Amid the gloomy atmosphere created by the COVID-19 crisis and the rainy weather, some good news has arrived to the Cal Poly Pomona campus: the first foal of the season was born at the W.K. Kellogg Arabian Horse Center.
The colt was born just after midnight on March 19. April Mason, the lead student who foaled out the mother, has given the colt the informal barn name of “Dillon,” said Cindy Reich, the lead for breeding and herd management at the center.
In Gaelic, Dillon means “bright light” or “ray of light,” she said.
The colt will get a formal name when he is officially registered with the Arabian Horse Association of America sometime in the next few months, Reich said. The association’s current president is Cal Poly Pomona alumna Nancy Harvey, who was active at the horse center as a student.
Although currently brown, Dillon’s coat is expected to turn gray, Reich said. Dillon’s height hasn’t been measured yet, but Reich estimated his weight at about 90 pounds.
Those hoping to get a glimpse of the foal in person will have to wait. The horse center is currently closed to all visitors because of the COVID-19 crisis. However, the horse center captured a short video of the colt with its dam, Bwitched. Dillon’s sire is Inception.
The horse center expects to have six foals this year and is breeding 11 for next year.