# Will a 3 yr old grow much more...



## almrc (18 August 2010)

....and if so how much? Little monkey is 3yrs and 4 months and she is standing at approx 14.1hh (this is very approx!)

I am just wondering how much she will grow until full height? I know its quite vague as all horses are different but I just wondered. I have heard that pony crosses mainly reach their mature heights pretty early on as so do TB's. But then I have also heard the flip side where they grow about 4 inches or so!

But she had a bad start (weaned too early, suspected gastric ulcers and on wrong feed, all before the age of 1!!) so I am kind of hoping this makes her a bit behind herself and she has lots of growing to do...I would love her to make at least 15hh but I don't know if this is asking too much?!

How high were yours at 3 and then at 4/fully grown?

PICS!!! 

June this year - She does look quite gangly







Recent


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## penhwnllys_stardust (18 August 2010)

Have you tried the string test? it can be quite accurate but abit off for others so take it with a pinch of salt! 

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

ETA, what a gorgeous girl she is!


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## Pipkin (18 August 2010)

Depends on the horse
My mare ayla was 14.3-15hh when i bought her as a 3 yr old, she wasnt meant to grow anymore, she`s 16.1 now
My other mare Roxy was 16hh as a 4 year old and is now 16.3
I do wish they`d stop growing because i`m only short


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## Abbeygale (18 August 2010)

She is beautiful!  Such a sweet face!

My 3yo is looking as though she is going through a bit of a growth spurt at the moment - when she is going upwards she seems to usually loose a little condition and look a little ribby for a few weeks, and then puts her condition back on.  

I was hoping that she would end up about 15hh ish - but she is pushing 16hh already  - but she is a sweetheart though! 

Its a bit hard to tell from your pics, as she is resting a hind in every pic, but is she looking level from her withers to bum - or is she still a little bum high?

What are you plans with her?


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## Shysmum (18 August 2010)

i'm wondering the same with my 3 year old - he's 2 inches higher at the bum (but could that be gypsy cob breeding ???). 

Your pony is lovely - she's doesn't look too bum high atm, but it can happen really quickly. My back man says fully grown at 6, i really would think there's a few more inches at least to go for yours.  sm xx


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## Kenzo (18 August 2010)

Is she only 14.1? mind you, you did say approx, she does look bigger than 14.1, if you look at her against your electric fencing posts etc.

She'll probably creep up slowly to about 15 hands I'd say if she's 14.1 now.


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## almrc (18 August 2010)

I will try and measure her again later and I will also get a proper side on pic and post it up here later. Well ideally I would like to do some kind of eventing with her. I do some very local xc with my cob at the moment, but nothing serious.

Thank you  will do string test too!


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## Shysmum (18 August 2010)

i'll be doing the string test too. Tried the second method, but was too hard to work out with the amounts of feathers he's hiding under. sm x


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## CBFan (18 August 2010)

All equines grow til they are 6 /7 /8. Fact. Their growth plates don't close til then so they are still growing albeit much slower after the age of about 3.

If she's 14.1 now I'd say she should make 15hh at maturity.


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## Damnation (18 August 2010)

I bought my TB mare as a 4 year old from racing at about 14.3hh she is now on the top side of 15.2hh and double the width! I'd say your lil un has more growing to do yet. She looks lovely btw


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## Maisy (18 August 2010)

OOO!!!  I'm getting excited by this thread, as my little boy is 14.3 now, at 3 and 4 months.....I would have been happy if he made 15h, so if he is going to be bigger, that will be *ace*!!!!


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## Marchtime (18 August 2010)

Maisy said:



			OOO!!!  I'm getting excited by this thread, as my little boy is 14.3 now, at 3 and 4 months.....I would have been happy if he made 15h, so if he is going to be bigger, that will be *ace*!!!!
		
