[springer]

My 3 month old filly is right around 12hh. She was out of a maiden, smallish but big bodied mare (15.2hh) and by a 16.2hh stallion. She was huge at birth, very leggy. Now she seems to be going through a chunky phase and losing that "leggy" appearance she had for the first few months.
NOTE: She was sick for a few weeks as a foal due to an absess on her leg; had to be sedated to drain it (twice) and on anti biotics etc. Don't know if that stunted her growth or not; would she catch up from that experience? I'm hoping so.
I can't help but wonder ... how big are your 3 month olds typically?

[Iron Horse Farm]

lol, probably not! They all go through stages and one minute you'll think that she's tiny and the next minute her butt will shoot up 4"!

[okggo]

They change, over and over and over and over. I have never measured a foal. Best indicator imho is to watch the knee and hock height. Where do the knees and hocks stack up compared to her dam.

[supaflyskye]

my 12.3hh yearling is a 16hh 6-y/o.
do not despair.

[ideayoda]

Measure the inches from coronet band to knee...convert to hands.

[Appsolute]

Measure the inches from coronet band to knee...convert to hands.

I have to say, I string tested mine as a youngster.. string test said 16.2.

My mare is now 5 years old, and is just a hair, less then 1/2 under 16.2.

I know others have reported simular accuracy. So what does the string test say?

[springer]

thought you couldn't string test til they're a year old?

[Aven]

You might have

I bred an Irish tb cross mare just over 16hh and big bodied to Amiral, 16.1 swedish and ended up with a stunning 14.3hh hony!

But no point worrying about it till you can string test at a year.

[Signature]

The string test (ergot to elbow) has always worked for us. I think the rule is 8 to 10 months of age before you can do it. I wouldn't think the other way would work as well because we intentionally want short cannon bones so the proportions of the leg would be different although the leg length overall is the same. We have done the string test on probably 15 horses from foal age and it's always been right within 1/2" or so!

My first venture with it was a TB gelding I bred for myself... I was upset he was so small as a baby (I'm 5'10), but the string test at 8 months said 16.1h! I was sure it was incorrect. At 6 years of age he is 16.1 1/4h on a regulation stick.

[Appsolute]

thought you couldn't string test til they're a year old?

String test was the same as a 5 month old weanling as it read as a yearling on my horse... stayed consistant.

Noticed when she was just 3 months old that her back cannons were as long as her 16.2 hand dam's.

I used the center of knee to cornet band (center on side)

[Sunnydays]

I don't think 12 h is small for 3 months old.

[propspony]

my girl is by a 15.3 hand stallion and out of a 15.1 hand maiden mare, and she was 11.2 yesterday at 3 months and 5 days. I was wondering if *I* had bred a shrimp yesterday so... thanks for posting this!

[Pennywell Bay]

People look at my one mare and say "wow, she's tiny" (15'2)

Then they see her jump. Effortlessly, 4 foot. Suddenly, she's not so tiny.. (she is big bodies though)

[mikali]

I'm wondering the opposite... I think I might have a giant on my hands.
My filly is two months old in this photo. Her dam is 16.0hh... The sire is 16.1
http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...en07212012.jpg

[Molly Malone]

I'm wondering the opposite... I think I might have a giant on my hands.
My filly is two months old in this photo. Her dam is 16.0hh... The sire is 16.1
http://i1172.photobucket.com/albums/...en07212012.jpg

whoa! Now that's a big foal!

[equusaround]

You might have

I bred an Irish tb cross mare just over 16hh and big bodied to Amiral, 16.1 swedish and ended up with a stunning 14.3hh hony!

But no point worrying about it till you can string test at a year.

Amiral was a tremendously successful competition stallion and produced great athletic horses with huge, correct movement. He was, however known for throwing foals several inches smaller than the dam. This is reported on his BLUP index which you can access from the ASVH site.

http://www.blup.se/en-US/pages/short_intro

Amiral's approved son (in USA) Amorex is 16.2 hands and doesn't tend to throw small.

[springer]

Amiral was a tremendously successful competition stallion and produced great athletic horses with huge, correct movement. He was, however known for throwing foals several inches smaller than the dam. This is reported on his BLUP index which you can access from the ASVH site.

http://www.blup.se/en-US/pages/short_intro

Amiral's approved son (in USA) Amorex is 16.2 hands and doesn't tend to throw small.

And this has to do with my filly... how?

[camohn]

Too young to tell...wait until she is a yearling. Birth size does not mean much.

[camohn]

Measure the inches from coronet band to knee...convert to hands.

Not accurate until at least 12 mos of age

[equusaround]

And this has to do with my filly... how?

Springer - No offense meant, I was replying to the poster who related that her Amiral foal was smaller than the dam and sire. Although not specific to your filly, it may explain (generally) why your filly, to you, at a young age, seemed small. Some bloodlines just throw small. However, since your filly is so young, I wouldn't stress over it now. Better that she grows more slowly than quickly - less risk of OCD etc. My stallion Gauguin du Cheval looked like a hairy pony when he was 2.5 years old but when he shed out that spring as a 3 y.o. he was almost 16 hands and gorgeous. He finished at 16.1 and 1/2 hands. He seems to be throwing offspring that are taller than he is.

I have two sets of horses that have the same sire/dam. For some reason, the 3 y.o. horses are larger than their full siblings that are 2 years older. In fact, they were taller at 2 y.o. than the full siblings at 4 y.o. Just the luck of the draw/roulette known as breeding.

Also, warmbloods often grow until 7 years of age. I have a friend that got a great deal from a really big breeder for a well bred 2 y.o. that should have been way over 16 hands but was only 14.3 hands. As my friend was only 5'1", she thought this was perfect! A low priced, good moving, well bred, small warmblood. However, when her nice horse turned 5 - it had grown to almost 17 hands!!!! It was just a late bloomer!

Good luck with your filly - I'm sure she'll be fine and you'll love her death!