This is an archived Horseadvice.com Discussion. The parent article and menus are available on the navigation menu below:
HorseAdvice.com » Horse Care » Routine Horse Care » Estimating Weight, Height, and Body Condition Scoring »
  Discussion on Estimating Clydesdales and Heavy horse heights
Author Message
New Member:
missjane

Posted on Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 12:55 am:

I have read all the height related threads on the boards as i am very interested in determining the height of my foals.
I usually breed clydesdales but this year i have crossed a clydie with a gypsy cross. I have been told that hybrid vigour plays a big part in increasing the height in this particular cross.

My first foal is a 3yo mare, (4 in nov 10) her sire was approx 16hh but not really sure, her dam is 16.3 3/4, so just under 17hh. I tried the elbow to fetlock measurement and it gave me a height of about 17.1hh. She has not grown for nearly 12 months now and stopped at 163cm, a fraction over 16hh. Her height at birth was 10.1hh. Height at 3 months 12.2hh.

Will she grow any more? She is currently in foal due august is in excellent body condition and has never had a hungry day in her life.

Second horse is a Drum colt born 3 months ago. Height at birth 10.3hh, height at 1 month 11.3hh, height at 2 months 12 and half and inch. Height at 3 months 12.1hh.
Dam same as above sire gypsy cob 14.1hh.
I used your calculation and came up with 17.3hh on the 1 month height at 60%, do you think this is accurate? I also did the calculation at 2 months and came up with 16.3hh.
Member:
stek

Posted on Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 10:51 am:

Miss Jane what an interesting cross. Can't answer your question but would love to see a pic of your colt!!
New Member:
missjane

Posted on Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 1:00 pm:

Hi Shannon, is there a minimum number of posts before you can post a photo and can we post photos using photobucket or is there a thread with instructions?
Member:
stek

Posted on Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 4:44 pm:

As far as I know you can post photos right away. Not sure if there are instructions on the site but it's pretty straightforward:

1) Make sure the photo you want to upload is small enough (I think it has to be 65k or less). Most photo editing software has a way to compress a photo. For example, in Microsoft's picture manager choose Picture>Compress then choose the web page option.

2) Click the upload attachment button below

3) Click Browse, then navigate out to where the photo you resized is stored on your machine. Then click Upload.

4) The site will automatically put some html calling the image in at the end of your message

I think that's about it .. can you tell part of my 'day job' is to provide support for users of web based software? =)
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Thursday, Apr 1, 2010 - 7:36 pm:

Welcome Miss Jane,
This table is from information on hot blooded breeds so how well it applies to cold and warm bloods is not known. I have never seen any similar calculations done on cold bloods however so I don't know any more accurate information to rely on. The calculations are only estimates and there is no one number for any age as a range is provided for each age: you should use both the lower and higher number and look at the range instead of a single number.

As the table shows at 36 months hot blooded horses are between 98 and 100% of his final height. Concerning the foal if you look at the ranges instead of a single number the only way to get the result you do is for your horse to have shrunk from the first to second month.

For more on posting images see Help & Information on Using This Site ยป Uploading Images and Files Into a Posting.
DrO
New Member:
missjane

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 1:27 am:

New Member:
missjane

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 1:41 am:

New Member:
missjane

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 1:46 am:

or you can go to www.kingsransomclydesdales.com and see all his pics full size.
64kb isn't very big is it?!

DrO i did do the calcs for the high and low ranges, that is how i came up with between 16.3 and 17.3hh but the older he is getting and not following his original trend of fast growth i am wondering if he will make it to that.

Are there any other methods to use to estimate final height and do you know what age the big breeds stop growing as i have been told by many breeders it is not until 6 or 7yo??
Member:
mientjie

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 2:05 am:

Your horses are so beautiful!! I do not know about the height estimates, but I have a clydesdale cross mare and she only stopped growing just before she turned 8. Her dam was 14.1hh and her sire 17hh and she turned out 16.3hh.
Member:
missjane

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 2:20 am:

Hi Lea-anne, thanks for your comments. WHat breed was the dam and sire?
It sounds promising for my colt to reach similar height.
You're up late...or early :-)
Where in the US do you live, if you don't mind.
Im in Queensland, Australia
Member:
stek

Posted on Friday, Apr 2, 2010 - 10:44 am:

Cute! He looks like he is going to be a big solid guy. I had never heard of drum horses, I wonder if he will get the extreme mane of his sire?
Member:
missjane

Posted on Tuesday, Apr 20, 2010 - 1:18 am:

DrO are there any other studies done on heavy horse breeds re heights and how long they grow for?

