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Welsh Pony

Equus ferus caballus

Welsh pony standing in a paddock
Photo: Hanna V — CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Wales's hardy, pretty mountain pony — a brilliant children's and sport pony with Arabian-like refinement.

TypePonyBest asRiding & familyOriginEurope / UK

How to spot it

A refined, hardy pony with a slightly dished face, big eyes and free, flowing movement. The breed is divided into sections by height, from the small Welsh Mountain Pony up to the larger Welsh Cob of around 15 hands.

Temperament

Intelligent, kind and spirited without being silly — the combination that makes it one of the world's best children's and first ponies.

What it's bred for

Shaped by centuries of running semi-wild on the Welsh hills, then refined with some Arabian blood. A superb all-round riding, driving and showing pony that also improves other breeds.

Care & upkeep

Very hardy and thrifty; like most native ponies it gets fat easily and its grazing must be controlled to avoid laminitis.

Health & lifespan

A long-lived breed, commonly 30 years or more. Watch weight and laminitis; some lines are tested for an inherited metabolic disorder.

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