Post by Michelle Clarke on Dec 6, 2008 8:15:50 GMT -5
Dara, skeletally, all horses develop the same. The last bones to close are along the spine - right where the saddle goes and you sit - at the ripe old age of just over five! What makes a horse appear to mature early has alot to do with muscle structure. Just as people, some breeds are born with alot more muscle structure than others - such as the QH and Thoroughbred. Spanish horses tend to be lighter muscled and do not really develop well defined muscles until they are older and it is mostly through usage.
Another factor is height. Again, most of your QHs and throughbreds get height early on so they give the appearance of "mature". Our QH crosses spring up early, then seem to level out and grow very slow after 2 1/2 years of age; while the spanish horses usually grow between 1 - 2 inches between 4 and 5. I have seen Lusitanos grow a whole hand between 5 and 7 years of age. Alot has to do with management and environment too.
Genetics wise, it takes three generations to breed a trait into or out of a bloodline. Since the QH was basically bred to be utilitarian - broke early, had a hard job and was bred not to gripe about it, they seem to mature mentally earlier, but in my opinion, that is just because they are bred to take that type of life - shut up and do it! In reality, we have turned plenty of three year old QHs back out for a year or so because of mental immaturity and the fact they were not ready to really focus on training....the kind of training we do!
Same with the thoroughbreds. We have two in right now getting started so they can go to the track. The 2 1/2 year old stud looks mature as all get out - big and strong (so does his older sister I guess - she's a brick house!). But mentally, he is a big baby. You put him next to our two year old spanish stud colts and there is a world of difference.
Recently, I have been going through photos to compare siblings/half siblings and noticed that the foals that look like little horses as they grow (no real gangly stages, grow pretty even - not hugely high on one end) do not mature very big, not over 15'1 or so.
However, those that seem big headed, big joints, gangly, grow up and down, seem to get close to or over 16'. But I have seen plenty of smaller type horses with poor nutrition grow this way...
I am sure there are other breeders on this board that can share their experiences...
Another factor is height. Again, most of your QHs and throughbreds get height early on so they give the appearance of "mature". Our QH crosses spring up early, then seem to level out and grow very slow after 2 1/2 years of age; while the spanish horses usually grow between 1 - 2 inches between 4 and 5. I have seen Lusitanos grow a whole hand between 5 and 7 years of age. Alot has to do with management and environment too.
Genetics wise, it takes three generations to breed a trait into or out of a bloodline. Since the QH was basically bred to be utilitarian - broke early, had a hard job and was bred not to gripe about it, they seem to mature mentally earlier, but in my opinion, that is just because they are bred to take that type of life - shut up and do it! In reality, we have turned plenty of three year old QHs back out for a year or so because of mental immaturity and the fact they were not ready to really focus on training....the kind of training we do!
Same with the thoroughbreds. We have two in right now getting started so they can go to the track. The 2 1/2 year old stud looks mature as all get out - big and strong (so does his older sister I guess - she's a brick house!). But mentally, he is a big baby. You put him next to our two year old spanish stud colts and there is a world of difference.
Recently, I have been going through photos to compare siblings/half siblings and noticed that the foals that look like little horses as they grow (no real gangly stages, grow pretty even - not hugely high on one end) do not mature very big, not over 15'1 or so.
However, those that seem big headed, big joints, gangly, grow up and down, seem to get close to or over 16'. But I have seen plenty of smaller type horses with poor nutrition grow this way...
I am sure there are other breeders on this board that can share their experiences...