Welsh Sport horse as a spare...would you??

[palo1]

Yes to the remembering bad situations! Mine must have been smacked on the bum by a gate or something once because she is very wary of a small gap, despite having no altercations with one for at least 10 years.
My 20 year old welshie is just perfect, so so well behaved, has the odd cheeky buck and used to suddenly stop when we used to jump years ago but she really is a saint. It was never anything dangerous, I'd describe her as quirky but totally safe, I trust that horse with my life. Fallen off her twice in all the years I've had her and both instances were my fault.
My friend got a Welsh d last year, he's lovely, she's always been more into warmbloods but had a smaller budget this time around. I don't think she regrets her decision at all, he's a proper dressage diva whilst mine is a hopper of hedges!

He sounds lovely! As does the Wxtb - exactly the sorts I would love to find!!

 

[southerncomfort]

I also have a welsh D X (no idea what her Mum was as no breeding listed for her) and she is as different from my full welsh cob as it's possible to be. On a bad day she is aloof, unaffectionate, deeply uncooperative, difficult to catch, scares herself stupid about absolutely everything and has threatened to remove my head from my shoulders more times than I care to remember.

Maybe it's her welsh bloodlines (sire was Blaentawe Midnight Shadow) or maybe her temperament comes from her Dam.

But I agree with the comment above that welsh cobs probably aren't a good pick as a 'spare' as they do rather like your full attention!

 

[palo1]

An update....I just couldn't quite give up on the idea of something Welsh so I went and got one I did a bit of research and decided to visit the Maesmynach stud to look at their youngstock. The selection of 2 and 3 year olds was amazing and the experience was a completely brilliant one. I returned a few weeks later with a short list and asked to see those again as well as a couple of 'surprises' selected by the stud and bought a lovely young 3 year old mare (technically she was rising 3 when I bought her). She had very much taken my eye on the first visit in spite of seeming rather small, plain and old fashioned. She is very dark bay - she looks black in fact with ermine markings on her feet and an unusual whorl on her forehead. She is currently standing at 15.2. She is fabulous and I am loving working with her! I am so proud of her very baroque good looks and her sweet, sweet temperament and she is the polar opposite to my adored spotted chap. The plan is for her to learn her lessons slowly and in a couple of years when my spotted gentleman is in his late teens, she can start to do a little more. Having spent the last few days very much working with my girl I was delighted to lunge my chap for the first time in ages - he is looking fantastic on the lunge: it is not something I do very often but having a smart new leather German lunging cavesson made me want to have a play! Happy days

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Great update - she sounds really lovely... any chance of a pic?

 

[Jeni the dragon]

How exciting! Can't wait to see how she grows up!

 

[milliepops]

Great update - she sounds really lovely... any chance of a pic?

^^this!

How exciting. I enquired with Maesmynach before we bought Salty but they didn't have anything in my budget at the time. They did have some absolute crackers though. Hope you have many years of fun with her.

 

[EmmaC78]

I agree we need some photos. I am a huge Welsh fan

 

[Lammy]

Pictures please! Everyone seems to be buying welshies at the moment and after losing mine earlier this year I am getting withdrawals

Maesmynach have some very nice tall D’s. You can’t go wrong with one of theirs!

 

[Bs_mum]

If you get a good one, you’re laughing. If you get a bad one? Well....
I’ve got a 95% bad one. He’s opinionated, difficult, stubborn, if he’s not doing- he’s not doing it & you haven’t got a hope in hell of changing that. He decides when he wants to be caught. He sharp, and he’s flighty. If he’s unsure he’s getting away from it as quick as possible- with or without you, and when he’s going, he might stop after a few strides or he’s off. He’s been known to jump 7 bar gates hanging a good 1.5ft off the ground- he’s 11hh. He’s unsafe to ride. Many have tried, they’ve all failed, he is dangerous- yet he was sold to me as a lead rein pony!
But as a companion? He’s brilliant. I use him as a nanny to the weanlings & youngsters. He’s 7, & full of spirit. He can keep up while they are tearing around the field, and if they step inline, he’s not afraid to put them in their place. If I got to the point where I had no use for him, then that would be the end of the road for him. But for the most part, he’s low maintenance. He lives out 24/7, unrugged, unfed other than hay, and that suits him down to the ground.

 

[SpringArising]

I've had two Sec Ds and they were both compete nutters in different ways. One did the biggest bucks I've ever seen a horse do, but was an amazing jumper, bombproof in traffic and so willing to learn. I loved the bones of him. The other was a quirky sod who would spin and run at the drop of a hat.

