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How big will that newborn foal be when he’s full-grown? While a horse’s mature size can be influenced to some extent by nutrition, illness, serious injuries, and genetic makeup, a rough estimate of eventual height can be achieved with a simple measurement.

With the foal standing evenly balanced on a solid surface, measure the distance from the ground to the foal’s elbow (the leg joint just in front of the girth area). Doubling this measurement will give a hint of the eventual distance from the ground to the withers.

Anyone who has experience in handling foals will point out that it can be a challenge to get a very young foal to stand still and balanced. Add the fact that the elbow area is a ticklish spot, and it becomes an even more questionable procedure to get an accurate measurement. Still, it’s worth a try for owners who are interested in predicting whether a particular foal will be just what they are looking for when he’s finished growing.

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