Welsh D's - tell me about them/yours

[Monkerhostin]

I have read that some Welsh Ds can be opinionated and so on.

What are they like with their feed? are they good doers?

Are they quite strong for their height and so on? decent weight carriers (im talking the Welshies that are over 15hh)?

Any other info. is great.

 

[trendybraincell]

They are like any breed, some are opinionated and some are more amicable

When I first got mine, he was quite possessive when food was around but he now has some manners and you can do anything with him whilst he's eating...but he is most certainly a good doer!!

My boy is a bigger sportier D than the traditional leg in each corner types, but he still has quite a lot of bone and could easily manage a larger rider.

As an individual my boy calm & quiet, I would trust him with the most nervous of novices. He can be trying and will not always submit to what I'm asking, but he is very trainable and tries very hard to please his rider. Essentially he can be the 2 ends of the spectrum, but there is not a nasty bone in that animals body and he is my best friend

 

[PonyFeet10]

I've got a 2 and 1/2yo Welsh D colt.

Yes he is very opinionated lol.

He has bags and bags of character, he picks his feed bucket up and carries it around with him! Also he's very clever and knows how to untie himself, break leadropes / tie up string and can break free from his stable lol.

I wouldn't change him for the world, he's fab!

All he's on at the moment is 2 square scoops of m-chaff, 1 square scoop of youngstock mix and 2/3 square scoops of speedie beet. He's lived out pretty much all winter so far, rugless and is coping really well.

However he does tend to get bored very quickly if he's left out in the field doing nothing, or left in stable doing nothing.

He does get a bit protective over his feed, chased my dog a few times with ears flat back etc.. And has also chased my dad lol.. However I think that's more of a 'colt' type thing. He doesn't chase me

He's VERY brave, considering he's only 2 and 1/2!!

Can get him to do anything with a handful of feed!!

He turned out on the thin side earlier this year but with the feed I've been giving him, he's at an excellent weight now.

I think he would be a good weight carrier, but only after he's filled out a lot more. He is VERY strong, and will occasionally remind you that he is.

Here's a few pics of him (as I love him so much lol!)

 

[Como]

Hi there
Of course I have to generalise here, but they are not for the faint hearted or novices! They have great personalities, loving, friendly and cheeky. They are very beautiful and move really well. Very talented, clever competition horses, my boy's jumping is fantastic. He is very powerful and full of energy, but light in the mouth and off the leg. Responsive and forward going. Loves to show off. Can throw a BIG strop. They can be spooky and I find my boy prefers to hack in company which he does like a dream. He will take advantage of any weakness in a rider and he is clever so will pick his moment! He has to have a confident, sympathetic rider. You have to be the boss and as long as you are he will do anything for you. My boy is a good doer, never tires and at 20 looks like a 10 year old. I think that they can live for a very long time...Now I don't know if any other D owner's agree, but I have met many in the past that have.

 

[Lolo]

Ours was only 14hh, but was a very talented jumping pony (did 1.10m tracks XC and SJ with a worrying ease!) but was also hugely opinionated and stubborn. He was tricky in the stable (at one point it took 2 people to tack him up, he had to be led in a chifney at all times and my sister had to climb in and out of his stable as he was bargey beyond belief). He'd plant mid-XC course and refuse to budge for love nor money. Out hacking he'd jog, buck and generally be a twit.

However, my sister adored him, he 'came good' by the end and when she finally admitted she'd outgrown him, we did miss his presence round the yard.

He was very good doer (and everything went to his arse- he had an enormous bottom!) and was also quite fizzy.

Generally, I think with a confident, competent jockey and firm handling they can be fab horses. However, if you are nervy or easily pushed about they can be disasters.

Gratuitous photo of him with my sister (she's either 12/ just turned 13) jumping a brush with a huge ditch in front that was taller than he was... When they like you, they have extraordinary scope and will try their hearts out.

 

[Monkerhostin]

Thank you to everyone for the quick replies and opinions - thank you also for the pictures - which i must say look lovely!

I am a fairly confident rider - so in that respect should be ok.

I do like the look of them and they sound very athletic too which is a vbig plus - as well as being very strong.

 

[trendybraincell]

What are you looking to do in the future...is there a particular discipline you wish to succeed in? They are generally jack of all trades, but as with all horses some will be a master

I don't think I could own anything other than a D now...my trainer commented during my last lesson how good my D is looking, he's got dressage muscle and a neck to be envious of, so he is certainly strong!

 

[Monkerhostin]

What are you looking to do in the future...is there a particular discipline you wish to succeed in? They are generally jack of all trades, but as with all horses some will be a master

I don't think I could own anything other than a D now...my trainer commented during my last lesson how good my D is looking, he's got dressage muscle and a neck to be envious of, so he is certainly strong!

To be honest - just looking for something nice to hack out on and go for the occasional jump and so on - nothing too adventurous.

