My horse, Bo, is a Welsh Section D and over the years I have come to know the breed very well and I would say that it is my favourite of all. So in this post, I am going to explain 5 reasons for why I think Welsh Section D’s are the best horses ever!
Background
The Welsh Section D is the Welsh Cob. They are the largest of the four breeds of the Welsh Pony and Cob family- there are Welsh Section A, B, C and of course the D. They have a minimum height of 13.2hh and no upper limit so they can be quite large indeed! I always think the Welsh D has so much presence around it- especially when they are in spicy mode!
Throughout history they have had many roles from being used as ‘rounceys’ who led fighting horses to medieval knights, to having a military role in pulling guns and equipment, to being used in farm work. Over the years they were influenced by Arab stallions captured during the Crusades and you can see Arabian qualities in some of them today- both in looks and personality.
Why Welsh D then?
Versatility
Welsh Section D’s are prominent in the show ring however the are also used across all disciplines. They make excellent allrounders so whatever you fancy doing, you can bet that the Welsh D is up for it!
Quirky
Welsh D’s are so full of character. Though they can be technically ‘horse’ size, they do retain the pony brain which means they can be cheeky, fun and they definitely have a good sense of humour. Bo always makes me smile, he has got a huge character and it makes them so loveable.
Intelligent
I think this is one of my favourite things about Welsh D’s- they are so intelligent. They are quick learners and they think on their feet fast. It makes every day interesting. Personally, I love a clever horse and so that’s maybe why I’m so taken with D’s. I can teach Bo something very quickly and he remembers fantastically!
Trainability
Due to their intelligence, the Welsh D is very trainable. However, they are spicy horses. They can be challenging at times and a little hot, thanks to that Arabian blood. However, it makes the partnership much stronger in my opinion.
Easy on the eyes
This is perhaps the least important but it must be said. Welsh D’s have a presence around them, they are proud, beautiful and fantastic movers (breeding dependant). You can’t help but fall in love with these gorgeous horses.
I am perhaps a little bias to the Welsh D as you might have guessed, but I truly believe they are wonderful horses. They bring so much challenge but so much reward too. What is your favourite breed? Leave a comment below!
Happy Horsing!
BBequines 