Pony are almost as popular and in demand as horses. And the inhabitants of the British Isles, including the Welsh, have been very good at breeding race and other breeds of horses since time immemorial.
The Welsh pony (Welsh) is a breed of particular interest among mini horse enthusiasts. She is the real pride of the country, as she has a lot of positive features and characteristics.
Welsh pony origins
The history of this breed goes back to ancient times. Despite the fact that there are no 100% facts about the origin of the Welsh pony breed, it is generally accepted that several thousand years ago wild horses lived here, which, in the cool and rainy conditions of the British Isles, slightly decreased and adapted to frosty winters.
The first sources that historians have discovered date back to the 5th century BC. These were references to the generals of the Roman Empire, who noted in their travel notes information about small racehorses living on the islands of the Britons.
Through a long selection, it was possible to breed a breed of Welsh mountain ponies, which outwardly began to resemble other ponies more than wild horses. Todaythis is one of the most beautiful varieties of small horses.
Welsh pony description
There are several varieties of this breed, but all of them are united by several external signs by which they can be identified:
- head slightly larger than other ponies;
- big eyes;
- grossly flaring nostrils;
- ears slightly smaller than others;
- strong build for a race breed;
- tail set quite high.
The color of Welsh ponies varies, but the most common are gray, red and bay. It is also not uncommon to find brown ponies. Occasionally come across individuals of other colors or with small patches. As a rule, these are ponies, in whose blood there are admixtures of other breeds, therefore they cannot be called purebred.
The value of an individual Welsh pony is largely determined by its uniform color. If there are any specks or spots, then the horse loses a lot in value. Ponies that are bi-coloured and more variegated are not purebred Welsh.
These ponies have a luxurious mane and a strong physique, which allows them to be used for teaching children to ride. Because of the breed's inherent patience, endurance and quick wits, many prefer to use these animals for teaching kids.
Classification
The Welsh pony originated in the highlands and was not popular for a long time. Officially, the breed was recognized only in the firstquarters of the 20th century. At that time, specialists in breeding, determining this or that pony or kob to a certain breed, were guided primarily by external data.
There are several types of Welsh ponies by size (height):
- individuals up to 122 centimeters high fall into category A;
- Type B includes animals up to 137 centimeters tall;
- category C includes ponies with a height of 122 to 137 cm, but outwardly looking more massive than representatives of type B;
- category D includes horses taller than 137 centimeters.
The first two categories are considered ponies, and the other two are considered kobs. However, today this classification is already a bit outdated, so only a few breeders follow it. Most specialists today prefer to use only three types of rock division.
Characteristic
There are a lot of positive features, because of which many people prefer Welsh ponies. The characteristics of this breed are quite impressive.
Welsh ponies are distinguished not only by their very beautiful appearance, but also by their increased endurance. They are diligent in training and can master a large number of commands, they are relatively easy to train. The Welsh is very calm, which, combined with other advantages, makes this breed one of the best for working with children.
Besides, their sizes are for the most part great for use as pleasure horses.
Use of breed
The purpose of this breed of pony today is quite diverse. Most often, as already mentioned above, they are used to teach young children to ride. However, larger individuals can be useful in teaching not only children and adolescents, but also adults.
In addition, they are often used simply as horses for horseback riding. Of course, they cannot cover long distances, but they are quite capable of withstanding a small promenade. The largest representatives of the Welsh can be used for almost any purpose. These are quite versatile animals, which are almost as big and functional as horses.
The most capable and fit individuals are trained and used in the race sport. Thoroughbred Welshmen demonstrate excellent results in professional races. This especially applies to the passage of tracks with obstacles.
Interesting facts
Due to the large number of positive qualities of this breed, it is very popular and in demand. In addition, experts believe that these ponies are great for crossing with other breeds. Because of this, many different breeds of ponies and horses have appeared and continue to appear, having Welsh in their pedigree.
Due to the large number of varieties derived from crossing with Welsh ponies, Wales even introduced a special register where data about them is entered. Here the basic information about a particular variety is recorded: a detailed description of the appearance, itsfeatures, physical parameters, character traits and behavior.
Even individuals, in the blood of which there is only a quarter of the Welsh ponies, often demonstrate very good results in sports, therefore, they are happy to buy such horses.
Value Generation
Today, stallions and mares of the Welsh breed are valued very highly. The cost of each individual individual is formed from several factors. Purity is important. If a pony is 100% Welsh, then its price automatically increases several times.
Also, the price is greatly influenced by age and gender. Of course, young individuals are taken more willingly, and therefore the price for them is higher. Adult ponies are bought mainly for breeding, in order to get offspring from them. But since there are not so many people who want to breed such animals on their own, the price is not so high.
Color and external characteristics also have a significant impact on the final cost. Place of birth also has an effect: ponies born in Wales are valued slightly higher than others.
Another very important factor in choosing an animal is its pedigree. If the parents of the foal or filly are champions, then such a pony can be very expensive. However, this applies only to those horses that will be used in sports. For walking or training, the pedigree plays almost no role.
Average rates
In Russia and the CIS countries, Welsh ponies are also quite popular. Moreover, in our country there are a considerable number of places,where they are bred. Therefore, there is no need to buy horses in the UK and deliver them to Russia at exorbitant prices.
This allows you to significantly reduce the price of a pony. Today, a good stallion that does not have a good pedigree can be bought for 150-200 thousand rubles. Depending on the purity of the breed, its price can vary greatly. A half-blooded individual will cost approximately 2-3 times cheaper, i.e. such a horse can be bought for literally 40-60 thousand rubles.
If the blood contains more than 50% impurities of other breeds, then the price will be even lower. Those individuals that have outstanding external or physical data, a rich pedigree or any other advantages, as a rule, are sold without a fixed price. It is determined individually with each potential buyer. Depending on the needs, capabilities and characteristics of both the buyer and the seller, a pony can be priced in completely different ways.
Reviews
It is no wonder that such an aristocratic and graceful breed of small horses receives a lot of positive feedback from their owners. Buyers note not only external beauty, but also physical data. As well as quick wits and complaisance of a pony.
Despite the rather high cost, judging by the reviews, almost everyone who has or had a horse of this breed is very pleased with it and believes that the cost is quite justified.
Conclusion
The Welsh pony breed is a magnificent example of the capabilities of a person who, throughselection can achieve incredible results. Not every breed of horse is as versatile and multifunctional as this one.
No wonder these ponies are so highly valued and in such great demand, not only in their homeland, but almost all over the world. This breed is most in demand in Britain, Europe and the CIS countries. It is also in great demand in North America, but in the rest of the world interest in the Welsh is somewhat lower.