 

[trendybraincell]

In that case I would say don't close all doors and only look for a D...something nice to hack out could be any horse

 

[Monkerhostin]

In that case I would say don't close all doors and only look for a D...something nice to hack out could be any horse

Not at all - i have been looking for my next horse for around 6 months - seen so many horses - lots of different breeds - quirks - bone - size - feather - temperments and so on - and Welsh Ds are at the top of the list.

 

[trendybraincell]

Not at all - i have been looking for my next horse for around 6 months - seen so many horses - lots of different breeds - quirks - bone - size - feather - temperments and so on - and Welsh Ds are at the top of the list.

I was exactly the same...I must have seen all types but a D was what I was really after, and I was so luckily to come across one that was perfect for me

Good luck in your search

 

[catkin]

If you can handle a super-intelligent, attention-seeking, sensitive 'one-person' horse then a D is for you.

They crave attention and need kind but firm handling - but once you've got their hearts they are friends for life. They are best if they are kept well occupied or they will go and find their own 'entertainment'
Our little mare is a real comedienne too - and we love her to pieces.

Oh, and did I mention they are gorgeous too.

 

[Monkerhostin]

Thank you everyone... are they good doers?

 

[catkin]

Thank you everyone... are they good doers?

They are VERY good doers.

Surprisingly, quite a few of them like their creature comforts - my mare grows an incredibly fine winter coat and can be a chilly mortal so she needs to be well rugged in this weather or she can get very teasy, but food-wise she doesn't need much over ad-lib forage and her vits & mins.

 

[Como]

I would agree with the last comment, my boy feels the cold and has a fine winter coat so needs to be well rugged. He doesn't really sweat up either, strange. Plus he is in at night and does like his stable, so not a good doer in that respect if you are looking for low maintenance horse. Very motivated by food and and is very territorial with it, not with people but other animals. He will jump into a paddock with more grass and bully other horses away from hay left out in the field, he would do anything for a polo! Not sure what the other owners think about hacking alone, I have found other D owners agree about them being spooky on their own and the stubborness strop can lead to some interesting napping! But if they like you and have confidence in you then hacking on your own is fine.

 

[miss_c]

Unlike the previous two posters, my D is hunter clipped and during the day she only has a mediumweight turnout on at the moment. Her nickname is 'Cave Pony'.

She's one of your traditional chunky D's as opposed to the finer D's that are becoming more and more common. She has her own opinion on things, and trendybraincell was commenting just yesterday that you really cannot tell her to do things, you have to convince her that it is her idea. If she doesn't want to do something then she will fight you every step of the way.

She's definately a good do-er - she gets a handful of happy hoof and half a handful of coolmix all year round. She's strong, pulls like a train, forward going, and absolutely gorgeous. (And mine!) She pulls a good dressage test, have always gone clear with me cross country, will hack for hours, loves her showjumping, and has been the one to beat this year in the showring. To handle she is very good because she knows her manners, but could all too easily be a bolshy madam in the wrong hands.

 

[Deefa]

Best breed in the world not that i am biased. I own 3, oe of which is on loan to another girl
All are very versitile and have great jumps but personality wise they are very different.
Harry is very sharp and can be strong he is the lighter type, Toby is as safe as houses but still can be stubborn at times, he is a lot heavier type and Jack is in between he is a safe but fun pony who a young girl has.

Harry

Toby

Jack

 

[pottamus]

My lad is opinionated and very cheeky. He can go from being a lazy plod to a super charged fire breathing monster in less than 3 seconds if he sees something he is not keen on and has to be handled very carefully then in order to avoid an explosion...very messy indeed!!!
For the most part though he is fairly laid back and knows his job and is happy doing it...hacking for hours!
He is better ridden than to handle on the ground...when I got him he already knew his strength on the ground and knows how to throw people around and get rid of them...he is better but still needs careful handling and not one you can walk around in a headcollar for shows, vet, on the road etc.

 

[Aperchristmas]

I have a very large sec D (16hh) who is simply gorgeous. He is very affectionate and lovely to ride, if a bit on the lazy side occasionally He loves to have things in his mouth whether it be a food bucket, his lead rope or your coat! I mainly hack him but also school him and jump every now and then. He can be quite spooky but it's perfectly manageable as long as you are firm. The same goes for groundwork - you have to be very very firm or they will barge you! He is definitely a good doer. I keep him out 24/7 and he only has hay, no hard feed as he doesn't need it. I have him in a HW rug but that is only to stop him from getting too fluffy so I don't have to clip him

Good luck with your search - there is nothing better than a good Welshie

 

[Monkerhostin]

Aww thank you everyone...the pictures are lovely too...your horses all look really nice.

I have found a Welsh D which i am going to see this week...he is a yearling at the moment and seems to be a fairly big horse at the moment...the breeder thinks he will easily make 15.3hh and i have seen a half brother of his...and he is a big lad too and only 3 years old.

