When Do Horses Stop Growing?

Horses are done growing at different times for different categories of growth.  Their growth can be divided into height, weight, and bone. Horses finish growing up before they finish growing out, and they finish growing out before their bone development is completely done.

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When Does a Horse Stop Growing in Height?

A horse’s growth upward in height takes the least amount of time to complete.  If you think of foals or yearlings, they are often “all legs,” thin, and gangly. This is because they’ve grown in height more quickly than they have in weight.

When Does a Horse Stop Growing in Weight

Young horses are often below the average weight until they have had time to fill out and gain muscle and fat. Equestrians often refer to their horses as "filling out," for many years while they are still young. A horse will grow out more slowly than they grow up.

When Does a Horse Stop Growing: Bones

Growth in a horse’s bones and joints is the most controversial topic in terms of horse growth.  Many trainers and owners feel strongly about what age it is appropriate to start breaking, riding, or jumping a horse.  This is largely in part to the growth process of a horse’s bones and joints.

Growth Plates

Horses have growth plates on every bone in their body, besides their skull. These growth plates can take up to six years to fuse. This doesn't mean that horses shouldn't be broken or ridden until they are six. It simply means that it is important to keep an eye on them while they are young.

Bone Minerals

Similar to growth plates, it has been proven that horses don’t hit their mature bone mineral content (BMC) until they are six-year-olds. The growth of BMC is even slower than a horse’s growth in height and weight.

When a horse stops growing can be a difficult topic to analyze.  There are many aspects of a horse’s growth, but a horse should be completely done growing and developing by age six.  All horses are different, and some horses can physically handle more than others at younger ages.

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