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Personally this thread has made me poo myself 

My little chap who will be 2yrs old mid September is currently 15.1 and I was told he'd make 16hh maximum. If the little devil keeps growing at the rate you lot are talking he'll be mahooooosive... Saying that the farrier did say he would make 18hh and I thought he was joking 

*wanders off to find string*


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## Maisy (18 August 2010)

Marchtime said:



			Personally this thread has made me poo myself 

My little chap who will be 2yrs old mid September is currently 15.1 and I was told he'd make 16hh maximum. If the little devil keeps growing at the rate you lot are talking he'll be mahooooosive... Saying that the farrier did say he would make 18hh and I thought he was joking 

*wanders off to find string*
		
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LOL!!  You can always chop a few inches off his legs and send them to me....


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## rowy (18 August 2010)

my 3 yr 3 month old is currently 14.3 in front and 15hh behind. I have my fingers crossed for 15.2hh but if he grows any more like you guys are saying it would be great. I did string test on him and got 15.3-16hh


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## Scoutie (18 August 2010)

Damnation, your post scared me.  I have a four year old (4 years, 1 month to be precise) and he is about 16.2-3 now, I really don't want him to grow another couple of inches!  He was only supposed to make 16hh.  Hopefully warmbloods have an early growth spurt and he has done most of his growing.


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## VioletStripe (18 August 2010)

Depends on the horse! Many horses continue growing a little bit until they're 6 or 7!
She's a gorgeous girl by the way  xx


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## almrc (18 August 2010)

MONKEY NUTS UPDATE!! I got some more pics today where shes standing straighter. I also measured her, she is just 14.3hh! wooohoooooo mind you my measuring skills isnt too good!

pics:



















and ignore the (lack of!) grass, they have LOADS i have just given them down by the bottom hedge


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## competitiondiva (18 August 2010)

lovely pictures, well I love these threads!! But honestly starting to **** myself reading some of your stories!!!  My friend bought a 3 year old 16.1 warmblood and it ended up at 17.1!!  It does depend alot on the breeding, if there's alot of tb blood there is Should mature earlier!!  

The reason I'm rather cacking it, is because I've just brought my yearling home, I thought he might be touching 15hh when out in the field? But wasn't sure, he's bum high again too!! He measured 14.2 at 11 months old.  Well we put the height stick on him yesterday and my god he measured just over 15.1! His bum is probably about 15.2/3!! He's only 16 months for goodness sake!!

I think he's making up for lost time as he wintered out last year he barely grew at all, he's hardly on any feed just some pony nuts and vit/min supplement! 

He's my mares first foal and she's only 15.2!! although he was a big foal for her bless! My only requirement was for him to make at least 15.2 as this is the smallest horse I can ride and look ok on!! Well no worries there then! I'm sure glad I bought a 2x 17.2hh trailer!!!

But honestly Alfie (my yearling!) please slow down 16.2 is perfect for me!!!!


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## almrc (19 August 2010)

oooo I think Alfie is going to be quite tall!


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## Shysmum (19 August 2010)

I tried the string test last night - but it failed, as the boy sort of goes out just above the elbow, so he actually came out as being much smaller than he actually is - does that make sense ?  I'll settle for 14.1 - 14.2 and be done with it !  sm x


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## almrc (19 August 2010)

oh dear shys mum, that one didnt work for you then! have you tried the one where you measure from the knee to somewhere and the length = the predicted height...or something?


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## Katd66 (19 August 2010)

My boy was 2 in June and standing at 14.3hh ish now and is still quite bum high!

Mum was 16.2 Trakehnar x welsh d x alnglo arab
Dad was 15.2 Danish warmblood


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## almrc (19 August 2010)

pretty boy! I would say lots of growing yet how much though, I don't know. You will have to try the string test too


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## Nakita (19 August 2010)

My just turned yearling is 14.1 but her tallest parent is only 16.1 so I don't expect her to be too big!


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## Katd66 (19 August 2010)

Im going to go down the field and measure him with string! Will let you know outcome - with being only 2 yo and only 3ins shorter than dad now - think he will be nearer mum at 16.2hh!

Was really hoping he would be about 16hh


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## nicole1968 (19 August 2010)

this thread is interesting maybe theres hope for my neddy he stands about 15.1 15.2 now he is 5 in sept being a cob x warmblood im led to believe neither stop until 7 or 8 his mum is 16.2 and dad 15.3 if he makes 15.3 ill be happy owt else is a bonus


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## competitiondiva (19 August 2010)

Nakita said:



			My just turned yearling is 14.1 but her tallest parent is only 16.1 so I don't expect her to be too big!
		
