Welsh Sec Ds

[Roasted Chestnuts]

Whatever I end up with will be (most likely) unbroken, three or four-ish, and it needs to be a decent enough mover to keep me vaguely entertained in the dressage ring, but smart, brave, sane, and surefooted on the trails. There are long (6+ hours) rides that can be done from my yard, which I've never been able to do with my mare, as she needs easy hacking at age 26-27. If I'd moved to the yard even a year or two before I did..... Anyway, so that's where I'm at. Budget will be up to £5k, though spending less would be nice.

you will spend a lot less on a D three year old than you will a highland. Also welshies are better in the dressage ring than a highland. More athletic.

 

[DabDab]

An Iberian would do all of that too ?. (I need to stop plugging them at every opportunity)!

Welsh Ds and PREs are entirely dissimilar....
If you get the right stamp of Welsh D they can ride quite like an old-fashioned type of PRE, and schooling-wise people who can get a good tune out of a PRE will also generally get a good tune out of a Welsh D. They also share personality traits that make them a joy in the hands of some, but a neurotic mess in the hands of others.

 

[Cloball]

It's weird because some of my favourite ponies to ride over the years have been welshies, I sat on one last summer and I felt like a teenager again I felt safe even when she was being a idiot and just laughed. That said I still think I'd rather have a fell/dales. Can't put my finger on why. I think it's because I have seen equal numbers of ruined ones.

 

[Goldenstar]

I would never buy a D unless it was made super duper carriage horse for HDT.

 

[Littlewills]

you will spend a lot less on a D three year old than you will a highland. Also welshies are better in the dressage ring than a highland. More athletic.

highlands arent expensive and you get the bonus of helping to save a breed thats on the brink of extinction.

 

[DabDab]

I love Welsh Ds. They are generally both ridiculous and hilarious, with more athletic ability than most people will ever need. They are also really comfortable to ride and have really good brains (if you can work out how to tap into them).

They are not for everyone, and if you want a quiet life they are probably not for you, but they thrive on work and the long hacking from your yard sounds like the perfect life for one.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

If you go for a D bloodlines are everything. Some are bred to be idiots, some are bred to be brilliant, sane all rounders. My lad is pretty level headed BUT we my mother bought him as a weanling, he was broken at 5yo as he was too immature to break before then and he has done absolutely begger all eat since then. When he does got to shows he is an absolute delight to deal with these days. He was a bit of a rocket as a youngster but he is fine now. He has never once spooked at anything, doesn't care if he is ridden or not (mostly not due to time hence why at 12yo he is like a freshly backed 5yo in his work ...) but he is in general a really nice chap to have around. He is a Gwynfaes cob.

 

[Muddywellies]

They need very firm but fair handling, with clear boundaries. I've seen too many Welshies handled far too softly and they have become unmanageable (and then passed on as a 'project'). You need to leave any ideas about 'bonding' and being 'his equal' at home. They need a leader or else they will assume that role. Welshies are truly wonderful but by jove they can push you, and when they do, you mustn't break or else it's 1-0 to them and yes, they are keeping tabs on the score. Mine is quite hard to describe. She has an amazing work ethic, loves to please, and is incredibly loyal. But she needs/expects the same from me. If I'm not 100% committed to something, she will either not go, b*gger off at warp speed, spook or nap, or sometimes all of the above. Sometimes you need nerves of steel, or a sense of humour. It's a case of simply accepting whatever comes out of the stable that day as you never really know, and just work with what you've got. Can make competing tricky and there have been occasions where I've not even made it into the ring. Some days I can hack out on the buckle, next day I'm hanging on for grim death! Life is like a box of chocolates......?

 

[Equine_Dream]

I realise I am biased but I highly recommend Cynheidrefawr Stud for sane sensible (or at least as sensible as you can hope for a sec D ?) welshies with a flare for dressage. Added bonus if you like palomino, buckskin, cremellos, or smokey blacks.

 

[Megan V1]

I have had two PB, both mares, mother and daughter and they were amazing horses, very brave, opinionated but really good fun and very versatile but always wanted a full bred D. Bought one over 12 years ago, a gelding, 5 year old and stunning. Lets just say that I love him, would never part with him but haven't ridden him for nearly 5 years as he has scared the life out of me and completely lost my confidence. I will never buy another one!

