Lighthearted Welsh pony memories…

[maya2008]

All I remember from my childhood is that the As were sparky (and liked to dump riders by any means necessary - rolling on them, stopping in front of jumps, spooking wildly…all in fun though as I don’t remember anyone ever getting hurt), the Bs were crazy fast and fairly unstoppable (that feeling when the one you’re on goes with the one in front and you have absolutely no brakes), Cs were like bargy mini tanks and Ds varied between ploddy and neurotic!

New Welsh A pony is bringing back the memories - spooks like a trooper with a grin on his face, but completely reliable in a bind and totally sensible on roads etc. Defers to me too - as the boss lady in our herd - just like all the Welshies from my childhood listened beautifully to the adults (then went off giggling once they were left with the children).

So - are my memories of Bs and Cs skewed, or are they all actually nuts? Not to say I don’t remember having a lot of fun with them - but the ones I remember were pretty sparky ?.

 

[stangs]

I have never ridden a C I didn't like. They're brilliant little souls, all the spirit of the Welsh but in a manageable quantity, conveniently close to the ground! But I've only ridden them as an adult; the ones I ride now would have made light work of me when I was a kid.

 

[SEL]

I spent a lot of time on As as a tiddler and think your memories are spot on! I can still remember one called Pip whose party trick was to canter round to the back of the ride like butter wouldn't melt, then shoot past the last horse and bronc off whichever poor child had drawn the short straw.

I rode a B as an adult in my 20s because she was too hot for kids. Also rode my friend's C but he was a star.

Whenever parents buy a Welsh for a child's first pony I find myself wincing just a little!

 

[DeliaRides]

My daughter's C is just awesome. Will do anything, have a go at anything and try her heart out. She is not, however, at all stoical! She is the most emotional pony I have ever encountered, excitable, dramatic, flighty, loving, curious, playful, you name it, she feels it and she tells you. But she's not spooky at such. She's a rock to hack and with farm machinery and so on, but terrified of 'the ghost rug' which her neighbour's owner regularly slings over the adjoining wall while she's tacking up and riding. It happens every day and pony still acts like it's a monster, but other actually scary things and she's like... it's OK for I am a Welsh dragon and scared by nothing.

She's easily the boss of the herd of bigger horses, no question.

She's hilarious and daft and makes us laugh every day. I dread the day we have to find her a new home and get daughter a bigger 'sensible' pony.

 

[honetpot]

We are lucky we still have our A, and he still has attitude. Very clever, easily bored but has no malice. Hated showing and bit a judge, loves to test the electric fencing and will walk up and down the line to find the weakest spot. Hunts, jumps, drives and swum in the river Avon at PC, the ultimate all terrain ride. He now baby sits an anxious warmblood, he makes a good companion as no other equine actually likes him, he is far too annoying and smart, but is not afraid of anything, so he is a good at settling them.

 

[dorsetladette]

I have never ridden a C I didn't like. They're brilliant little souls, all the spirit of the Welsh but in a manageable quantity, conveniently close to the ground! But I've only ridden them as an adult; the ones I ride now would have made light work of me when I was a kid.

I've never ridden a C I didn't enjoy either. So much fun!

A's I remember came in 2 forms. The kind child friendly kind you could leave small people with (I learnt to walk on the legs of a welsh stallion while my mum mucked out, hanging on to his feathers as I swung for the next leg - not very health and safety) and then the 'pony club' type that wanted to avoid work at all costs so either not moving or dropping their rider at the first opportunity.

B's - we had 2 B stallions at one point. An older traditional B who crossed his legs in the line up when he got bored or would drop a shoulder as you pushed into canter and dump you in the dirt. And a finer NPS type B who was very excited at anything. Meaning that he through a joyous buck after every fence and flying changes that a grand prix dressage rider could only dream of. His party trick was 'skipping' down the long side of the indoor school ' just because he could'

I think welshies need to be kept busy or they find their own entertainment. Hacking out on a long rein chatting to your friend is bound to achieve the best spooks, where as riding out leg yielding and moving up and down the gears will keep his mind busy and stop it wondering. Our current C (2yr old) has to do something 3 times a week or he finds mischief. He spent yesterday afternoon running up and down the turkey pen winding the turkey's up. He had a great time - my turkeys have no tail feathers!

 

[Annagain]

My first share pony was a B. And a total @r$ehole. He'd buck me off as soon as look at me. I learned to land either on my feet or roll, get up and jump back on in one movement. Once I did that he stopped bucking. He dumped me on the common (village green type place) once while a rugby match was in full swing. 100s of spectators. He ran onto the pitch and started eating.

My D was a saint in comparison. A crazy saint but a saint none the less. No malice in him just a joie de vivre that he struggled to contain at times.

I never got hurt coming off the B. I rarely fell off the D, when I di it was always a freak accident but I usually got hurt.