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I was told that whatever height they are at 12 months, add 1 hand to the age of 2 and then add 1 more hand to maturity to get the adult height, of course with all these things it's all very hit and miss.

My foal didn't really grow over his first winter, (as he wintered out) and was a relatively early foal (2nd April) so at 11 months he was 14.2, but after a summer of growth to catch up on he's now over 15.1!

Don't be too fooled about parent heights! the foal above is out of a 15.2 by a 16.1!! But grand parent heights are 16.3 and 17hh! So big genes! and he was a big foal!


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## DipseyDeb (19 August 2010)

Interesting post...charlie is 15hh-15.1 and is 4 (and a half) He's ISH (we think) a little bit bum high!!


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## Meowy Catkin (19 August 2010)

I've just measured her today and she is 14.2hh and a half inch at 2 years and 4 months of age. She was just under 14.1hh 6 months ago. I think she's going to hit (and maybe pass) that magic 15hh!


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## Stelzar (19 August 2010)

Seriously bricking it now! 

absolutely Beautiful Iron Grey by the way she looks quite gangaly so should expect more growth and bulking out ;-) 

My boys are only 2yrs 3 Months and they measure 16hh and 16.1hh already! Both their Mums were only 16hh and Sire was only 16.2hh. 

Arrrgggghhhhh!!! 

How big do you think there gonna be? one has Shire as Granparent and the other has Baron B as Grandparent (Also have Gallant in there somewhere) 

[IMG]http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs299.snc4/41264_416853822108_534667108_5137924_278569_n.jpg


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## mmel001 (9 March 2011)

My ID is currently standing just over 16h, I will have to try and measure him again tonight. I was hoping he would mature around 16.3 but reading what's on here he could make well over 17h! I'm only 5ft3, so ground mounting will be fun! Not too worried about size, more concious to ensure I train him nice and light!


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## Faithkat (9 March 2011)

I friend of mine's WB grew anorher 2 inches between 4 and 6  . . . . he was 16.1hh as a four year old and is now just 16.3hh


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## marinitagsd (9 March 2011)

Emma is 7/8 TB. When she was 3yrs she stood approx 15.1, she will be 6 in May, now stands 16hds and still very slighty bum high. Her breeder told me that she wouldn't stop growing till she was at least 6yrs and she was right! ha ha


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## Vixen Van Debz (10 March 2011)

Friend's horse is 5/8 TB, rising 3 and has gone through two growth spurts in the last year, going from 16.1 to 17hh. He looks much more mature than his age belies, but there's nothing to say he won't grow a bit more yet!

Your girl is gorgeous though, and looks like she has a bit more growing to do yet. Hope you have fun together!


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## rowy (10 March 2011)

my boy is 4 in may and he is still just over 14.3 in front (possibly more 15hh now as he just had front shoes put on lol) and just over 15hh behind. He has been this height since oct last year though! refuses to catch up with his bum and i have just started rebacking him. 
He is half welsh though and does look still quite leggy. I think both his parents were between 15- 15.3hh. I have my fingers tightly crossed that he makes 15.1hh but would prefer 15.2hh!!


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## XxHorses4LifeXx (10 March 2011)

I got my Welsh Section D when he was 6 months old, he is now rising 3 years old )
I think he's about 14.2hh now. Here's a pic of my gorgeous lad Harley xxxx








I dont know why i cant make the pic smaller.


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## mmel001 (10 March 2011)

String test, if that's to be believed from the cannon down, claims my boy will be between 16.3 and 17h. So I only need to wait another 4-5 years to find out if that was right!


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## nicole1968 (10 March 2011)

what age do you do the string test and how do you do it is it from knee to hoof


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## Meowy Catkin (10 March 2011)

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


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## smirnoff_ice07 (10 March 2011)

Reading this i can well see my rising 2 year old making 16hh, hopefully no more!! He has a lovely nature but there's a hell of a lot of horse in him as it is!! Looks like a mini clydesdale!!


