How desirable are white socks on a welshie?

katastrophykat said:
.. Instead I've just dropped him out of county level and accepted that a working fit pony (lean and well muscled) will never be placed as high as he should.
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That's a total shame. I can understand him being dropped for being unsettled but for being fit and lean - that's a disgrace. We should forcefeed these judges and once they are morbidly obese make them go an a 5 mile run, and see how they like it!!

I have the same problem my welsh D is fit for other jobs and I'm always told to get more condition on, even to the point of being stopped on the road and had a go at by a bloody showing person the other day. He is NOT thin by any means either!!!
 
im a sucker for 4 white socks and a blaze:p

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have to admit the broad white over my mare's nose didnt grab me immediaetly but i love it on her now
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showing doesnt really float my boat though - i potter locally but the prep and then all the hooha that go with it put me off, plus I find it a bit boring:o
 
Haha!! When I pulled him out for my individual at Northumberland last year and she asked what I do with him, I said HDT and her reply was 'well this SHOULD be good' in a condescending tone... I smiled sweetly and continued but won't bother with her again!
 
Fact Bryncadno Heledd - Supreme champion Lampeter Stallion and youngstock show 2011
Bay 3 yr old filly, three whites and a star. IMO judged entirely on conformation.
On the subject of judges you need to know your enemy.
Some judges prefer a bay and will not even look at a chestnut, some judges look first at the heads and work down, some at the feet and work up, who is to say wich is correct. Ii do not mind if they judge to the type that they breed, at least you can see where they are coming from.
The judges I do not like are the ones that cannot see past the handler, irrespective of the animal at the end of the lead.
On the original question, I look for conformation first, then movement, the real key for me there is are they still using their hocks to get their back legs under themselves and so generate some real power, the extravagent front action should follow. Four whites is a bonus but I most certainly wouldn't keep an inferior animal with four whites over a better one without. The yearling filly I am showing at the moment has in fact 3 long whites, but I love her.
 
Personally I don't care how many socks they have!

I have welsh ponies and cobs with 0 socks, 1 sock, 2 socks, 3 socks and 4 socks. Some are short, some are long, some are even and some are wonky. I have no star, stars, snips, blazes and stripes. The most important thing is conformation and type, from which should come exceptional and powerful movement from the hocks and extending through the shoulder to cover the ground.....

My least favourite markings are 4 even socks and a neat, straight blaze. Looks man-made. Nature doesn't do straight lines. So if pushed I probably like 3 and a star or 1 and a star best bu it's neve influenced my purchase choices, my stallion choices or my foal prices!

Sadly the negative comments about welsh breeders not caring about conformation forget to point out that it is Joe Blogs buying that, in my humble opinion, seem to want the dead straight four socks to below the knee..... We have even laughed when an exquisite filly we bred was rejected by someone because her front socks were 1cm above her knees.... She wanted them 1cm below..... So sometimes the right number of socks is not enough.... They must all be straight and the same length!

Anyone wishing to visit and see welsh cobs that do move and cover the ground regardless of the number of socks they have please feel free to visit us .....
 
taraco said:
Personally I don't care how many socks they have!

I have welsh ponies and cobs with 0 socks, 1 sock, 2 socks, 3 socks and 4 socks. Some are short, some are long, some are even and some are wonky. I have no star, stars, snips, blazes and stripes. The most important thing is conformation and type, from which should come exceptional and powerful movement from the hocks and extending through the shoulder to cover the ground.....

My least favourite markings are 4 even socks and a neat, straight blaze. Looks man-made. Nature doesn't do straight lines. So if pushed I probably like 3 and a star or 1 and a star best bu it's neve influenced my purchase choices, my stallion choices or my foal prices!

Sadly the negative comments about welsh breeders not caring about conformation forget to point out that it is Joe Blogs buying that, in my humble opinion, seem to want the dead straight four socks to below the knee..... We have even laughed when an exquisite filly we bred was rejected by someone because her front socks were 1cm above her knees.... She wanted them 1cm below..... So sometimes the right number of socks is not enough.... They must all be straight and the same length!

Anyone wishing to visit and see welsh cobs that do move and cover the ground regardless of the number of socks they have please feel free to visit us .....
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Welcome Taraco :)
When a stud breeds a stallion as stunning as your 'Taraco Fiasco' I don't think you will find any disagreement in your post. Totally agree and at least the importance of type and conformation is safe in your hands.
 
I have a bit of a thing about white on horses - it has to be neat, not excessive, similar all round. Socks they aren't allowed to go above mid-cannon and match all round with either 4 socks or 2 behind or 2 infront. I hate them on the same side or on diagonals. I hate 1 or 3 socks as it makes the odd leg look thinner/thicker than the others. I absolutely HATE sobino splshes and big white faces. If they have a blaze if itsn't to reach their muzzle, it's to stop before then. Stars are allowed but have to be small and neat. I am a complete fuss pot when it comes to whites!

In the past I have had a cracking Sec C. who had great conformation, moved like nothing on earth - was straight! Well built, deep bodied and had 4 pretty much even whites and a star. She was stunning! Yes she had a few foibles as does every pony, none are perfect, but they really were minor compared to uite a few out there. She's a broodmare as she refused to be ridden. But she is just how I like them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yrSsXmrHiA

My current D colt has 4 small socks that don't come above his fetlocks, nothing on his face. Again well built, moves like a train he just needs to mature. Annoyingly he has 4 white feet to go with the socks whereas the C mare had black feet. To me the white is just enough to give flash to his movement without being OTT.

Having said all that about whites I now have a TB with 1 white sock behind, a blaze that runs down his face and through his lips! Thankfully it doesn't go near his eyes! I wouldn't have bought him full stop if it did!
 
cambrica said:
Welcome Taraco :)
When a stud breeds a stallion as stunning as your 'Taraco Fiasco' I don't think you will find any disagreement in your post. Totally agree and at least the importance of type and conformation is safe in your hands.
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Aww thanks Cambrica thats a really lovely thing to say...... I love my boy..... and it means the world to me that people love him too......
 
I must be a complete weirdo because I went out looking for a bay or black section D foal with no white socks.

She has grown into a beautiful mare but I wouldn't show her because I think what's the point? No whites and I refuse to fatten her up like a christmas :D
 
I really cannot judge a horse just because of what white markings it has :rolleyes:

I have 2 sec D's wouldn't dream of letting them get obese to please a judge.. but then I have no interest in showing! They look very similar to eachother and both have a star and stripe. Smaller mare has 4 white socks and my bigger mare has 2 white socks and the third leg has white hairs spread out where a sock would be, almost like the sock never came through! ;) and her other leg is the same but with less white 'flecks'.

bigger mare:

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smaller:
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