 

[Hallo2012]

I've got a B and a C-both very goey types, no kicking required! neither are silly or spooky or difficult but neither are kick along ponies.

the B is a saint of a stallion, will cover AM and hack with a mare PM etc, the C is possibly the lesser complicated ride in terms of being very push button and i think would carry a novice around where as the B wouldn't be a novices ride he's too clever...he wouldn't do anything nasty but equally he probably would just do his own thing..... but the C is a more macho stallion-he knows what he is!

my B:



my C:

 

[2 Dragons]

My C is sassy, makes me laugh everyday and she is so clever. I sold her 4 years ago and has recently come back to me in very sad circumstances (pony is fine and had a wonderful home) and she remembers everything.
My D can be a big cuddly softee, but can also be a spooky loon- although he seems genuinely sorry when he has had a "moment"

 

[throwaway2022]

I'm hesitantly reading these comments having just bought a D...

 

[palo1]

I've got a B and a C-both very goey types, no kicking required! neither are silly or spooky or difficult but neither are kick along ponies.

the B is a saint of a stallion, will cover AM and hack with a mare PM etc, the C is possibly the lesser complicated ride in terms of being very push button and i think would carry a novice around where as the B wouldn't be a novices ride he's too clever...he wouldn't do anything nasty but equally he probably would just do his own thing..... but the C is a more macho stallion-he knows what he is!

my B:

View attachment 96137

my C:

View attachment 96139

They are both very beautiful and clearly talented. Fabulous!!

 

[palo1]

I had a demonic Welsh A as a child and I adored her. She was like a tiny racehorse with the brains of an evil genius. She taught me so much whilst also allowing me to have huge amounts of fun and hoon around entirely oblivious to danger or any kind of complex real world problem. She was sooooo sharp and would stand up and wave her tiny hooves at any opportunity (I hope now this was not due to discomfort actually but she was always such a willing partner in crime lol). I didn't really do Welsh again until recently when I bought my Welsh D mare. I adore her too; she is sharp and clever but not quite so incredibly wicked as the A!!

 

[Snow Falcon]

I rode a section B when I was 11. Oh he was opinionated!! Fab jumper if he fancied it, carted me out of a clear round just because he could. On a good day he was good, a bad day he was horrid. A livery had a section C, he was delightful in the field, used to run backwards at you then wave his hind legs.

 

[McGrools]

I love the little monkeys. Currently got a B and a C. They are great fun!
The B is more established and is an all rounder school master but also has a sense of humour! If he has his rider in a precarious place he will opt to drop them rather than help them out.
The C moves effortlessly and has some amazing jumping talent but also has a stop in him. Both very loving cuddly boys on the ground. I just love how tenacious they are. They are as fit as fiddles and can take as much work as you can get into them. Never sick or sorry. Total fun, loving getting them out and about and learning all about them. i have teenage riders for them but am tempted to do a bit of showing with the C myself. He deserves to be shown off, i think he’s gorgeous ?

 

[rextherobber]

I'm hesitantly reading these comments having just bought a D...

Oh, you won't regret it!

 

[rextherobber]

I had a demonic Welsh A as a child and I adored her. She was like a tiny racehorse with the brains of an evil genius. She taught me so much whilst also allowing me to have huge amounts of fun and hoon around entirely oblivious to danger or any kind of complex real world problem. She was sooooo sharp and would stand up and wave her tiny hooves at any opportunity (I hope now this was not due to discomfort actually but she was always such a willing partner in crime lol). I didn't really do Welsh again until recently when I bought my Welsh D mare. I adore her too; she is sharp and clever but not quite so incredibly wicked as the A!!

I had brother of your mare, he was incredible, we kept him all his life as we couldn't bear to part with him ( also, in all conscience, with some of his behaviour, I'm not sure we COULD have sold him!) He was just amazing, could jump 5ft, and he was only 12hh. Still the best horse ever!

 

[SEL]

I'm hesitantly reading these comments having just bought a D...

They are my favourite breed - just need to keep them occupied ?

 

[Errin Paddywack]

My sister's little 12hh welsh, unknown breeding from a Welsh sale as a foal, was the most memorable animal we ever had. Lost him at 30, 28 yrs ago and still much missed. Great fun as a gymkhana pony, he didn't like being led so Ride and Run consisted of my sister running as fast as she could with him teeth bared chasing her. They won a lot. Sack race he would do his best to tread on the sack, usually succeeding. Jumping, his party trick was to prick his ears and speed up to a jump then two strides out sit down on his haunches and do a dirty stop. My sister went over the front on more than one occasion. He also soon worked out that if he stopped for a poo after the bell went to start he could take up the minute you were allowed to get over the first. He was a cracking little hunter if you could stop him, brakes went out the window. He didn't like children and would take chunks out of any child unwise enough to try to pat the 'sweet' little grey pony. If he liked a child he was great with them and taught them a lot. Such a character.