Welsh Sec D to much for a novice?

Agree with what others have said re. temperament rather than "breed" basically.

However I would suggest that a Welsh D is probably far from ideal for a first horse/pony; mainly because they are a breed which traditionally has thrived on work, plus very little to live on, so they've learnt to be a thrifty, hardy breed who very often can't cope with rich pasture and a light exercise regime.

They can be feisty, independent-minded cobs who can be quirky; but are also very loyal and will look after their rider. The little Welsh D mare I've got on loan is very typical to her type; she's definately not a novice ride, but having said that when I have put a (total) novice up on her she's been fantastic.

Personally for a first "horse" I'd avoid a pony, which sounds an obvious thing to say BUT IME ponies are monkeys!! - and whilst being very lovable with is, can be the devil incarnate to an unsuspecting (and possibly inexperienced) adult.

The idea thing to aim for is a nice type around 14.2 - 15.2 ish, with a nice eye and an honest approach to things, maybe a bit of cob/TB/cleveland bay or whatever thrown in; but basically is a good all-rounder. In other words, what everyone else is looking for!!! :)
 
Depends entirely on the horse, some would be and others most definitely would not!

my 13.3 D will let novices get on and bimble about in the school, but someone more experienced gets on she is naughty! :p She has a fantastic temperament and you can do anything with her. Not particularly spooky but can be sharp.

my 14.3 who i've had since may 12 would be suitable if you put her in the school and didn't ask her to work. To handle and out hacking-definitely not. Purely because she wets herself about most things, everything is going to eat her, so you have to be a 'horse person' to deal with that and she is much improved in the time I have had her. She is quite unpredictable though, she once reared vertically when i got on for no reason and then proceeded to bronc me off, and her new 'thing' is bucking to try and get out of canter. :rolleyes:
my next horse after these 2 will most likely be a section D though!
 
I'm a novice... someone lost interest and i ended up owning my 3yo welsh d. never owned a horse before not got a huge amount of knowledge to do with horses and was put off by horror stories at how bad welshies can be.
but stuck it out and I have to say best thing I ever did. don't get me wrong she has her moments like them all but she's turning out to be a super first horse.

But like people have said above there well know to be opinionated and hot headed, and I've had several battles with my mare specially with boundaries as she would of literally walked over you when i first got her,but firmness is the key. But she's stupidly clever,& loves being around people. as a novice I backed her last year with a friend and she never put a foot wrong.
Defiantly good and bad in all breeds, I guess it's just going along with your gut feeling sometimes, life's all about trial an error.
 
Griggster1990 said:
Im new on here and 2 the horsy world in general!

I rode as a kid and recently started lessons again and decided id like a horse. I love sec Ds but i heard they were a bit of a hadful?
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Like any other horses, ponies, donkeys, children, etc., it all depends on the up-bringing and handling. Consistency in your expectations of the horse's day-to-day behaviour will be important and the word "No!" is an extremely useful word to teach any horse, child, dog, etc.

In theory, given their original breeding, Ds should be obliging all-rounders. Unfortunately, some show handlers allow, and in some cases encourage, bad behaviour.

Do your homework, choose carefully, make sure that the seller knows exactly what you are looking for and understands your experience with horses and take a knowledgeable advisor with you - your instructor my be an option. If the horse is unduly thin and/or unusually docile, smell a rat - it may have been starved or sedated into submission in order to sell it. Look out for the word "strong" cropping up in the conversation about any horse you are contemplating buying. "Strong"really means badly behaved. When you think about it, all horses are stronger than their riders but well-brought up ones don't use their strength to evade our control.

I do sound cynical don't I? Well, I've had very many years experience with horses, handlers and sellers.
 
My first ponio was a Welsh Sec D, he was 19 years old, been there and done it all.. had him when i was 11 and i loved him, such a true gent and learnt quite a lot from hours of just us time, going for hours of hacking and just messing about in our field.. still had the odd moment where he'd spook at something random and try to tank off. However if i had a friend try and ride him, he'd go along side ways or try tipping them off at a ditch, think this go's along with needing a confident rider or they will take the pee. Had him until he was PTS through colic and it broke my heart after 5 years together.

Had a 13 year gap and decided this year after my sister brought her horse to look into getting my own again.

Settled with the wonderful mare i have now, she is welsh sec d cross and the 6 months i've had her, have been fun trying times. She can be nappy but think this is due to testing me and being a mare, but she will try her heart out for you and i do find you have to reason with her why you want to do something.

personally I love the welsh D and crosses as the ones i have come across either my own or friends have been fun, will try their best and have such lovely personalilties. But then again I could have just been lucky :D
 
I bought a 10yo Welsh D this year. I've been riding for thirty odd years since I was tiny but since most of that was on fairly sensible, solid ponies and cobs I honestly believe that until last Winter (when I schooled my friend's TB/WB as she was pregnant) I wouldn't have been able to cope with him.