 

[gemisastar]

I had one - a black welsh pony x tb mare who was about 14.2. She took a bit of bringing on but what I ended up with was a mare who was totally reliable, sound and loved to work. She would do anything for me and by god was she fast, in both speed and reactions. She was feral until she was 6, living on a welsh mountain, and her only major quirk was a genuine fear of loading which we struggled to get over. I eventually sold her to a hacking home where she is living the life of riley.

 

[Peter7917]

always wanted a pally welsh gelding

 

[wren123]

She sounds lovely! We need a picture.

Having schooled a couple of D's for friends when I was (much younger) I always said they would be my go to pony for when I was old. Now I am old hearing about all the quirky ones puts me off!
These two were fabulous rides, forward but safe, would go when you wanted with a light nudge, thoroughly enjoyable to ride. Both loved jumping. Were these exceptions or was I just braver then!

 

[ihatework]

She sounds lovely! We need a picture.

Having asked a couple of D's for friends when I was (much younger) I always said they would be my go to pony for when I was old. Now I am old hearing about all the quirky ones press me off!
These two were fabulous rides, forward but safe, would go when you wanted with a light nudge, thoroughly enjoyable to ride. Both loved jumping. Were these exceptions or was I just braver then!

I haven’t had any pure needs but have had 2 half breds.

As a teenager I had a 15hh palomino D x AA - he was a super little horse, quite buzzy but otherwise safe & straightforward - an out and out jumper, not spooky or silly, just a bit hyper.

I currently have a very tall TB x D who really is a model citizen - pretty steady, more kick than pull! Ultra kind, competing/schooling 1.10-1.20 at 7yo with consistently good dressage circa 70%. Everyone on the yard can ride him and he is the choice of the nearly 70yo yard owner (who is a very very good jockey but understandably needs a polite ride these days)

 

[Hormonal Filly]

It's all that flamboyance, hair and attitude I guess

Your paragraph made me laugh, OP! They CAN be great. Depends on the personalty. I think they're either brave, or scared of their own shadow!

My gelding is either amazing, or 'nah don't wanna do it' attitude, or he'll randomly freak out over a sheep he sees everyday. Nothing is wrong, its just him. Even the specialist said 'hes a special chap isn't he...' But put it this way mine will never event, hes to intermittent with his attitude about life and his spookiness is either all there or nothing.

I'd love a Welsh x cross TB or something for my next one, but would have to be the right one! I have a friend with a Welsh C, consistently wins at BE90 and another few eventers I follow on Instagram with Welsh D's who event up to Novice. Watching their posts and videos amazes me, one is 14.2.. as mine just isn't capable of that which is a shame as that is what I bought him for!

 

[Hormonal Filly]

Oops,, just realized a old post. Sorry!

Maesmynach are gorgeous well bred Welshies.. do post a photo!

I think thats where I went wrong. Mines breeding is all show lines, so don't think he was ever designed to do anything like event!

 

[wren123]

I haven’t had any pure needs but have had 2 half breds.

As a teenager I had a 15hh palomino D x AA - he was a super little horse, quite buzzy but otherwise safe & straightforward - an out and out jumper, not spooky or silly, just a bit hyper.

I currently have a very tall TB x D who really is a model citizen - pretty steady, more kick than pull! Ultra kind, competing/schooling 1.10-1.20 at 7yo with consistently good dressage circa 70%. Everyone on the yard can ride him and he is the choice of the nearly 70yo yard owner (who is a very very good jockey but understandably needs a polite ride these days)

He sounds wonderful, have you had him long?

 

[Chinchilla]

An update....I just couldn't quite give up on the idea of something Welsh so I went and got one I did a bit of research and decided to visit the Maesmynach stud to look at their youngstock. The selection of 2 and 3 year olds was amazing and the experience was a completely brilliant one. I returned a few weeks later with a short list and asked to see those again as well as a couple of 'surprises' selected by the stud and bought a lovely young 3 year old mare (technically she was rising 3 when I bought her). She had very much taken my eye on the first visit in spite of seeming rather small, plain and old fashioned. She is very dark bay - she looks black in fact with ermine markings on her feet and an unusual whorl on her forehead. She is currently standing at 15.2. She is fabulous and I am loving working with her! I am so proud of her very baroque good looks and her sweet, sweet temperament and she is the polar opposite to my adored spotted chap. The plan is for her to learn her lessons slowly and in a couple of years when my spotted gentleman is in his late teens, she can start to do a little more. Having spent the last few days very much working with my girl I was delighted to lunge my chap for the first time in ages - he is looking fantastic on the lunge: it is not something I do very often but having a smart new leather German lunging cavesson made me want to have a play! Happy days

