Horses and their ever changing heights

Lissie

Lissie

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Jan 18, 2016
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Just been wondering how many people don't really know how big their horses are, me included. I heard a girl on the yard say I think my mare's 14.3 now, never been measured just what she thinks by looking at it. Another woman has just brought a 4/5 year old from Ireland unseen was meant to be 15.2 it's 16.2! My little one was meant to be around 15hh/15.1 he's more of a 14.2/3 although I've never measured him but he is tiny and will be sold on 148cm for a junior to jump.

How many of you have horses who weren't the height they were sold as?
 
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I thought passports had to be accurate? But, at a guess I feel Chloe is about 15.2hh and not 15. She is a good bit taller than madam who allegedly is 15.hh but I have never measured either. Interesting.... I always thought Joe was bigger than 16.2 but again, never measured him accurately. Is there a stick or something? I seem to remember old YO having one for height??
 
A passport won't be accurate because it says estimated adult height. My lass has baby foal photos in hers :)
She looks a bit bigger now.
She measures about 14hh with the stick and bubble thing.
 
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newforest said:
A passport won't be accurate because it says estimated adult height. My lass has baby foal photos in hers :)
She looks a bit bigger now.
She measures about 14hh with the stick and bubble thing.
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Mine was fully grown tho when passports first came in if you know what I mean? So for ours as older ones they must have been measured then. Different for babes - that's lovely you have foal pics on yours!!!
 
Raf was sold as 15.2 as a 4 year old. He wasn't anything like but I wasn't bothered. I think he's 15 to 15.1 now (he had a growth spurt at 7) but that's only measuring him by YO's nose, which is 14.2 apparently. We do have a measuring stick on yard but I've never got round to using it, partly because I don't know where to measure to, despite being told many times which bone it is.
 
I'd say out of all the horses I know half of them the passports aren't right which is why they can't be relied on. My old boy has 2 passports lol. I've not had a stick on Charlie yet simply because I haven't got one and haven't got round to it. I'm not really bothered what height he is, he can do everything I want.

I do think a lot of guessing goes on, be interesting to measure all the horses in the yard and see how many are taller/smaller than what the owners think.
 
Jess was 14.2 at 19 months, then 15.1 at 5, I havent measured her since but don't think she got taller. hank I tried to measure but most sticks start at 9hh or more so I had to eyeball it from a tape measure :p
 
Height would only matter to me if I wanted to compete in a height restricted class, in which case I'd want to see a proper life height certificate rather than rely on the seller's estimate or my own measuring with a stick.

Little Un, when I measured him with a stick on flat ground, was a smidge over 14.2 so without shoes I'd say 14.2. Jim I used to say was 16hh & a bit - the bit was fairly significant lol because I never really wanted to admit quite how much of him there was!
 
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I do think height can be deceptive too - YO has a Sec D x trad that looks as tall if not taller than Raf but he's actually a little smaller. He's bigger everywhere other than in height though and takes 6" longer rugs than Raf. If you saw a pic of me riding Raf and compared it to one of me riding him you'd say he was a far taller horse simply because my legs sit on his sides, whereas my feet dangle off Raf's.
 
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Ziggy was sold to me as 14.2. Sometimes I think "Yup, he is 14.2" and sometimes I think he is a shade over 14hh! I ought to get a stick but I would struggle to find a flat place to stand him on!
 
Kia was measured in at 15.2hh apparently by the vet that did his passport........... he's 14.3hh without shoes soneas probs 15hh when I bought him and the vet mucked up the passport details.

Eowyn was 15.2hh on her passport and I would have agreed with it.
 
I don't think my horses height is even in my passport, but not sure.

Ben was sold to me as 16hh when he was 7. He is 12 now and certainly bigger than this. I say he is 16.1hh but may even be 16.2hh. I don't know anyone with a measuring stick to borrow!
 
carthorse said:
Height would only matter to me if I wanted to compete in a height restricted class, in which case I'd want to see a proper life height certificate rather than rely on the seller's estimate or my own measuring with a stick.
!
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This is how I feel, Mine is Icelandic, he has a pedigree and passport and microchip, He was born in Iceland and all I will ever compete him in is against other Icelandics, and height is of no consequence in that discipline.

I have never looked in his passport but he's grown a lot since I had him so his height won;t be accurate at all. All I can say is he's very tall for an Icelandic, One of the biggest I have come across in a long time.....and his breeder told me his blood lines grow until they are 7.......he's not 6 yet.
 
Lissie said:
Just been wondering how many people don't really know how big their horses are, me included. I heard a girl on the yard say I think my mare's 14.3 now, never been measured just what she thinks by looking at it. Another woman has just brought a 4/5 year old from Ireland unseen was meant to be 15.2 it's 16.2! My little one was meant to be around 15hh/15.1 he's more of a 14.2/3 although I've never measured him but he is tiny and will be sold on 148cm for a junior to jump.

How many of you have horses who weren't the height they were sold as?
Click to expand...

Toffee was advertised as 13.2 but he was 12.3! He's filled out and made 13hh, just over with shoes. I don't care though, he carries me fine and he can't have move despite being chunky!
 
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I think there are two wooden measuring sticks. The accurate one and the sellers stick. I haven't viewed anything accurate.
Mine was described as about xxhands. Height isn't relevant to me, however I wouldn't view anything young under 12hh as it just won't make what I like to ride.
 
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