 

[cbmcts]

Sorry to be the wet blanket here but just for balance......

Mine is Nebo bred, 15.3hh but not in the slightest "light" in any way - can carry a 16 stone novice with ease - but that novice could die if he has one of his turns!

He is very nervy, always has been (I'd had him since weaning) and if he has a meltdown he explodes and can be incredibly dangerous as he loses the plot completely and just flips mentally and physically. On the plus side he jumps, does reasonable dressage, is good in traffic (but can be very nappy at the stupidest of things) but is very easy to upset. I retired him at the age of 10 because he was too much of a liability to hack out as if he had an upset on the road/in public somebody was going to get badly hurt, it was only a matter of time. Competition wasn't an option either as while on a good day he was very, very good but on a bad day....well.

He's not a got a bad bone in him but while I feel very sorry for him that life is so scary tbh he is a nightmare to own due to the over reactions and unpredicability. One of the real problems is that so many yards wouldn't be able or understandably want to handle him, remembering that on DIY there are times other people will have to handle yours.....

I love him dearly but I would think long and hard before I had another D from similar lines.....

 

[Hollyberry]

I have a 15.1 Section D and I love him to bits. I was a tad dubious about getting one as I had read all the blurb about them being firey, opionionated etc. but I have to say my boy is an absolute gentleman. He is gorgeous, affectionate, a tad lazy and can be a little spooky but he never does anything to make me really worried. I was a connemara girl through and through but now I have a really soft spot for a Section D as well. It depends on the horse and how he has been brought on, mine was backed and brought on by a very kind, sensible rider and he has turned out to be an absolute star.

 

[Calvo]

I have one that is crossed with an andalusian, very quick at learning and easy to teach. Can be sharp and a bit naughty but what horse isnt. He is extremely affectionate and fairly nosy bless him.

 

[spotty_pony]

Yes they are good doers and yes they are weight carriers. I don't own one but I do look after and ride one. He is very sensitive, and anybody who thinks cobs are plods should really come and meet this one as he certainly isn't a plod! He can be strong and spooky but he has a lovely nature and always tries his best. He also events successfully at BE100.

 

[PonyFeet10]

I have one that is crossed with an andalusian, very quick at learning and easy to teach. Can be sharp and a bit naughty but what horse isnt. He is extremely affectionate and fairly nosy bless him.

Do you have a picture?! I've never seen a Welsh D x Andalusian before!!

 

[Calvo]

I never thought to attach a picture, I have a look and pop one/two on here

 

[xRobyn]

Don't need asking twice

Phil is 15.2hh and despite his lack of bone could easily be a good weight carrier. I've not had someone ride him regularly who was heavier than myself (at my heaviest 13st 5lb) but he could have carried more happily. He's not the most forward going but he's not a plod either. He's a bit of a sandwich short of a picnic but his personality is what makes him so loveable. On the ground he's a dope on a rope, could be handled by anyone. He can be spooky but is not naughty or nasty UNLESS he has been muzzled in summer and is bought onto the yard without his muzzle he will drag you to grass Very food orientated and too good a do-er. He has recently found more enthusiasm for life (to the point of jogging with excitement when being ridden bareback alone with me ) but he's so safe that even my friend, who has NEVER even met him before, let alone ridden him, felt safe enough to take him for a bareback canter in a field with loose horses. He seems to have forgotten to read the "welsh cobs are brave and opinionated" book. He's a big wet blanket but is easy to ride, he very rarely turns around and says "no" with anything more than simply refusing to do what you've asked (he bucked with me once this year out of excitement and reared once because he was being a spoilt brat about jumping the world's smallest cross pole ). He pretty much just gets on with himself. He can be a bugger to catch, especially when he loses his grazing muzzle, but I wouldn't change him for the world

Oh, I've owned him for 8 years and we've never done anything but he's just as happy and sane to not be worked all week then get on just as normal

P.s In the winter coat photo (last one) he hasn't been fed ANYTHING and has been on restricted grazing, despite his coat telling you otherwise

 

[PonyFeet10]

Ah Robyn, I love Phil!! He looks great in that last piccy, not over weight at all in my eyes just right I'd say!

 

[Calvo]

Here pics of a welsh D x andalusian (2006 so 4 years old now)

Under Saddle (working a little round)

After being clipped

He got a good jump on him as well

 

[Spot_the_Risk]

We have a 3/4 section D (1/4 appaloosa) which we bred. I would say that she is definitely opinionated, loving, so very very nosy and in your face, driven by food, bossy of the others, and her face can change from sweetness to evil with a flick of her ears, but she has never tried to kick or bite us, she has tried to barge and we've nipped that hard in the bud, she's accepting of new things, and when she's broken next year (she was born June 2007) I think she will be a sane forward going hack, well, fingers crossed anyway!

Sweetness and light!

She is definitely of the chunky leg at each corner type!