Pictures please, she sounds adorable. (Wouldn't mind spotty pics either actually, I love spotties)

 

[Chinchilla]

always wanted a pally welsh gelding

There's a palomino welsh D riding gelding on Dragon Driving atm
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horses.htm#id138274

 

[ihatework]

There's a palomino welsh D riding gelding on Dragon Driving atm
https://www.dragondriving.co.uk/horses.htm#id138274

I like him! Looks fun.

Wren123 I’ve had mine nearly 2 years now

 

[palo1]

Ok, so not brilliant pics but I will try to do better moving forward. Sorry these seem huge: hopefully there are a couple of thumbnails as well as this whopper!! At this point she does have a rather choppy looking trot: though it looks ok in the pic here. I am hoping that as she develops she will learn to move slightly better in trot. She does have a good walk and canter atm though!!

 

[palo1]

^^this!

How exciting. I enquired with Maesmynach before we bought Salty but they didn't have anything in my budget at the time. They did have some absolute crackers though. Hope you have many years of fun with her.

Yes, very exciting! To be honest I thought that the Maesmynach horses would be out of my budget too but having been impressed with several that I know and aware that they are a good working sort I visited with a very open mind and was surprised and delighted with regard to what I could afford. Interestingly my little mare was the cheapest out of the ones I liked though the 2 at the top of the list were herself and their most expensive one. To be fair, the more expensive version: also very dark bay did move soooooo much better than this one and is likely to make 16.2. For me though and what I 'need' as it were, a straight, sound horse at 15.2 is perfectly adequate. It would be lovely to have an unlimited budget of course...

 

[milliepops]

Nice pics. I wasn't suggesting they were too expensive. More that I am too poor! there's a reason all my horses are freebies

 

[scruffyponies]

I like welsh x hackney. Oodles of personality and presence, but not quite as paranoid as a pure welshy.

 

[cundlegreen]

I owned a full Welshy. He was opinionated, arrogant, bolshy, stubborn, ridiculously excitable (we got banned from mounted games at pony club for the safety of others ) and the most awesome, safe (he spent a lot of time on two legs but never ever got close to going too far) bombproof and utterly dependable horse I've ever sat on. I had total faith in him getting me to the other side of a fence.

A friend has a Sec D x warmblood. He's the most intelligent horse I've ever met. This works for and against him. He got his rug stuck on the fence and rather than panicking just waited patiently to be freed, picking at the greener grass the other side while he waited. He can unfasten anything used to tie him up and he also worked out how to jump over the breast bar on the trailer and out of the jockey door -he's done it twice now. The second time he took himself show jumping in the main ring of a county show.

If he's away from home, he's unbelievably clingy to his mates, to the point that at camp he was tied up outside my stable while my friend mucked out. Mine (a total gent) was in my stable with me as I mucked out. This wasn't close enough for him. He untied himself, jumped the wheelbarrow blocking the door and attached himself to my horse. We've had to drive to Harpury (a 2 hour journey) separately, park in different car parks and avoid each other all day just so he won't throw himself off the trailer if he's left alone. If he goes alone and doesn't see anyone he knows, he's fine and will stand all day.

No matter how silly he is though, he's perfect the second my friend gets on him to ride. He's perfect in traffic, hacks like a dream and events to intermediate. There's not a horse in the world I'd rather ride XC.


I'd have another Welshy or a partbred like a shot.

I've got exactly this, well, the intelligent part. He is only 3, and constantly watches me training the other horses. Now he's started work, he does it all perfectly. He also lets himself out of stables just because he can. Can't wait to see him under saddle.

 

[DabDab]

Oh she's lovely - just the type of welshie I like. Congratulations, sounds like a good buy

 

[Lammy]

You’ve got yourself a lovely mare there palo

 

[palo1]

You’ve got yourself a lovely mare there palo

Thanks Lammy! She is quite porky at the mo and looks longer than she actually is too. I did think she may be a bit too compact but she is changing all the time as she grows. I am absolutely delighted with her and smile every time I look at her. You have to love a native