Welsh Pony

Up in the hills of Wales, that's where the Welsh Pony first took shape, a small breed that fits within pony height and moves with a free, athletic stride on top of a sturdy frame. It had to survive centuries of rough upland country, and that's exactly what made it sound, cheap to keep, and happy working or carrying a rider across just about any terrain.

What people notice first is how good-natured and clever these ponies are. They pick up new things quickly, and they'll build a steady bond with whoever's handling them, young or old. So it's no surprise, given the size too, that families often reach for a Welsh Pony as a child's very first ride, even though you'll find plenty of adults driving and competing on them as well.

There isn't much a Welsh Pony can't turn its hoof to: riding, driving, showing, general work, you name it. One minute a pony's leading a small child round a ring in a lead-rein class, the next it's jumping, doing a bit of lower-level dressage, or pulling in harness. Hardiness and a long working life, that's really what the breed's whole reputation comes down to.

Who it suits

Families wanting something reliable for their kids to ride tend to do really well with a Welsh Pony, and so do riders after a small, capable pony for showing or harness work. It'll need handling daily, regular exercise, and somewhere to graze. If you can offer turnout plus a consistent routine, you'll get the best out of this breed. Just watch it on rich pasture though, because weight goes on fast if you're not careful.

For a very long time now, ponies have grazed the hills and mountains of Wales, and it was the harsh climate and sparse forage up there that shaped such a small, hardy animal, one able to get by on little shelter and scrape together food from poor ground. Soundness, thrift, and good sense, those were the traits that this kind of environment rewarded.

Rural communities relied on these ponies for generations. They carried people and goods about, worked the small farms, and even went underground in the mines or out onto the hills for work. Because selection was practical rather than about looks, it was usefulness and constitution that stuck around in the breed.

In 1901 the Welsh Pony and Cob Society, founded in Wales, opened its stud book, and that gave the breed its first formal register along with recorded pedigrees. Sections by height and type is how the society divides up Welsh ponies and cobs, and the smaller riding pony makes up one of those sections.

From its home in Wales, the breed has since spread to other countries, where it's bred today for riding, showing, and driving. Some lines have been refined for the show ring under outside influence, sure, but that foundation of hardiness laid down on the Welsh hills, that's still what defines the breed at its core.

There's a real quality to the Welsh Pony's outline, nicely balanced throughout. The head's small and clean, with a slightly concave or straight profile, big eyes, and small, alert ears. Look at the neck and you'll find it well set, with sloping shoulders and a back that's short and strong. The legs are clean and dense, ending in hard, well-shaped hooves that cope well with rough ground. As for movement, it's free and straight, carried through from the shoulder.

Coat and colours

Bay, chestnut, grey, black, brown, dun, cream, palomino, roan, you'll find Welsh Ponies in just about any solid colour going. Grey's especially common, and quite a few greys get lighter with age. White markings turn up on the face and legs from time to time too. What you won't see accepted in the breed, though, are piebald and skewbald patterns. Come summer the coat stays short, then it thickens right up for winter, a fair reflection of the cold, wet climate the breed grew up in.

Calm and friendly is how you'd describe the Welsh Pony's disposition, and paired with a quick mind at that. It stays alert and forward without tipping over into unmanageable, and generally it'll forgive the odd mistake from a rider who's still learning. That mix of spirit and steadiness, really, is a big part of why the breed's so often chosen for children.

Once a routine's in place, the pony turns affectionate and willing with family members. Strangers, too, it'll usually tolerate fine when they're introduced calmly, though like any horse it responds best when the handling stays consistent. Put it among other ponies and horses and it settles well, sociable enough to fit right into a herd or paddock group.

Mind you, that intelligence cuts both ways. Left bored or under-worked, a Welsh Pony can learn a few evasions, start testing boundaries, or turn into a right pain to catch. Keep the work regular, the expectations clear, and give it enough turnout, and the breed stays content and easy to get along with.

Grooming

• Give it a regular brush to clear dirt and check over the skin and coat
• Pick out the hooves daily, plus before and after exercise
• Get the farrier in every 6 to 8 weeks
• Step up the grooming during the spring and autumn coat changes
• Keep an eye out for rain scald and mud fever when things get wet

Exercise

• Turn it out daily so it can move freely
• Ride or drive several times a week, that's what keeps it fit and occupied
• Mix the work up a bit, uses that clever brain and keeps boredom at bay
• Build fitness gradually before anything harder or a competition comes up

Environment

Outdoor living suits the Welsh Pony just fine, and it copes well with cold, wet weather so long as there's shelter from wind and rain on offer. Safe fencing, clean water, and grazing that's kept in check, those are what it needs. And because the breed thrives on poor upland forage in the first place, rich pasture has to be restricted or you'll be dealing with weight gain and laminitis before long.

An easy keeper through and through, the Welsh Pony holds its condition well on fairly modest rations. Base the diet on grass and hay, and only add concentrates in when workload, age, or condition actually call for it. Plenty of adult ponies doing light work get by on little or no hard feed at all, as it happens. Constant access to clean water, plus a salt or mineral source, helps keep digestion and hydration on track.

Treats and supplements

A few carrots or apples now and then make a fine treat, so long as it stays occasional rather than a daily habit. When forage alone isn't quite meeting requirements, a balancer or a vitamin and mineral supplement can help fill the gap, particularly for growing or hard-working ponies. Just bring any supplement in gradually, and check with a vet or nutritionist first before adding it to the diet.

With good care, this robust breed often lives a long working life, commonly 25 to 35 years, and that hardiness means a lot of ponies stay sound well into old age. Over-feeding, rather than any inherited weakness, is where most of the health risk actually comes from, so managing the weight is really at the centre of keeping a Welsh Pony healthy.

Preventive care

• Keep tabs on body condition and score it regularly
• Book in annual vet checks and keep vaccinations up to date
• Get the teeth looked at least once a year
• Follow a proper worming and faecal egg count programme
• Stick to a 6 to 8 week cycle for farrier visits

Quick to learn and responsive to training that's clear and consistent, that's the Welsh Pony for you. Its intelligence lets it handle riding, jumping, and driving well, though that same sharpness means it'll notice, and exploit, any inconsistency in the handling. Start with calm, patient handling from foal age and you'll end up with a confident, willing pony. Because the breed's so forgiving, it's often chosen to teach kids, but it still needs a knowledgeable adult setting and holding the standard.

Basics

1. Start out with handling, leading, and standing for grooming and the farrier
2. Teach the basic voice and rein cues from the ground first
3. Bring in tack and long-reining before backing begins
4. Back the pony slowly, and only once it's physically mature
5. Build up ridden or driven work through short, frequent sessions
6. Move on to jumping, harness, or showing as its confidence grows

Breeding maturity arrives at just a few years old for Welsh Ponies, though mares generally aren't bred until they're well grown and physically ready for it. When it comes to breeding decisions, conformation, temperament, soundness, and how closely the animal sticks to the breed standard all get weighed up, since these are the traits that define a registered pony. Pedigrees and section get recorded through stud-book registration with the breed society.

A single foal is what the mare carries, twins being rare and not something breeders want. Gestation runs to roughly 11 months. Because it's such a hardy breed, mares often foal down with little assistance needed, though it still pays to keep supervision on hand at foaling time to protect mare and foal alike.

Robust is the word for most foals, up on their feet and nursing not long after birth, a trait passed down from generations bred on open hill ground. Producing the calm, people-friendly adult the breed's known for starts with early gentle handling, sometimes called imprinting and socialisation. Weaning usually happens at around six months.