The Welsh Pony is a gaggle of 4 intently associated horse breeds, together with ponies and cobs. It is believed that these animals have lived within the hills of Wales since 1600 BC. The complexity of the biotope, the scarce meals base, and the tough local weather led to the emergence of very robust, wholesome, and hardy ponies.
There are many references to Welsh ponies in medieval literature. According to the outline, it was a horse “fast-footed, good jumper, good swimmer, and able to carrying important weight on its again.” Dark occasions for Welsh ponies got here when Henry VIII (in 1535) issued a decree ordering the destruction of all stallions beneath 152 cm and mares beneath 132 cm. During this hunt, only some herds of Welsh ponies, hiding in desert uninhabited lands, managed to outlive. There, undersized wild horses lived and bred. In 1566, this regulation was partially repealed by Queen Elizabeth I on the grounds that enormous horses critically broken the soil cowl of the islands.
For the subsequent 200 years, Welsh ponies have been used as versatile workhorses within the highlands of the islands and on the border of Scotland. Later, ponies have been utilized in agricultural work and within the military.
Before the primary car was invented, the Welsh pony was the quickest mode of transport in Wales. Traders, docs, and different businessmen typically traveled by pony. The quickest of them might cowl a distance of fifty km in lower than three hours. Until the center of the twentieth century, the British War Office thought-about the Welsh Cob so precious that it paid bonuses to the very best stallions.
In 1901, the primary pedigree guide of the breed was opened in England, and in 1907 – within the USA. In the Nineteen Eighties, the Scottish Department of Agriculture established a stud farm in Skye to enhance the breed for agricultural functions. In 1913 the stud farm was moved to Inverness. Many distinguished ponies emerged from this plant till it closed in December 1977. Following the closure of the primary plant, uncontrolled breeding of Welsh ponies started, leading to numerous varieties and sizes.
Welsh Pony Characteristics
Today there are 4 sections: A, B, C, D.
Section A – Welsh mountain pony, as much as 122 cm excessive;
Section B – Welsh using pony, 122 cm to 134 cm excessive;
Section C – Welsh Pony Cob, as much as 137 cm excessive;
Section D – Welsh Cob, over 137 cm excessive.
Section A – Welsh mountain pony
The Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) is taken into account by many to be essentially the most stunning of all ponies. This harmonious pony, very elegant and colourful, resembles a miniature Arabian horse with its the Aristocracy and expressive options. Ponies have a playful and vigorous character, they’re sensible however typically unpredictable. Their step is tender and energetic. The Welsh Mountain Pony is appropriate for using and using kids.
The Welsh mountain pony has a small and lightweight head, pointed in direction of the tip of the nostril; giant reside eyes; small, very cellular ears; open and protruding nostrils; broad brow; lengthy, curved neck; lengthy shoulder, nicely angulated; pronounced withers; straight, robust again; the limbs are well-formed, dry and powerful; the forearms are lengthy and powerful; brief legs; spherical and onerous hooves. The actions are sleek, easy, free. Any coloration, besides piebald.
Section B – Welsh using pony
The Welsh Riding Pony (Section B) is a well-liked sport pony for youngsters. He may be very petite, pleasant, clever, brave, good-natured, energetic, and cheerful. Suitable for leaping, dressage, competitors, and as a leisure pony. Any fits, besides piebald.
The Welsh using pony has a noble, sleek head, considerably paying homage to an Arab; a wonderful lengthy neck; lengthy shoulder with a great angle; large and deep chest; barely curved again; rounded croup; robust, dry limbs; robust hock joints.
Section C – Welsh Pony Cob
The Welsh Pony Cob (Section C) was beforehand used for farm work. It is an efficient using horse with a sleek, hovering trot. Any coloration, besides piebald. It can carry a load that doesn’t exceed 75 kg.
He has a somewhat small head with a straight profile; larger eyes; well-set ears; lengthy neck with pretty pronounced withers; robust and deep chest; robust and indirect shoulder; cylindrical physique; brief loin; rounded and muscular croup; excessive set tail; brief and powerful limbs, with an extended forearm.
The Welsh Pony Cob is used for leaping, looking, trekking, and horse using. It is a great, courageous, undemanding, and dependable pony.
Section D – Welsh Cob
The Welsh Cob (Section D) is a really versatile pony, whether or not for recreation, mountain climbing, or sports activities. Courageous, vigorous, versatile, with wonderful well being, historically used for quite a lot of onerous work on mountain farms, each in harness and below saddle. Cob was a preferred battle horse (used within the cavalry, for transporting heavy weapons and gear), mail horse, and labored in coal mines. Today, the Welsh Cob is mostly used as a using horse for each adults and kids. Horses take part in dressage, in tourism, in sport looking, in leaping over obstacles, in cross-country races, in-country walks.
It is distinguished by energetic actions and nice endurance, and can also be well-known for its wonderful trot, after all, inherited from the Norfolk roadster. The Welsh Cob, which in the present day is an exception amongst all British mountain and using breeds, doesn’t have a sure higher restrict of peak on the withers, should have all of the qualities of a pony, together with a high quality Welsh pony head.