 

[conniegirl]

Mine is a C but they are pretty much the same.
Mine is an angel but also a diva. He can turn a hoof to anything, he is very athletic and intelligent in fact the more you challenge his brain the happier he is. he loves to play to a crowd, the bigger the better, he knows he is gorgeous and believes everyone else in the world needs to know this. He knows his job under saddle and is perfect for teaching people the ropes.
When he spooks it is generally very safe, he believes he is a dragon so he tends to stop dead and try and breathe fire at the scary thing, if you laugh at him and put your leg on he generally gets over himself and walks on. amusingly heavy traffic, idiots with horns, revving engines and people deliberately trying to spook him get the equivalent of a raised eyebrow from him, pheasants sitting quietly and sunflowers however are the work of the devil and need the full fire breathing treatment.
His manners on the ground are the envy of everyone on the yard. you only need to tell him once. however you do have to be consistent, if you are not consistent he will walk all over you.

Welshies are awesome, if you get them onside and either ignore or laugh at thier dragon moments they will move heaven and earth for you.

 

[scruffyponies]

Poor Welshies are misunderstood. If they perceive any nervousness or uncertainty in the way that they are handled, they lose trust and start either panicking and/or throwing their weight around (depending on temperament).

In both cases they are begging for you to stand firm, reassure them with a gruff wordv and get on with it (yes, even if they are trying to kick you, spinning or refusing to be caught). Once they trust you, they're bold, sensible and will pretty much go where you point them.

 

[ihatework]

I’ve owned a couple of part breds, and they were both exceptional horses and very much high on my list if I ever want another horse for me.

The first was a D x AA, he was very sensitive and buzzy but kind. I’d love to have got my hands on him later in life when I had the funds and knowledge to have done him justice. He would have made a great eventer.


More recently I did have the funds and knowledge to work with a very big D x TB. He was less typical in that he wasn’t a buzzy type, from the outside you probably wouldn’t have had him as a D. But he was a real internaliser / worrier but really really kind and honest and would try and do anything for you. Every now and again the worry pot would overflow and he’d do something dramatic (but without malice)

 

[Archangel]

Whatever I end up with will be (most likely) unbroken, three or four-ish

Come to Wales and Llanybydder Market, some absolutely fabulous Ds go through there and there are lots of studs locally. Bring waterproofs.

 

[Lipglosspukka]

I have ridden some truly epic part breds.

The only Welsh D's I have ridden/handled have been opinionated and bolshy. From my experience they need consistency and if given an inch they will take a mile. In the right hands I'm sure they can be epic. In the wrong hands, a recipe for disaster.

 

[Equine_Dream]

Come to Wales and Llanybydder Market, some absolutely fabulous Ds go through there and there are lots of studs locally. Bring waterproofs.

I adore a day at llanybydder sales. The quality of horses you find there never fails to amaze me ?

 

[IrishMilo]

Sensitive, feisty, talented... idiots.

 

[Annagain]

Mine was the most arrogant, stubborn, bolshy, opinionated, infuriating, certifiably excitable creature that ever lived.... He was also the most honest, talented, bombproof, enthusiastic, loyal and trustworthy horse I ever had the pleasure of knowing. His dam was exactly the same (my friend owned her). He spent most of his time on his back legs but it never felt unsafe and it was only because he was so keen to go somewhere, if he couldn't go forwards, he'd go up. Then, you let him go and he exploded into canter but never really went anywhere. His daftness made him feel exciting but in reality he was safe as houses. He'd put 7 strides in a 4 stride related distance as he'd bunny hop with excitement rather than actually going at the 100mph he thought he was. As a result, he never got to a fence on the wrong stride but he'd also turn on a sixpence and jump at any angle so was awesome in a jump off! I had total faith in him to get me to the other side of a fence no matter what it was. He had none of the welsh spookiness people talk of. The only time he ever spooked with me (completely understandably) was when a psycho squirrel jumped out of a bush and landed on his neck. Even after being hit by a van, traffic didn't bother him. He thought he was invincible and that made me feel invincible.

He was never sick or sorry. When he got hit by the van, a singe mark on his coat was all he had wrong with him. Luckily, he was very fit at the time. The vet said he must have tensed his bum muscles and bounced off. The day he stopped at a fence aged 25 he went straight to the vet. The arthritic changes in his knees was so bad the vet couldn't believe he was sound and just not jumping. The only time he was ever ill was the day I lost him to colic at 27.