I did the high and low range calcs for 2 horses who are mature. I did the calcs for every age i had measured them that related to one of the months on the table.

Although at some stage the final height estimation was accurate there was no trend there at all.

I am very keen to learn about trying to estimate heavy horses so anything you can help me with will be much appreciated.

I can post my calculations if you would like to see them.
Member:
missjane

Posted on Saturday, May 8, 2010 - 11:10 pm:

Is Dr Oglesby still a member of the forum,? Just wondering why i haven't got a reply about my question above.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Sunday, May 9, 2010 - 9:20 am:

Hello Miss Jane,
Not only am I a member, I own this forum. But your question has already been answered in my first above.
DrO
Member:
leslie1

Posted on Sunday, May 9, 2010 - 7:39 pm:

wow.
Member:
missjane

Posted on Monday, May 10, 2010 - 2:57 am:

DrO, I joined this forum as it was the best information I had found about height estimation and I read other threads and found that your replies were very interesting and full of helpful information. That is why I joined to see if you could help with my questions. I thought you would have some more information to help me with other than your first reply.
If you would like to or able to answer what I have copied below I would be very grateful.

My question: I used your calculation and came up with 17.3hh on the 1 month height at 60%, do you think this is accurate? I also did the calculation at 2 months and came up with 16.3hh.

Reply: Concerning the foal if you look at the ranges instead of a single number the only way to get the result you do is for your horse to have shrunk from the first to second month.

My reply: The result is not from the horse shrinking as he had grown but he was born big and then grew 1hand in the first month. Then in the second month he only grew about 1 inch. Now at 4 months he has grown 3 inches in a month. He is obviously having growth spurts, so which month have you found to be the most accurate with other breeds?

Question: DrO are there any other studies done on heavy horse breeds re heights and how long they grow for?

Question: I am very keen to learn about trying to estimate heavy horses so anything you can help me with will be much appreciated.

Statement: I have been told that hybrid vigour plays a big part in increasing the height in this particular cross. Does anyone know if there is any truth or facts to prove this??
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, May 10, 2010 - 6:23 pm:

Miss Jane,
We seem not to be communicating well and this must be my fault. I have answered questions but let me try again. I will list your questions and underline them to make this easier:

I used your calculation and came up with 17.3hh on the 1 month height at 60%, do you think this is accurate?
This table is from information on hot blooded breeds so how well it applies to cold and warm bloods is not known. I have never seen any similar calculations done on cold bloods however so I don't know any more accurate information to rely on. The calculations are only estimates and there is no one number for any age as a range is provided for each age: you should use both the lower and higher number and look at the range instead of a single number.

He is obviously having growth spurts, so which month have you found to be the most accurate with other breeds?
I would expect the older the foal the more accurate the estimate.

Question: DrO are there any other studies done on heavy horse breeds re heights and how long they grow for?
I have never seen any similar calculations done on cold bloods however so I don't know any more accurate information than this to rely on.

Statement: I have been told that hybrid vigour plays a big part in increasing the height in this particular cross. Does anyone know if there is any truth or facts to prove this??
No, I do not know of any facts to prove this.

Though you did not ask a question about it I feel I need to try and get you to understand an important point about the table. I did not really think the foal had shrunk but mathmatically your statement of negative growth using the calculations is not correct. Calculations from the first month using the lower range of growth (higher percentage) of final height:
47cm / 0.70 = 16.3 hands (rounded to the nearest inch)
Calculations for the second month using a average of the first and third months of the higher range of growth (lower percentage):
48.5cm / 0.74 = 17 hands

Hope this helps.
DrO
Home Page | Top of Page | Join Us!
Horseadvice.com is a BBB Accredited Business. Click for the BBB Business Review of this Horse Training in Stokesdale NC