Calling section D owners.

[louincrew]

Just a musing really. Having had a section d in the past ( super horse in every way) but by 8 was riddled with arthritis in his hocks. On looking at more adverts for section d's I can never put my finger on their back end /hocks/fetlocks. They often appear cow hocked , and strange fetlock angles, the more I look for it the more I'm seeing. Please say it's just me!
I'm looking at the moment for a project , hence my musing!

 

[Spottyappy]

Think some of the bigger bred ones can be, i.e. the ones that go over 15 hands and maybe lose "type" .
I, personally, haven't noticed too much in the more typey ones.
No doubt someone more knowledgeable than me will disagree though!

 

[soulfull]

Hmm. Sorry to hear about your welshie. I know some have problems and some don't. Can be said for all breeds
I suppose it depends how well bred they are. Not just names but putting a slightly cow hocked with a slightly cow hocked stallion isn't good

Remember 'a welsh cob is neither a horse or pony, they are a breed all to themselves'. So therefore don't expect the same conformation

Most are very slightly cow hocked it's in the breeding. But if it's too bad then it's a bad fault. I wonder if you tried to breed it out altogether if it would cause unnatural strain somewhere else
Who knows

 

[Megibo]

Mine's straight behind but slightly splay footed, was her hind end that broke down so go figure!

I had another one for a short while and that cow hocked and sound as a pound.

 

[wattamus]

It's not just the conformation, it's how they've been ridden in the past. If they've been pushed too young before their joints have had a chance then they are much more likely to go lame. One of mine (she isn't a welsh btw) has not got very good conformation however she is 18 and (touch wood) is sound as a pound. My other, who has better conformation was riddled with Arthritis in her hocks at 10 and also had the startings of Ringbone (which I was completely unaware of). I later found out that she was imported from Ireland as a 4/5 year old, she had had at least one foal, been ridden and driven and I think hunted. Push them too young and you have a world of problems.
For me, unless conformation is absolutely shocking I wouldn't let it put me off buying a horse, I would just ride the horse accordingly.

 

[debsflo]

i had a section d mare but she was 15 before she developed any bone spavin. love that breed though,brave gutsy and brilliant allrounders.

 

[Flyermc]

Ive got a welsh D and id say he's probably got 1 'straight' leg. His hind legs are terrible to the point that his hooves rub together, however ive never had any leg problems with him and he's nearly 18

He's honestly the best pony my parents could have bought me 14 years ago, he's amazing and we've done so much together over the years.

 

[Equi]

Mine is a part bred so more type, he stands on the outside of his backs and they splay a little. They are never just right, he doesn't track up and never has. His conformation isn't great all round though. (he was a rescue though)

 

[maisie06]

It's bad breeding I think.....so many are bred for flashy movement and colour - they dish like they are trying to swim the channel and are so close behind you'd have a job getting a credit card between their hocks, and how they don't knock their teeth out with their knees when they trot is beyond me...I have one, never ever again.....and yes he does have hock and back issues....If I were looking for a nice project I'd go for a connie cross..

 

[louincrew]

Thanks for the replies nice to have a few different takes on it. Think I'm looking too much and the hind end and loosing sight at the overall picture!

 

[dreamcometrue]

That's because all the good ones are not for sale. They're for keeps!

 

[soulfull]

That's because all the good ones are not for sale. They're for keeps!

This^^

my mare is very straight, doesn't dish and is not cow hocked therefore NOT FOR SALE lol

 

[Polar Bear9]

I've had mine since she was 7, now 15. No problems with back legs, no arthritis either. She's been in pretty decent work but she didn't do much at all before we bought her. She is from a decent stud and reasonably well bred.

 

[PaddyMonty]

My OH has a D, now 23.
Nothing wrong with her despite spending years doing BD.

and teaching our daughter to jump

 

[*hic*]

Mine is now just into his thirties. At 25 he was still jumping 3' XC and was happy to cart 12 stone round 1.15 SJ courses. I'm sure he's probably got the same sort of little niggles with his health that any old animal or human has but that doesn't stop him having a damned good go at keeping up with the rest of the herd when they have a funny five minutes. He's the smallest by two hands and all the rest are 50% TB to 100% TB but he's well up for it, little legs going like pistons.