They are marmite horses - and they have marmite attitudes to their people. You need to have them onside or they're a nightmare. He'd have walked though fire for me. He wouldn't even walk for my friend. They really didn't like one another! I had another friend whom I met as she had ridden when younger and just wanted to spend some time with horses after suffering depression. Even though he and I were a team, he wasn't beyond mucking me around on occasion. With her he was the gentlest, quietest, best behaved horse around. . She didn't start coming to the yard with the intention of riding but she started riding him and with her, he was like the RDA pony his full sister was. He seemed to sense she needed that and gave it to her in spades

If you find a good one, you won't get a better horse. I'd have another like a shot if I could find one big enough. You definitely need to be the sort of person who can laugh at the trials they throw your way and not get stressed / annoyed by them though.

This was a couple of months before we found out about his arthritis. We bounced around the Badminton ride. He must have been suffering then but either the adrenalin took over or he was just so determined to do it despite the pain. He's been gone nearly 16 years now and I still miss him so much.

 

[Caol Ila]

It's just so daunting. Had Gypsum for over 20 years. I had a long conversation with my mother about options, and the ideal situation would be buying one while Gypsum is still alive (and ideally ridable) so they overlap a bit. But my yard has people lining up out the door to get in, so I'm not sure how easy it will be to make space, plus Covid travel restrictions at this moment don't inspire confidence at gallivanting all over the country. Could probably get away with looking at stuff in Scotland, but they are heavily policing the border. Dunno...maybe these will ease off in March/April and that would be a better time to start getting serious? Are breeders even selling horses at the moment?

I had considered Arabs. The first thing I considered. It's what everyone in Colorado buys when they want a tough-ass trail horse with vague dressage talent. Barn in Boulder had bred Raffles-lines horses, and those were hardy. They were ridable until they were 30 and amazing trail ride partners. But while they are a dime a dozen in the US, they seem rare and expensive here. The yard where I trained the Welsh D mentioned in my first post was breeding them, and she was selling her 3-year olds at like £15k. Beautiful horses, but yowza. Internet perusal suggests that is normal.

Then the Highlands. I know finding a suitably athletic one that will do what I want will be harder than with other breeds. But they do something to my heart. Every time I see a pretty one on the side of the road when we're driving somewhere up north, I want to buy it. I don't get that feeling about every horse I see.

I wish I could erase ten years off Gypsum and didn't have to do this sh1t.

 

[conniegirl]

Have a look at horsequest, £15k for a youngster is not normal!£3-5k is more normal for a bred in the purple 4yr old with setious potential

 

[Caol Ila]

Maybe it's just because Horse Quest is clunky to use, but I haven't seen tons of youngstock on it. Or is the market slow at the moment due to Covid?

 

[ihatework]

Caol Ila I have no idea where you are getting your 15k benchmark from. Welsh D are ten a penny at market and if you have a good eye and happy to produce you can get a lot of unbacked 3yo for a relatively small budget

 

[Roasted Chestnuts]

highlands arent expensive and you get the bonus of helping to save a breed thats on the brink of extinction.

I don’t think I have seen a highland youngster with decent bloodlines for under 1.5k. I was helping my friend look for one. I bought my D youngster with fabulous bloodlines for a lot lot less than that.

 

[Caol Ila]

Sorry, 15K was for Arabs and some of the PREs I've found. Natives and others are well within budget.

 

[Muddywellies]

It's just so daunting. Had Gypsum for over 20 years. I had a long conversation with my mother about options, and the ideal situation would be buying one while Gypsum is still alive (and ideally ridable) so they overlap a bit. But my yard has people lining up out the door to get in, so I'm not sure how easy it will be to make space, plus Covid travel restrictions at this moment don't inspire confidence at gallivanting all over the country. Could probably get away with looking at stuff in Scotland, but they are heavily policing the border. Dunno...maybe these will ease off in March/April and that would be a better time to start getting serious? Are breeders even selling horses at the moment?

I had considered Arabs. The first thing I considered. It's what everyone in Colorado buys when they want a tough-ass trail horse with vague dressage talent. Barn in Boulder had bred Raffles-lines horses, and those were hardy. They were ridable until they were 30 and amazing trail ride partners. But while they are a dime a dozen in the US, they seem rare and expensive here. The yard where I trained the Welsh D mentioned in my first post was breeding them, and she was selling her 3-year olds at like £15k. Beautiful horses, but yowza. Internet perusal suggests that is normal.

Then the Highlands. I know finding a suitably athletic one that will do what I want will be harder than with other breeds. But they do something to my heart. Every time I see a pretty one on the side of the road when we're driving somewhere up north, I want to buy it. I don't get that feeling about every horse I see.

