have never seen a horse stop growing at 2 yrs old... Their hock growth plates don't close until 4-4.5 yrs old, with all of the growth plates closed at around 5-6 yrs old. 

My mare grew a full inch from 4 to 5, then filled out (QH/Appy, Impressive grandaughter). She ended up 15.2h, and she was about 14.2 at 3yrs old. 

My husband's ArabxTB grew almost 1" after he truned 5! He ended up 15.2h as well. He never did fill out much, but he is half Thoroughbred, lol.

Our new Haflinger gelding will be 5 in March and he's grown about 1/2" since we got him last August.

I think it's more normal for horses to grow slowly. It's the horses that get fed tons of high protein feed early on that grow quickly in height, and then often end up with arthritis or other issues earlier than normal. A horse should not be arthritic or need joint supplements/injections at 10-13 yrs old...


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## Plains Drifter

I tried the second method, except I think I did it wrong. I measured from the middle of the knee to the coronet band but I followed the curve of the leg...I think I should have measured on the side. But going by that measurement, both Lillie and Lyric should be between 14 1/2-15 hands. I'm sincerely hoping for the smaller side of that measurement.


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## paint gurl 23

Is she registered? Some lines dont stop growing till there like 8...lol...
While some finish at 4 some 5 ect...depends on the horse and lines from what I have seen anyways..


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## mom2pride

15 hh isn't extremely tall, really, unless you're really short...tehehe. 

I haven't even thought about string testing the two 20 mo olds here; they are both between 14.2-3 hh right now; and both are hip high...lol. They also look like babies still, so they have alot of maturing to go...I am hoping for atleast 15 hh for them.


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