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## SavingGrace (10 March 2011)

I bought my young mare at 3yrs old.  She was 14.1hh then and is now just shy of 15.1hh and will be 5 in May.


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## XxHorses4LifeXx (10 March 2011)

Try again with the pic - it was to big n then to small......


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## scarymare (10 March 2011)

LOL - showed mine in 15.2 classes (late foal) at 3 rising 4 now easily 16.3 but haven't dared to measure.  Went rump high last autumn (born August) and only now starting to level out.  This isn't the only one I've had grow a hand since 3/4 altough both were undernourished as babies


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## turkana (10 March 2011)

I bought a bum high 3 year old once, she didn't grow anymore so I spent the next 23 years riding down hill!
She filled out a lot but didn't grow upwards at all, she was 14.3 at the withers & 15.1 at the bum when I bought her & that's the way she stayed.


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## almrc (30 March 2011)

Well little monkey is 4 in a few days, here is how she looks now - she is approx 14.2hh


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## Queenbee (30 March 2011)

Ayla84 said:



			Depends on the horse
My mare ayla was 14.3-15hh when i bought her as a 3 yr old, she wasnt meant to grow anymore, she`s 16.1 now
My other mare Roxy was 16hh as a 4 year old and is now 16.3
I do wish they`d stop growing because i`m only short 

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fecking heeeeelll!  Don't say that, mine was measured at 15hh at 21 months, 3 weeks later he went bum high again!  I won't need a step ladder to get on him, at this rate and by your horses standards I will need to be dropped from a plane onto his back!   lol!!


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## Jassie (26 April 2015)

Loved reading this post I'm now very hopeful!! How have all your littlens grown to be monsters or just making the 16hh we all hope for. 
Do you think mine will make 16hh she was 2 rising 3 when I had brought  her 14.1 she had already had a foal!!!! was underweight and not looking well at all... she is now 3 and a bit and has grown to be just 15hh alot more weight on looking so much better I've done the string test she should make 16hh hopefully but then I'm terrible at that I have measured her bum height and that has measured as 15.3 although since then she has gone bum high agaIn!! 
Just wondering what everyone thinks? She is a tb and such a sweet girl!! Although I guess we all love our gg's so height wouldn't really matter .xxx


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## Nudibranch (26 April 2015)

Hmm, I don't like the string test. Did it on the baby and got 16.1. His dam was 16.3 so seemed reasonable (sire was smaller). Well he is not yet 4 and has passed 17hh, so it clearly doesn't work for all of them!


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## abes mum (26 April 2015)

Think my baby has some big genes hiding in her breeding, 3 on the 1st of April and measures in at 13.3. Mum was 12.2 and dad was 13.2, most guesses are coming out at 14.1/ 14.2. She is cob x New forest and is going through the lanky stage at the moment.


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## FinkleyAlex (26 April 2015)

String test was accurate for me - said 15hh! Bought him as a rising 2yo and he was barely 14hh, by 3 he was 14.2 and at rising 5 he is now 15hh and just in the middle of another growth spurt!


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## cattysmith (26 April 2015)

My 4yo IDx is 16hh at the moment. I don't reckon she's going to be much over 16.1hh perhaps 16.2hh at the most. But I'm quite happy with any of that! When I first sat on her as a 3 yo she was 15.2hh.


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## SpottyTB (26 April 2015)

I hope mine levels up (photo taken at 2 years and 10 months)... might be riding down hill for the rest of our life :O 






He's three next sunday, stands about 15.3/16 hands but still higher behind! Did the string test a few months back and it said 17hands - not sure about that to be honest! He's dutch warmblood x polish warmblood.. Think we'll be waiting till end of the summer (at least) until he's level enough to think about doing anything... 

Annoyingly he is about a year a head of himself mentally!


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## Jassie (26 April 2015)

Aww woow that's a whole had of the string test!! Bit of a shock!! hope had a bad start to life so think that's why she may be as fast growing .


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## SpottyTB (26 April 2015)

Think my chap has a chance of making 16.2.. He's about 2inches higher behind and i've been told warmbloods don't really fully mature until 7. 