I think ideally you need to be confident riding something that can sometimes be a little bit sharp before you take on most Ds. Mine is very clever (worked out how to open his stable door on day 3 after arrival), always alert, a bit of a worrier, a show-off and hugely talented - but also a kind, willing sort who likes people and generally doesn't shy or make a fuss, however tense or sharp he might feel to ride at the time.
 
My mare is my first horse. In some respects she is brilliant but she really did try it on with me on the ground when I first got her and she is rather spooky in general, especially when riding out! I would not swap her for the world now but I wouldn't advise another new owner to get one! I was and am lucky to be on a quiet livery yard with people willing to help out and advise me. I now know my horse after 3 months fairly well and she knows and trusts me. I couldn't be happier now, but there have been tears along the way! Lol!
 
Out of the few that i've ridden i would say only 1 was suitable for a novice and she was exceptionally quiet. The others have been various stages of loony. Current one is 5yo, have had him since a foal and he's a big wuss and pretty unpredictable - would no way put a novice on him!!
 
My partner has a welsh D mare and she is a complete sweetheart, you can put anyone on her as she'll be as good as gold.....On the other hand her cob can jump sideways at something he's seen many times before not nasty just not a novice ride. I have a 17.2 shire x warmblood :) as my first horse and shes also a complete sweetheart (she can go if required as well as shes hunted and done dressage). So it really does depended on the individual horse and not just the breed.
 
Myhorseeatsmoney said:
When you haven't got a horse it is easy to set your heart on having a particular breed of horse but unless you aim to take part in shows don't do it. The best advice I have had had is always choose by temperament unless you are looking for a serious competition horse. These usually have a quirk or two but because of their ability owners put up with it.
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This is interesting and probably good advice. I disagree a little, though, because I think that once you get used to a breed/type you start to react and to think like them, and so are more comfortable with this type than others. This would apply, I think, to TBs (particularly ex-racers that have been trained in a particular way) or to any sharp or clever horse. I went for a second Irish boy last year because I know my old one so well, I wanted to try and find another horse that would think and react similarly (it mostly worked). Obviously all horses are different but you can increase the chances of getting the sort you want by focussing on a breed.
 
Some breeds have certain traits but each horse has to be taken on its own merits. Most people are partial to a certain type. Our sec D was an angel, pony clubbed etc worked well etc but had a character which was pleasantly comical. Could be stubborn in hot weather...didnt want to move if it suited on hacks(thats the stubborn side).But that could be taken as good for a novice ie unlikely to tank off. Thats all otherwise a nice kind pony.
 
Welcome to the horsey community both on here and in general, enjoy it. I am with a few of the other posters on here, it depends on the horse. I have never owned a welsh section D, but I do like them and wouldnt say no for my next horse. The experience friendds and family have had of them is mixed - some have been absolute saints, some have been borderline insane. Its like saying all cobs are plods and are safe!

I bought my cob from a riding school as a bombproof schoolmaster who hacked alone and was a total saint. He was in fact a bolshy little git who had been institutionalised by rding school life and when I bought him as a first time owner he took full advantage. I have been barged into, pulled around and bolted with on the road. It took me a full 18 months of real hard core help with my instructor and yard manager to get him out hacking alone safely. He is still on the bargy side, but I have learned to cope with it and sort him out. I have now owned him 8 and half years and would not part with him, but its been blood, sweat and tears to get to where we are now.

So good luck, and as said by others, please dont be blinded by love and over-horse yourself, even though its dam hard.
 
Crugeran Celt said:
I have a sect D and have been riding for 40 years, this is my 3rd all be it the other two were crosses and all 3 have been fiesty and full of personality. They seem to thrive on a confident rider but as others have said there are good and difficult horses in all breeds so just look for the right horse not the right breed. Good luck.
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Totally agree :) My mare is Dutch Warmblood x Welsh D, I wouldn't swap her for the world but she does need a confident rider and is quite sharp. Her personality is cheeky but sweet and I compete in dressage with her and my daughter has recently started jumping her.
 
My section D is an ex RDA pony and an absolute star until I take her on hacks lol, in open spaces she thinks the world is after her and has the speed to match. Luckily I am an experienced owner rider and can handle her panics but she is totally different to my friends mare who is golden with everyone.

Any horse can take the mick handlingwise, my mare was said to kick and be stubborn by her last novice owner and they only owned her a few weeks, but she has never misbehaved with us and has adjusted to my yards routine very quickly. I think firm handling does help as some people are a bit wussy around roses and ponies and don't realise they are the herd leader not the horse. I don't hit my horses or yell at them, a smack on the should only happens when they nip but they know the humans are Alphas.

The BHS courses are great but as someone else said ask if you can help a friend too as riding school roses are totally different to privately owned ones and generally better behaved.
 
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