I wish I could erase ten years off Gypsum and didn't have to do this sh1t.

I wouldn't get too hung up on breeding. If youre horse hunting, keep an open mind and don't limit yourself to a particular breed.

 

[Annagain]

It's just so daunting. Had Gypsum for over 20 years. I had a long conversation with my mother about options, and the ideal situation would be buying one while Gypsum is still alive (and ideally ridable) so they overlap a bit...

I wish I could erase ten years off Gypsum and didn't have to do this sh1t.

Been there. I would definitely recommend doing it while Gypsum is still with you if you can. I lost Eb very unexpectedly after 14 years. He was semi-retired and I was already thinking of looking for another so did it straight away - not having anything to ride definitely contributed to this. I found Arch within 2 months, but with hindsight, I rushed it and there were many ways in which he wasn't suitable. I still have him 15 years on and adore him so it's not all bad, but he wasn't ideal. This time round, I still had (have) Arch when I started looking for (what turned out to be) Charlie. I hated the search and it took me 14 months to find him but from the moment I met him I knew he was Mr Right. 5 months in, it's not been plain sailing but it's been as good as it could have been with me and my middle aged nerves (they existed before Charlie, not as a result of him). The fact Arch was still around and hacking quietly meant I could wait for the right one. I still find myself wishing I could just jump on Arch for a nerve free hack though. 15 years of familiarity is very hard to beat.

 

[Lammy]

My next horse will be a Welsh mare.
I so miss their sense of humour as everyone else has said you really have to just go along and laugh with them!

One of my fondest memories is hacking down the a14, behind a chain link fence but still close to the carriageway. Lorries streaming past, very loud, very noisy and that was fine. But low and behold, there was a bench in the bush on the opposite side of the track to the a14. Could we get past it could we bugger ? eventually managed to passage past it snorting and all riled up, me crying with laughter. Honestly they are so silly but I’ve never felt so safe. Although i had someone ride her on a hack once and they said never again! They took all her spooks seriously despite me telling them to relax and trust that she wouldn’t be going anywhere but sideways by 4 inches. So I can see how some people just don’t get on with them.

 

[Caol Ila]

I wouldn't get too hung up on breeding. If youre horse hunting, keep an open mind and don't limit yourself to a particular breed.

Yeah, I know. But if you're wanting a horse from a breeder, you need breeds in mind. A lot of studs don't seem to advertise their youngstock on the internet, so you can't lazily browse.

 

[palo1]

I have a young Welsh D. I bought her as a 2yo from the Maesmynach stud; they tend to breed slightly larger (15.2 +) and sporty/ridden Welsh Ds. There was a fabulous choice with a huge range of potential. My mare is...surprising!! I have had Arabs and their part breds as well as ID x types in the past and my Welshie compares far more closely to the blood types than with the Irish types. She has a much better brain than I thought she might in that she learns things as quick as a whip, remembers stuff really well, has an excellent 'wanting to work with you' attitude and is pretty sensible (so far) about new experiences including traffic, loading, clipping etc. She is a very sweet character too I love her!! I am really excited about what we might be able to do though she was not/is not probably the best mover ever. She is improving all the time however and finds some of the early lateral stuff easy which is encouraging. She has learnt to jump astonishingly easily and with a surprising degree of natural confidence and skill. The stud had some exceptional moving horses and they sell to dressage homes regularly but I wanted more of an all rounder type (which cost less!). Having said all that, I must say I love also the slight 'drama' that seems to go with a Welshie...mine seems utterly level headed but that doesn't prevent joie de vivre caprioles in hand (and yesterday under saddle!), snorting, dancing and for want of a better expression - 'performing' for the fun of it!! I totally understand how they can become spoilt and/or frightening. I have been VERY consistent about what I expect from her in terms of behaviour as well as allowing her to grow and develop at 'native' speed. I would love another and think that Welshies are probably underrated...

 

[J_sarahd]

I had the ride of a Welsh Sec D for 18 months. Let’s just say he taught me a lot. He was opinionated, stubborn and sometimes I struggled with him on the ground. But he was so talented and once you clicked with him, he would’ve done anything for you. He was cut late so very stallion-y and bolshy - very, very strong with a neck like an elephant. However, I would love another welshie if I get another horse. They’re rewarding and stunning to ride. Every welshie I’ve seen is talented - moves beautifully and jumps like absolute stink!