Jessie; Yours sounds like she might make 15.2? My MIL's TB mare was starved as a foal (kept on rashions in a barn until 2).. She was 14.3hh when they backed her at 3 and a half (you could JUST fit your fist between her front legs).. Now she's a solid 15.3 and widened out hugely ! There's always hope but she reached 15.3 at about 7 (so took 4 years to properly mature and catch up).


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## kassieg (26 April 2015)

She definitely will ! She will probs make 14.3 - 15.1 

My now 6 year old was 14.3 at 2 1/2, 15.1 at 3 & since 5 has been full up 16hh 

My current 2 3 year olds are 14.2 & 14.3 & I'm expecting 15hh & 15.2 out of them


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## rosie-ellie (26 April 2015)

I like this thread I always wonder how big my baby will be. I have a warm blood x Irish draft and as a yearling he was 14.1 14.2, now as a 2yr old he is 15.3. Ideally wanted him to stop at 16 but don't think thats going to happen. Oh well what will be will be   Dam is 15.3 sire 16.


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## SatsumaGirl (26 April 2015)

This is a very old thread and the OP's horse will now be 8!  

I do wonder how big she made in the end, though.


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## JessicaRose (31 January 2018)

Hi, just wondered if anyone from this thread could update with what size your horses all ended up? I'd be very interested to know as I currently have a rising three year old 15.2hh, she'll be 3 in April, Lusitano X ISH, and I'm wondering whether she'll make 16hh!


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## JessicaRose (31 January 2018)

kassieg said:



			She definitely will ! She will probs make 14.3 - 15.1 

My now 6 year old was 14.3 at 2 1/2, 15.1 at 3 & since 5 has been full up 16hh 

My current 2 3 year olds are 14.2 & 14.3 & I'm expecting 15hh & 15.2 out of them 

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How big did your now 5 year olds make?


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## JessicaRose (31 January 2018)

Queenbee said:



			******* heeeeelll!  Don't say that, mine was measured at 15hh at 21 months, 3 weeks later he went bum high again!  I won't need a step ladder to get on him, at this rate and by your horses standards I will need to be dropped from a plane onto his back!   lol!! 

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How big did he end up?


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## Meowy Catkin (31 January 2018)

Faracat said:



			I've just measured her today and she is 14.2hh and a half inch at 2 years and 4 months of age. She was just under 14.1hh 6 months ago. I think she's going to hit (and maybe pass) that magic 15hh! 






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Mine made 15hh.


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## canteron (31 January 2018)

Faracat said:



			Mine made 15hh. 

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Hi Faracat, thanks for the update, this gives me hope, I bought a little yearling last year, on the basis that it would be my last horse and I didn't want anything too big.  At 2yo, she is now 14.2 and bum high and I am so hoping that she doesn't grow too much more!!


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## JessicaRose (31 January 2018)

Mine was about 15hh at 2 and is now 15.2hh at just under three. I think it depends a lot on the breed, I'm really hoping mine will make 16hh though!


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## JessicaRose (31 January 2018)

Faracat said:



			Mine made 15hh. 

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Fab, thanks!


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## Louby (31 January 2018)

Ooooh theres hope!!  I bought a 3 yr old last April, sold as 15.3, fast forward to now and Ive had people say shes 15.2?? so shes shrunk lol.  I havent measured her but some days I'd say shes definately over 16hh and other days I think she looks tiny!  I was hoping she would make at least 16hh, preferably bigger.


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## twiggy2 (31 January 2018)

What happened to OP?


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## Meowy Catkin (31 January 2018)

canteron said:



			Hi Faracat, thanks for the update, this gives me hope, I bought a little yearling last year, on the basis that it would be my last horse and I didn't want anything too big.  At 2yo, she is now 14.2 and bum high and I am so hoping that she doesn't grow too much more!!
		
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Fingers crossed that she makes just the right height for you.


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## Denbob (31 January 2018)

My rising 5yo IDxISH is 16.2 pushing 16.3, i'm praying for 17hh plus since I'm 5ft 10in and all leg (all fun and games except for needing a very forward cut - read jump until i can sort a custom - saddle because he's short coupled!) this thread is giving me hope!


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