This is a step in reverse. Originally the rulebook said (so I'm told) stated that "no foal may be registered out of/by a horse that has not reached it's 3rd birthday (as of Jan. 1st)" or words to that effect anyway...
When Ice Man, in the fall of his yearling year, bred a mare through the fence, a couple people told me we'd be unable to register the foal because Ice Man was going to be only 2 years old when the foal was born. I read the rule book & it said "out of a mare that has not reached its 3rd birthday...." & when I pointed this out to these people, they said oh, I guess AMHR changed the rule, it used to be mare or stallion. So, if they are right, the rule has already been changed once---what is the thinking in changing it back to the old way?
I doubt there are many people deliberately breeding yearling stallions--it's usually an accident...so obviously now these accidents won't be registrable. Yearling colts seem to be the absolute worst for ending up where they aren't supposed to be
Fortunately our "accident" did get her papers without any problem last year!
I just don't see the point in changing the rules regarding age of the sire (woo hoo, I'd like to hear the outcry if AMHA were to adopt the same rule, & say that no foals were registrable until the parents were both permanent registered--no breeding until the horses are 4 year olds??) And, if the rule is changed, it needs to be reworded so that it is 100% clear. It's much too ambiguous now.
I don't believe it's really the height thing at all that's behind this rule change--there's just too many flaws in that line of reason. But, I sure don't see what the reason behind this is. Makes no sense to me.