Young Horse Glow Ups!

[TatteredDaydreamer]

I have a coming 3 year old that is very late to mature and I’m daydreaming about the future as it’s starting to get warmer! We will start him later this year, as we aren’t in a rush and he’s not 3 until the very end of June.

In the same vein as the FUN pictures thread (which I absolutely love!!), would love to see your “then” and “now” photos of your young horses! It’s so fun to see how much they change and mature over the years! From many that I’ve seen, the change from 3 - 5 or 6 is incredible. So please come brag about your lovely horses, and give me some hope that my gangly/immature youngster will too turn into a swan! Thanks all!

[Trekkie]

The following were at ages 1, 2 and 5

And these were at 2, 3 and 5

[vxf111]

Frankie as a baby and this past fall

[vxf111]

Louie last December just after landing stateside and then a couple weekends ago

[TatteredDaydreamer]

They are all gorgeous! Thank you for sharing!

[HeartsDesireEventing]

This isn’t as long term as you’re thinking, but it was still fun to compare how much my new horse has changed just in the first several months. He’s not quite 4 yet, so plenty more changes to come I’m sure!

[GoodTimes]

Foal, 3yo, 7yo. He’ll be 15 in April and he’s still showing in the A/O’s.

Foal, 3yo, 6yo. This mare has never really had an ugly duckling phase. She does have to wear a muzzle though as she can turn into a bit of a potato

[TatteredDaydreamer]

They are gorgeous!

[ATXmom]

Such lovely horses!

[Punkie]

This is my coming 8 year old Hanoverian (Buckingham x Donnerhall x Rubinstein) who I acquired in his 5 year old year.

Newborn Batman (thank god he grew into those ears!!!)

Batman at 2 months

Batman at 4

Batman at 5

Batman at 6

Batman at 7

First hunter derby!

For size reference, I’m 5’4" and he’s 19.1hh and in a bit of a ditch

This is my coming 3 year old Hanoverian filly (Hampton (Rotspon/Rubinstein) x Bonheur)

Newborn Isla

Isla at 2 months

Isla and her dam at inspections (4 months)

Isla at just over a year

Isla’s first free jump from a few weeks ago

[JBCool]

@Punkie

For size reference, I’m 5’4" and he’s 19.1hh and in a bit of a ditch

Holy carp! I was gonna ask from the fenceline pic how tall that bugger was. Crikey!

[TatteredDaydreamer]

They are both gorgeous! Crazy how much they change!!!

[colorfan]

Your first boy is wow! just WOW!!

[trakehners]

His CANTER listing photo and the first day I saw him after he came home a month and a half later (my barn owner picked him up for me while I was in KY for the 5*), a week shy of his (proper) 3rd birthday:

First XC schooling at 4:

His first unrecognized event in 2021 when he was 5:

Unrecognized event number two in 2022 as a 6yo:

Last June, 7yo, about six months after we moved to my trainer’s barn:

Early last month, still 7, but only properly back in work for three months after being off for three and a half months to rehab both hind suspensories and start correcting the NPA in his hind feet:

Free-jumping a few weeks ago (blurry screenshot but we had literally never asked him to even think about jumping something this big):

And last but very definitely not least, a week and a half ago:

He has cost me more money in vet bills than I’d like to discuss but that’s mostly due to me not knowing things (aka hoof anatomy and angles) for a lot longer than I should have more than anything fundamentally wrong with him. My trainer thinks he’ll definitely run Prelim and likes to have one-sided conversations with him about running Intermediate when she thinks I’m not listening I still can’t explain what I saw in that gangly 2yo and he really didn’t fully manifest until last year, but even with the vet bills he’s still cost me vastly less than an equivalent horse with something other than TB papers, and his brain is absolutely priceless. Wouldn’t trade him for the world.

Also, for reference: I’m 5’9” and all leg. He is not a small horse, I just make him look mostly normal.

[ZuzusPetals]

Gee, if only his socks were whiter. Heh.

[RAyers]

Peanut at three and a half years. Pretty fresh off 9 months of living in a herd of 100 and learning how to socialize as a horse.

Peanut at 9 and a half at the Eventing Championships at Galway downs CA November lat year.

I am a firm believer in patience and time to develop horses. We didn’t jump until he was 4, didn’t jump more than 3’ until he was 7. Lots of trail riding and out of arena work/adventures. There is no rush, no end. It is the journey that counts.

[TatteredDaydreamer]

Amazing photos and I’m with you!

[TatteredDaydreamer]

He is absolutely gorgeous!

[amottb17]

My sweet OTTB at 3:

And coming 6!

[vxf111]

These are such glow ups!!! It’s also fascinating to see what aspects of conformation change over time and what stays the same.