# 5 Year old Welsh Mountain Pony



## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

I bought this welsh mountain pony mare 2months ago. She turned 5years old in October. Can anyone tell me what her conformation looks like? She has been to a few shows in hand and does really well. I will be using her for showing in hand and in harness and for pleasure riding. For her breed ive been told her neck is on the short side.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Im also going to breed her next year. To a amazing stallion.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Anyone??? How does her overall conformation look her legs, shoulder and body?


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

I think she is really very nice!! I like her build, she is very well-balanced, and her neck doesn't seem to be too short to me, I think she's stunning!


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Remali


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## Elana (Jan 28, 2011)

Her hind leg looks a tiny bit over straight but over all I like her. A wee bit fat, but that is common for in hand show horses.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Elana for the comment. She is very much too fat when she came to me 2months ago she was really fat. Im working on her weight slowly. Wormed her and after that her tummy came down alot. Also giving her less concentrates and less hay but she is slowly getting there. From next month she will be long lined daily and driven in carriage alot so that should also help give her more muscle and get rid of the excess fat.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

A more recent photo of her. She has lost some weight now.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

Beautiful pony! I would like to see a little more open throatlatch, but I love her body!


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much greentree. What does open throatlatch mean?


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## Remali (Jul 22, 2008)

Oh I just love her.

I think, perhaps, by open throatlatch, she may mean more of a slight curvature in the throatlatch area. It allows more flexion. 
It may also just be her pose, in the pictures.

She's stunning, and her color is the icing on the cake, love her dapples.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

WelshieA said:


> Thanks so much greentree. What does open throatlatch mean?


It is the way her head is set on her neck. (The following makes her sound worse than she is...but it is the only way I could describe it!) An open throat latch has the head lined up with the neck, so that they flow from one to the other, like a swan, as opposed to the head set on the neck at a sharp angle, like a hammer head is set on the handle. 

Your Angel is in between, and that is where the "short neck" comment comes from. It makes her neck look shorter, because of the way her head is set.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Remali and Greentree is there maybe a way to correct this because i have noticed she struggles to carry her head and neck correctly when driving in harness?


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Here is a picture of her in harness so you can see her head and neck she doesnt hold them correctly and as you will se her neck looks short in this photo. Her neck looks a bit better now that she has lost some weight but needs alot more work.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Also another recent picture taken of her interacting with another pony at the new trainer.


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## Skipka (Feb 10, 2011)

I think she's a stunner! I don't know why you were told her neck should be longer, as to me everything seems really well proportioned. She has the lovely strong neck, wide set eyes and slightly dished face of the Welsh ponies - lovely! I live in Wales and have a rescue Welsh pony - she's pretty in my eyes, but nowhere near as nice as yours


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Skipka for the compliments on her. Would love to see a photo of your welsh rescue too please?


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## Skipka (Feb 10, 2011)

I think I might have posted a photo on one of your threads before, but this is one of her back in the summer. She's not a show pony and is probably in her teens, but has a pretty head (apart from the bits missing on the tips of her ears!) and is a real sweetie. Don't know what happened in her past, so she is very timid, but is gradually learning to trust us.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Oh yes now i remember you did post a photo of her before. She is really lovely love her color too ive always loved bays. She also looks like she has a good conformation. Do you ride her at home?


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## Skipka (Feb 10, 2011)

WelshieA said:


> Oh yes now i remember you did post a photo of her before. She is really lovely love her color too ive always loved bays. She also looks like she has a good conformation. Do you ride her at home?


No, she's just a companion pony. She is also unhandled and very timid, but we are making progress and gradually building trust.


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## Chaz80 (Sep 29, 2015)

WelshieA..
Hi,about the comments on the way her head is set..in the picture of her driving.
It is a common trait of welsh ponies to hold their heads like that all Welshes I know including mine carry their heads this way,it is in no way a sign of poor conformation its just the showy flashy nature of the welsh,my Linn does it even when she's loose!!
She carries her head like this also when ridden.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Chaz. Here is South africa when we drive welsh ponies in harness for shows we use a side check to keep their head and neck up. When my mare drives at home without her side check she keeps her head lower and neck more bent. Will try take a picture of her driving at home.


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## greentree (Feb 27, 2013)

She is just SO cute!

When you ride(and drive) her, she needs to be worked on stretching down into the bit, like her neck is in the visit picture. Loosen the check to give her room to do this.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Greentree when not at shows i dont drive her with a check then she stretches her neck down very nicely. Will this help developing the neck and throatlatch area?


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

I like her and I don't think her neck is at all too short, the section A's might have Arabian blood in them but they should look like sturdy compact ponies not mini-Arabian horses
Do watch her weight, they're so prone to laminitis you have to be really careful how you manage them
Try to work her out of that high head carriage - its constricts the airways, those short thick necks can't cope with it
These are stallions so some are more cresty than usual but still no overly raised heads


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Jaydee for the video those ponies are stunning. My mare does carry her neck like that when i drive her at home.


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## tikapup1 (Nov 22, 2012)

How are her feet? If your going to breed her I would be cautious about who you breed her to. I know pony feet can sometimes be a problem.


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## jaydee (May 10, 2012)

Native British breeds on the whole have very good feet - the problem with them is that they are genetically disposed to getting laminitis but that's a management thing.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Her feet is very good. She has very small hooves in comparison to the other section A ponies here but it suits her body and legs. She is shoed as her hooves are quite brittle and soft and break easily. She was very fat when i got her and she has lost a lot of weight since then because i know very overweight ponies are also prone to laminitis.


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## saddlebred99 (Feb 19, 2015)

What a pretty girl! What stallion were you planning on breeding her to? She seems very well proportioned and balanced and has nice legs!


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

In the pic where she's being driven, she has sucked her neck in. As Greentree says, the neck you need to attain is as it is in the pic with the foal. It may take months to rebuild the muscle. When shown in hand the high headed pose has developed the underside of her neck and she seems to be bracing against it. Beautiful little mare. I hope we get to seem some pics as things progress.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

Thanks so much Saddlebag. Im planning on breeding her to a red roan registerd welsh pony stallion. He is also stunning and recently won supreme champion at our show in hand. He also does harness and has stunning movement.


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## WelshieA (Nov 1, 2015)

I will defenitly be posting more pics of her to keep everyone updated on her progress


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## EliRose (Aug 12, 2012)

She's stunning! You're so cruel, making me want a bundle of ponies


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