[csaper58]

We just put a stick on my 2005 model 1/2 Qt x1/2 Dutch mare,and she has grown 2 inches this summer and fall. Also, her bit and throatlatch don't have as much room and I had to let her bridel out. She is not getting fat, just bigger. Now that I'm looking, her splint boots don't go as far as they use to either. What Gives???

[Simkie]

Not typical, no, but certainly not unheard of, either--especially with some slow maturing warmblood lines.

[goodhors]

Bigger horses often take longer to get finished growing. I have large horses, would expect growth on a 7yr old gelding. My mares do seem to get their height done earlier, but they do a LOT of filling out and age 7yrs is not unreasonable to find them wider or longer.

Sounds like your girl is having a last blast of growth and filling out, for a "mature" figure. Are you working her? Might be related in muscle development with work.

One very large gelding grew until after age 8yrs, ended up 18+, and is just BIG bodied all over. We sold him at late 6yrs, when he got too big for our uses. Our main use is Driving horses, so they need to be similar in size and movement. He just out-strode every other horse on the place by a foot or more, as well as being taller. No one could even walk with him, he left them behind in 2 strides. He just kept getting bigger and bigger for his new owner, we are all rather shocked at how large he finished up. Well proportioned, very athletic, just huge! You walk towards him and he just keeps getting larger and larger!

[Jackie & Starlette]

My appendix QH mare did...bought her at 15.1 hands, 6 years old, and she's now 16 hands, 12 years old. Most of her growth was up to 8 year old, then she bulked out.

[csaper58]

Thanks I feel better knowing she is not a freak. Will love her what ever size she ends up, but I hope I don't need mountian climbing gear to get on!

[billiebob]

I've known a couple of QHs and WBs that didn't finish growing until they were 8 or so. My TB grew an inch between 7 and 8.

[Denzel]

Bigger horses often take longer to get finished growing. I have large horses, would expect growth on a 7yr old gelding. My mares do seem to get their height done earlier, but they do a LOT of filling out and age 7yrs is not unreasonable to find them wider or longer.

Sounds like your girl is having a last blast of growth and filling out, for a "mature" figure. Are you working her? Might be related in muscle development with work.

One very large gelding grew until after age 8yrs, ended up 18+, and is just BIG bodied all over. We sold him at late 6yrs, when he got too big for our uses. Our main use is Driving horses, so they need to be similar in size and movement. He just out-strode every other horse on the place by a foot or more, as well as being taller. No one could even walk with him, he left them behind in 2 strides. He just kept getting bigger and bigger for his new owner, we are all rather shocked at how large he finished up. Well proportioned, very athletic, just huge! You walk towards him and he just keeps getting larger and larger!

Oh god, I really hope this isn't true for my guy. He is 6, and when I got him the fall of his 5-year old year he sticked at 17.1 during the PPE and I haven't measured him since. Everyone keeps telling me he is definitely bigger than 17.1 but I refuse to measure him again because I'm in denial, being 5'5 and a smidge on a tall day. And no, I did not intentionally look for a gigantic horse, he fit every other criteria and just happened to come in an extra-large package!

[JBCool]

Maybe I need to go measure my 7yo this evening: my friend mentioned the other day she thought he looked taller than the 16H I told her he was...

[rabicon]

My paint is 8 and still growing. Got him at 7 he was 15.1 now at 15.2 last time i checked but seems a little bigger now. I think he maybe pushing 15.3. His probably came from getting good nutrition that he really wasn't getting before

[ako]

Yes, definitely can happen. My mare is a tall WB. She grew up and out easily until her 8th birthday. I didn't need her to get taller, but I was happy she filled out.

[kookicat]

Rue grew an inch between 6-8.

[superD]

Maybe I should measure my boy as well!! He is coming 9 yr but everyone swears he is bigger than the 16.2 he measured when I bought him 2 years ago. Of course I argue that he is too old to still grow but now maybe not so much???!!!

[vxf111]

Rue grew an inch between 6-8.

Oh god, please... no! LOL. My youngin' isn't that young anymore (6) and he's BIG ENOUGH! I don't want him to grow anymore.

[justhoofit]

I've had this happen a lot with 5-6 year old OTTB's that come off the track, then shoot up 2 to 3 inches, growing to about age 7 or 8. In their case, I think it has something to do with getting the medications out of their system, lowering their stress, and improving their nutrition.

In WB's, I think it's more genetic.

[goeslikestink]

depends- if shes actually 7
most horses stop growing at 7, but that depends if they were man made or born natually by that i mean normally horses have foals from spring to spring to make good use of the year- before the winter

man made ones is where people put mares in foal as late sept/oct etc so here is 6mths difference

think race horses there birthdays are all on 1st jan, but that depends when they were put in foal-

[Texarkana]

My 7 year old warmblood/arab cross mare just hit 16.1h this year. She has measured a hair under 16h since 5 years old and by 6 I had given up on her growing anymore. Then one day a few months ago I thought she looked taller... and sure enough she was! She always string tested to 16.1h as a baby, so I guess it isn't completely surprising.