Duke is growing up

[mickey]

I was starting to wonder if I'd ever see the day that Duke looked in proportion and not like the parts of many ponies stuck together (sorry if that sounds horrible but he has had far more ugly duckling moments than I could ever imagine!)
Last night my dad dragged me to the field to put the guttering on the field shelters. I ended up having to run some dummy electric to stop Duke "helping". Even Belle wasn't as interested as he was!
This is Duke at nearly 4

Hard to believe I bought him from the sales when he was just less than 6 months old- time has flown!

[Debbie]

I think he's lovely! But my first filly went through the Fugly stage of looking like an Appaloosa Daschund, so I can commisserate!

Looks like Duke's coming together beautifully, and trust a Dales to have opinions about how anything should go together Blossom leaps at the opportunity to work with tools as soon as she can. Barring that, she has to dictate how ANYthing is done

[cadeby]

Colts do seem to go through some weird growth phases, but I think the old adage holds true - if they are nice as a young foal, they generally come good as an adult

There's a Friesian Stud near us and the owner had the ugliest, gangliest, mish-mash of a colt she had ever bred and he was like this from yearling to 3 year old. She was so ashamed of him that she always hid him away whenever she had an Open Day or visitors

Then at the age of 5 he was French National Champion under 3 Dutch judges!!!!

[dalesnfellfan]

He looks lovely now, very handsome boy.

[colmworthdales]

Maybe it is a boy thing? I have bred 6 foals (4 using the same stallion) but only one was a colt who was sold as a yearling to a friend who lives close by. He grew a huge head - and not very pretty at that - and it took until he was about 7 to get looking great again! The fillies all seemed to grow much more in proportion though of course they see-sawed in their upward growth - bum-high and then wither-high.

I wonder what other people's experiences are?


Sure Duke will finish up a smasher.

[mickey]

My 2 year old (non dales) homebred filly has always looked like a small horse- pretty much always in proportion so I wonder if it is a boy thing! He was about to be backed properly and his bum suddenly shot up again so we scrapped that idea!