WELSH MOUNTAIN PONY

Breed of riding and light draft (cart-pulling) pony, considered by many to be the prettiest of all the ponies. The Welsh mountain pony is the most numerous of Britain's mountain and moorland breeds. The Welsh mountain pony is small, standing no higher than 122 cm (48 in, or 12 hands) at the withers. (the high point of the back, located between the shoulder blades). The compact body has a short back, sloping, well-muscled shoulders, and a deep chest. Its legs are sturdy. An arched neck supports the handsome, well-proportioned head. The forehead is broad, the eyes expressive, the small ears alert, and the nostrils flare prominently. This pony can come in almost any color including brown, gray, and chestnut (gold). The Welsh mountain pony descended from ponies produced by Arabian horses of the Roman army that were crossed with ponies native to Wales. During the 2000 years that have followed, most improvements to the Welsh mountain pony have come from within the breed. Despite the intelligence, hardiness, and bloodlines that link it with most of Britain's riding ponies, the Welsh mountain pony was persecuted almost to extinction in the 16th century. Shepherds killed this pony because it competed for limited pastureland. King Henry VIII of England decreed that small horses should be eliminated from the common grazing grounds. The ponies that survived were those that lived in the rocky crags and survived the harsh winters of the Welsh mountains. The Welsh mountain pony has a light, springing gait, which reflects its Arabian heritage. It is an excellent mount for children, and also good in harness, pulling carts.

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Barb (HORSE) - Bashkir Welsh Mountain Pony