Ranch 
Dragonball Girlfriends
If I'm honest in some cases I base their ages on Equestria Girls. Because I assume those ages go by human standards. I just find that easier. The CMC go to school in the same building as what I assume are highschool students. Meaning the town in EQG is so small that the highschool is probably also a middle school.
If the CMC are in middle school that means at most, for them, its a 3 to 6 year age difference. Granted a lot of this is just me spitballing theories for my own preferences. For example I don't think Equestria even bothers with "highschool" as we know it. You go to school to learn enough to not die from stupidity. So history, math, science, basic magic etc, then you get your cutie mark and from there either enter a trade/become an apprentice or go to magic college. There are places of higher learning for non unicorns as well but it's optional, like college you don't have to go.
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[@Background Pony #A3D8":](/forums/pony/topics/next-gen-shipping-and-fan-au-discussion?post_id=4979230#post_4979230
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A lot of us think dragons mature slower than ponies. But still even if Spike is 13 and Rarity is 16/17 that age gap is still pretty fucked up and wrong. Age gaps mean more the younger you are, and mean less and virtually mean nothing the older you are. 3 to 4 years to a child is a lot of mental development.
Granted with my headcanon, if dragons don't mature slower, and he matures at the same rate as a pony, then he doesn't have to wait too long to be romantic with Rarity. But it's unfair to both of them to have to wait, which is why I ship Spike and Gabby. Believe it not I shipped them right after the episode Gabby premiered in. Not the episode that sort of soft shipped them itself. I was pretty happy when that episode happened though.
If the CMC are in middle school that means at most, for them, its a 3 to 6 year age difference. Granted a lot of this is just me spitballing theories for my own preferences. For example I don't think Equestria even bothers with "highschool" as we know it. You go to school to learn enough to not die from stupidity. So history, math, science, basic magic etc, then you get your cutie mark and from there either enter a trade/become an apprentice or go to magic college. There are places of higher learning for non unicorns as well but it's optional, like college you don't have to go.
"
[@Background Pony #A3D8
A lot of us think dragons mature slower than ponies. But still even if Spike is 13 and Rarity is 16/17 that age gap is still pretty fucked up and wrong. Age gaps mean more the younger you are, and mean less and virtually mean nothing the older you are. 3 to 4 years to a child is a lot of mental development.
Granted with my headcanon, if dragons don't mature slower, and he matures at the same rate as a pony, then he doesn't have to wait too long to be romantic with Rarity. But it's unfair to both of them to have to wait, which is why I ship Spike and Gabby. Believe it not I shipped them right after the episode Gabby premiered in. Not the episode that sort of soft shipped them itself. I was pretty happy when that episode happened though.