Ponies getting white hairs

[knight1]

I'm just curious about how other Dales ponies are about getting white hairs with age.  Knight is 17 now(where did all those years go?) and he is getting a noticeable collection of white hairs on his forehead, sides of his face and flanks, with a few other odd ones sprinkled all over. 

Tell me about how your ponies have gotten their white hairs with age and how early they started.  I am always alittle shocked when I see them, for I don't think of Knight as old at all.  But then I have previously had arabs that never showed their age hardly at all.  Despite the hairs he seems as fit and hardy as ever.  He's certainly just as fabulous to ride.  I am getting rather restless to ride again. 

[harveydales]

Nancy, I can't believe Knight is 17!!! It doesn't seem possible!

Frankie is 23 and had white hairs on his face at 17, when I first got him. He is now quite white faced and has a few on his flanks too. Dolly is 17 and has very few white hairs. However Harvey, the fittest of them all, has quite a bit of white on his face now. He is 21 and they started appearing at about 15. He also has one or 2 white hairs in his mane but none on his body. He still looks a very black black.

I don't think the white hairs mean much - I started greying at 40 and still feel fit and active at over 60!

[colmworthdales]

In my experience, Dales' do not seem to get white hairs anything like as quickly as Fell ponies which is strange considering how closely linked the two breeds have been in the middle of the last century. (Wow that makes me feel old!!) My 25year old Dales definitely has white hairs on her face now - mainly under her forelock - but nowhere else on her body. She has always had a few white hairs in her mane and hidden in the centre of her tail as the hairs coming from the bottom of her dock have always been a mixture of black and white - but not many more are showing even now. However, I know Fells of similar age that have nearly totally white faces! Any ideas anyone?

[jay]

Jay started to get white hairs last year. He's 22 now. He's got some under his forelock, a few on his body and quite a lot on his legs.

[dalesnfellfan]

 Don't know about Dales as both mine are too young but Spud my Fell was 11 when I had him and had no white at all except for his star but started to get grey hairs on his face at about 15 and by the time he went at 17 his forehead and muzzle were almost totally white.

I on the other hand started to get my first grey hairs at about 23, was quite grey by 40 and almost white at 63, like Pam I am still fit and spritely, definitely not ready for the scrap heap yet.

[knight1]

Thanks for your replies, most interesting. It seems Knight is in good company with his newly acquired white. Many apparently have white under the forelock and that's where Knight has the most. It certainly has no effect on Knight, who is in total agreement with you that the white hairs don't mean much as he insists he is little different than he was 10 years ago. Well maybe a bit older & wiser. My own grey hairs are now very considerable. I am older but debatable just how much wiser.

[peggyloo]

Liz is 23 now and her face is getting greyer by the day, she didn't really start going grey till last year though and has nothing on her body as yet

[Debbie]

Blossom's too young to have the white hairs yet, but when Galahad arrived to me, he was prematurely grey all over his forehead. Some serious pampering in his case actually reversed the white hairs on his face, but I'm sure his greying was down to the stress of his previous life.

I'm sure Knight will only continue to look distinguished as he gets more white hairs

[knight1]

Well Debbie, Knight sure can't use stress as an excuse. The most stressful thing in his life is wondering when the humans will come with his next meal or treat or hay.