What Is a Welsh Section D?

A Welsh Section D is a breed of pony, more commonly known as the Welsh cob. There are four breeds of Welsh ponies allowed in the Welsh Pony and Cob Society and the Welsh cob got section D of the stud book. They are the largest of the Welsh ponies and well muscled. Welsh Cobs are bred in Europe, North America, New Zealand and Australia.

  1. Size

    • Horses and ponies are always measured in hands and a hand is an equestrian's jargon for 4 inches. Pones are generally thought to be smaller than 14.2 hands tall, but Welsh cobs are often referred to as horses, even though they are only technically ponies, growing below 14.2 hands tall.

    Features

    • Welsh cobs are high-stepping, muscular ponies, but not as heavily muscled as a draft horse. They have rounded hindquarters and deep chests. They have thick coats and very long, thick manes and tails. The profile of the head is usually straight, but sometimes is slightly dished. They are extremely intelligent. They mostly come in solid colors such as bay, chestnut, black, grey, roan, palomino and dun, but also sometimes come in pinto patterns such as sabino.

    History

    • Many breeds went into the ration of the Welsh cob (or "Section Ds") in the mid to late 1800s, although some argue that the breed had been around as early as the 1700s. These include breeds still in existence, such as the Andalusian, the Arabian and the Welsh pony, but also extinct breeds such as the Norfolk Roadster and the Welsh Carting Horse. The four founding sires of the breed are: Trotting Comet, True Briton, Cymro Llwyd and Alonzo the Brave. The Welsh Pony and Cob Society and stud book emerged in 1902 and insisted that its breed (Welsh) had four types. However, over the years, each of the types has emerged into their own separate breeds.

    Misconceptions

    • Welsh cobs are often misidentified as one of the other three varieties of Welsh ponies that make up the stud book. Welsh mountain ponies (Section A) are smaller and daintier than the Welsh cob--almost like miniature Arabians. The Welsh pony (Section B) is a larger, sleeker version of the Welsh Mountain. Section C, the Welsh pony of cob type (that's the breed name) is a smaller, rounder and rarer version of Section Ds.

    Theories/Speculation

    • Welsh cobs are spectacular all-purpose animals for riding, showing and farm work. They excel at driving (the sport of teams of horses pulling carriages). This breed has been in demand long before the stud book was established. They are thought to have been involved with the creation of the Clydesdale, the Friesian and the Morgan.