Any Welsh Section D Experts?

[JenniferS]

Hi,

I'm looking to buy a Section D in the near future, preferably a 3 or 4 year old that I can bring on.

I quite like the look of this mare:

http://www.horsemart.co.uk/showing_horse_4_yrs_15_0_hh_chestnut_dumfriesshire/advert/152041

How is she conformation-wise? I'd like to be able to do a bit of everything; working hunter, cross country, showjumping, dressage etc.

Also, can anyone provide any sites with a selection of Section Ds, as I'm having trouble finding many on horsemart etc.

Thanks

 

[lauraandjack]

Section D's are a bit of a minefield! Some of them are absolute nutters, but others are fabulous across a variety of disciplines.

The fashionable type for showing currently are those with a very high knee action that almost knee themselves in the teeth as they trot. Very flashy for showing but like riding a pneumatic drill..................this type often dish very badly (this does not seem to matter to showing judges in my experience) and I would question how long they would last as riding horses without lameness problems? I've also seen show ring winners with hideous pastern and hoof conformation (and it was a stallion!).

Especially if you want to do any dressage I would look for one with a less extreme action. Rules of conformation are the same as for any horse. Look for good feet, straight action and a nice sloping shoulder for a comfortable ride. As a breed generally they are pretty good jumpers.

The one in the ad looks quite a nice sort, although difficult to judge from the photo. Possibly a little short backed (although they do tend to be compact) but this could be how the mane is lying making the back look shorter. And always have a good feel of the lower legs - feathers can hide many sins!

If you get a good one they will try anything. Mine (in avatar) has done ridden showing, WH, dressage, SJ, hunter trials, hunting, fun rides, arena eventing and we are trying a 1-day event in april. Very versatile and have enough pony cleverness to get you out of trouble.

 

[1Anastasia]

There's a lot to like about her. She does look slightly short in the back but I suspect the way the mane is lying over the withers is actually giving a bit of a false impression. The short back isn't neccesarily an issue anyway but that would depend on your size as well. If she can only take a 16.5 inch saddle then you'd need to be happy that would be big enough for you to sit in comfortably too thats all. Also if in the future you wanted to breed from her then being short in the back might leave her with less foal room. As she is only 4 years old she's going to have a bit of growing to do yet. Section D's tend not to look fully mature until they are at least 7 years old. Laura is quite right that there is a trend for the big, flashy movers in showing, particularly in the in-hand rings and often they lose out on general good conformation and way of going in favour of that but I much prefer to see a good straight mover with a less expressive action. My mare (who looks not dis-similar to the one in the photo) is an absolute gem and although only 14.1hh is more than enough horse for me (I'm 5ft6inch size 12). I've had her from 6 months and she was the easiest horse I've ever backed and has over the years done a bit of everything. She's won in-hand at County level, she can be a pocket rocket for an experienced rider and yet be a dope on a rope for a tiny tot on the lead rein. She rides, drives, shows, had competed in dressage and this year will be turning her hooves to some working hunter classes as well as being totally bombproof to hack out and never forgets her manners even if everything else around her is playing up. If you get a good one then you've got a horse for life with a section D and I would never have anything else now. I'd go and have a look at her, you'll soon be able to tell if she's the chilled out sort or the fire breathing dragon type (doens't really seem to be any middle ground with D's!). She's got some really nice bloodlines, Nebo Daniel himself was a lovely old-fashioned type of cob and I've seen some really nice Tynybryn stock too.