He has a form character, so he’s a novel pony for kids. They are wonderful present horses with an innate stunning trip, steadiness, and rhythm, which is commonly utilized in dressage.
The peak of the Welsh Cob is a minimal of 134 cm, with a median of 144-145 cm on the withers. Any coloration, besides piebald.
He has a wonderful head with a straight profile; type, clever, wide-set eyes; large brow, tapering in direction of the muzzle; superbly formed ears; stunning, lengthy and muscular neck; deep and large chest; brief, straight again; robust indirect shoulder; lengthy, robust loin; muscled thighs; lengthy, rounded croup; robust, comparatively brief legs with rounded, onerous hooves; small brushes are allowed; the tail set excessive is carried proudly.
Maintenance and Care
Horses are often stored in separate stalls within the steady. The stall measurement have to be at the least 3x3m. The animal must be supplied with strolling for a number of hours a day, in addition to communication with different horses.
It is greatest to decide on picket stables, however there are additionally good ones manufactured from brick. The peak of the curtain is 3 m. There have to be home windows in each stall and good air flow. Make positive that there aren’t any drafts within the steady that would make the horse sick. There needs to be strolling pens close by.
In stalls, straw, sawdust, peat are used as bedding. It adjustments each day.
Your horse’s hooves needs to be checked repeatedly and the companies of a farrier needs to be used.
Feeding Welsh Ponies
Feeding strategies for a horse are very depending on the work it’s doing and the diploma of stress, in addition to, after all, on the whole weight and particular person traits. The menu can also be completely different. The fundamental weight loss plan of the typical horse consists of hay and oats – as the primary meals, bran, carrots. Horses want salt, so be careful for that too. It is greatest to make sure that the animal has fixed entry to it by placing a lick briquette in a stall or levada.
In the spring and summer time, many stables follow grazing within the fields.
Vitamin and mineral dietary supplements, in addition to apples, fodder beets, and watermelons as a deal with and likewise nutritional vitamins, will probably be a helpful addition to the weight loss plan.
Horses can both be fed water via automated drinkers or given in buckets earlier than every feed. However, in no case ought to the ingesting course of be left uncontrolled, since a horse that’s sizzling after work can hurt its well being by ingesting water. First, she wants to chill down, irrespective of how a lot she needs to drink.
Breeding and Reproduction
Only wholesome animals are allowed for breeding, with out behavioral issues. It is really useful to pair in order that the mare is bigger than the stallion.
Individuals not youthful than 3 years outdated are allowed for breeding when the horses’ organism is fashioned.
Mating can happen each naturally (by hand, herd, or brewing methodology), and synthetic. In the primary case, the stallion is delivered to the mare.
The greatest time is from mid-March to July for the foal to hatch the subsequent spring or summer time when there are sufficient grass and heat. It is feasible to find out whether or not a mare is prepared for mating by her particular posture (broadly spaced and barely bent hind legs, a raised tail, and a lowered head), frequent urination and mucus administration, in addition to “blinking”.
Diseases
- Colic
- eczema
- biting
- anthrax
- rabies
- smallpox
- botulism
- tuberculosis
- tetanus
- leptospirosis
- breeding illness
- laminitis
- rheumatic hoof irritation
- ringworm
- flu
- azotorrhea
- myt
- scabies
- rain scab
- power obstructive pulmonary illness
History of the Breed
The Welsh pony is likely one of the oldest horse breeds. This breed (they have been additionally known as Welsh ponies) appeared in North Wales within the fifteenth century BC. The Romans who got here right here started to cross the native stunted horses with the japanese horses introduced with them. Then, within the fifteenth century, with the return of the Crusaders to England, the Welsh ponies got the blood of Arab horses captured through the marketing campaign.
In the sixteenth century, a decree of King Henry VIII was issued to destroy all stallions beneath 150 cm and mares beneath 130, which put the whole breed in danger. And though this regulation nonetheless prompted irreparable harm to her, the breed was saved when Elizabeth I partially canceled the decree, explaining that the poor lands couldn’t help giant horses.
Then, within the 18th and nineteenth centuries, Arabian blood was added to the breed, in addition to the Hackne and Norfolk roadster. Welsh ponies grew to become one of many staple horses for carriages on the time because of their stamina, small measurement, and basic availability. In 1902, the Studbook of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society was created, and the official licensing of the breed didn’t start till 1918.
Since the Welsh ponies simply adapt to their setting, and from the viewpoint of labor, they’re typically merely irreplaceable because of their capacity to work and wonderful qualities, they’ve unfold broadly all through the world, having received common love. In addition, these horses are unpretentious in care and are thought-about long-livers.
Despite all this, in 1998, the Pony and Cob Society came upon that the breed is below menace of extinction because of its small quantity. Various breeding packages started to be actively pursued, because of which the scenario was modified.
Contact, pleasant, quick-witted, and energetic horses in the present day develop into wonderful companions for kids’s equestrian sports activities, driving, looking, numerous reveals, and performances. And, after all, the Welsh pony is a superb buddy in case you simply wish to spend time having fun with the companionship of your small however sturdy horse and horseback using via the fields and forests for enjoyable, not sporting achievement.
