Slow Welsh D question! Semi-serious question...

[Goldenstar]

No they are not bred to canter they are bred to trot and are bred to be spectacular leg movers so their canters are often a weakness and It takes time to get the best out of them.

 

[HashRouge]

Ours has quite a slow canter and he's never really got much faster, my Arab runs rings round him despite being a bit of a geriatric now!

 

[milliepops]

Mine has a better canter than trot, it's always been more rideable and had easier balance but she still doesn't go very fast she's not one of the leg flinging variety though.

 

[ester]

Mine also had a better canter than trot and I know a few others too. But it is a pretty rounded canter.
Mine also had an inhand specialist sire, ergo that side at least was bred to trot.

 

[palo1]

I think it is really debateable whether Welsh Cobs were/are bred to canter - and probably contentious as well!! Their trot can be spectacular of course and it is what everyone thinks of as it is so often showcased at places like Builth. However, the Welsh cob was until quite recently a genuinely working breed and when I asked Alw's stud owners about canter and Welshies they were quite resigned to the question but all of their cobs canter very well. On viewing more than 20 youngsters on two separate days, not one found canter in any way 'awkward' nor showed a particular preference for trot if I remember rightly. It was certainly one of the things I looked closely at with the youngsters when I was viewing. Alw had a better canter than some at 2 but possibly not as good as other more spendy cousins of hers. I think that anyone who has tried to trot or canter a WC in hand will entirely understand why trot is the preferred option for showing, thus the best known pace of the WC...!!

Different lines of course have different emphasis on the paces though so driving and showing lines will probably show a stronger preference for a spectacular trot where the ridden/alrounder lines will have a more generalist approach when breeding. That is my understanding in any case

 

[ester]

It might also be worth saying that a fair amount of the flash trot is somewhat manufactured anyway. I think Frank has done it about 3 times in the last 15 years for unknown reasons lol.

 

[milliepops]

It might also be worth saying that a fair amount of the flash trot is somewhat manufactured anyway. I think Frank has done it about 3 times in the last 15 years for unknown reasons lol.

Only unknown to you, puny human.
I bet he knew EXACTLY the reason

 

[HashRouge]

Mine has a better canter than trot, it's always been more rideable and had easier balance but she still doesn't go very fast she's not one of the leg flinging variety though.

Ours definitely has a "nice" canter. Back when he was ridden it was always comfy to sit to and he was quite balanced (whereas my sister's TB is having no end of trouble learning to canter in the school). So there is nothing wrong with it, it's just never been that fast! Unless he's running rings round me because he doesn't want to be caught, in which case he tends to reveal a never before seen turn of speed!

 

[BeckyFlowers]

It might also be worth saying that a fair amount of the flash trot is somewhat manufactured anyway. I think Frank has done it about 3 times in the last 15 years for unknown reasons lol.

Henry does the "look at me I'm a Welsh cob" knees-to-his-nose trot every now and then on the lunge - usually when there is a commotion in one of the paddocks and they're all charging about. He will slow down, a bit like a passage but the Welsh version, stick his head up in the air, do The Trot, and snort like a dragon. It's hilarious

 

[ester]

I lie, he did it at the vets when we were trying to nerve block him, thankfully near the end. There was a tractor fields over.
The vet asked me if he was always like this (being a bargey trotty arsehole) errr nope.