Horses

 

Riding the Trod would not be possible without the help of three horses—two Welsh cobs (Section D) called Elvis and Psyche, and a Welsh mountain pony (Section A) called Squirt.

Cardiganshire cobs

 

Ceredigion is widely regarded as ‘Welsh cob country’ because of the long history of cob breeding in the area, as exemplified by this statue in Aberaeron, Ceredigion. The wording on the statue’s plaque reads:

“March Cobyn Cymreig rhoddwyd i dref Aberaeron gan yr Ŵyl Merlod a Chobiau Cymreig Aberaeron i ddynodi’r ardal hon fel gwlad y Cobyn Cymreig”

 

“Welsh Cob Stallion donated to Aberaeron Town by the Aberaeron Festival of Welsh Ponies and Cobs to denote the area as Welsh Cob Country.”

Cobs through history

It is thought that the Cistercian monks from Strata Florida also bred horses of cob type at Dolebolian farm, Pontrhydfendigaid during the Medieval period. The presence in Ceredigion of horses of ‘cob type’ – in other words, animals who exhibit (or rather exhibited) the characteristics of the breed as it stands today – can be traced back to at least the 10th century and the laws of legendary monarch Hywel Dda (Wynne-Davies, 1998). What is particularly significant here however is the fact that these laws demonstrate the reverence with which Hywel and his subjects regarded their horses. For example, it was stipulated that compensation of eight pence was to be paid to the owner should the skin of a borrowed horse be broken in any way, with the lesser sum of four pence due should “the hair on its back [be] fretted” (Wynne-Davies, 1998: 1).

 

There is also archaeological evidence from other parts of the UK which supports this idea of phenotypic continuity from the Medieval period. For example, in his 2004 book The Medieval Horse and its equipment Clarke (2004: 22 in reference to Rackham 1989) notes that of the horse remains found at an (admittedly English) Medieval site, some of the bones suggest animals “perhaps as robust as a working Dales pony or Welsh cob. The majority are well-built, slightly stocky animals suitable for both riding and driving”

Section A: The Welsh Mountain Pony

Bred in the mountains and wild regions of Wales for many generations, their acknowledged beauty does not mean they are merely a 'pretty toy' — centuries of 'survival of the fittest' has ensured the sound constitution, iron hard limbs and great intelligence which combined with the legendary Welsh temperament, makes the ideal child's pony of today. They can be seen ridden and driven all over the world — equally at home in the cold of Canada and Sweden or the heat of Africa and Australia.

The head of the Mountain Pony should be small, with neat pointed ears, big bold eyes and a wide forehead. The jaw should be clean cut, tapering to a small muzzle; the silhouette may be concave or 'dished' but never convex or too straight. The neck should be of good length and well carried with shoulders sloping back to a clearly defined wither. The limbs must be set square with good flat bone and round dense hooves. The tail set high and gaily carried.

Action must be quick, free and straight from the shoulder, knees and hocks well flexed with straight and powerful leverage well under the body.

The height should not exceed 12 h.h. (121.9 cms).

Phenotype of the Welsh cob

 

The following descriptions of the Welsh Cob (section D which is the largest section of the Welsh stud book) and the Welsh Mountain Pony (Section A) comes from the Welsh Pony and Cob Society website (www.wpcs.uk.com)

Section D: The Welsh Cob

Widely described as "the best ride and drive animal in the World", the Welsh Cob has been evolved throughout many centuries for his courage, tractability and powers of endurance. The general character is the embodiment of strength, hardiness and agility. The head shows great quality with Pony character: bold prominent eyes, a broad forehead and neat, well set ears. The body must be deep, on strong limbs with good "hard wearing" joints and an abundance of flat bone. Action must be straight, free and forceful, the knees should be bent and then the whole foreleg extended from the shoulders as far as possible in all paces, with the hocks well flexed, producing powerful leverage. The Welsh Cob is a good hunter and a most competent performer in all competitive sports. In recent years they have had great success in the international driving world. Their abilities in all spheres are now fully recognised throughout the world. The height should exceed 13.2 h.h. (137 cms): no upper limit.

Detailed Description:

General Character
Strong, hardy and active, with pony character and as much substance as possible

Colour
Any colour, except piebald and skewbald

Head
Full of quality and pony character. A coarse head and Roman nose are most objectionable

Eyes
Bold, prominent and set widely apart

Ears
Neat and well set

Neck
Lengthy and well carried. Moderately lean in the case of mares, but inclined to be cresty in the case of mature stallions

Shoulders
Strong but well laid back

Forelegs
Set square and not tied in at the elbows. Long, strong forearms. Knees well developed with an abundance of bone below them. Pasterns of proportionate slope and length. Feet well-shaped. Hoofs dense. When in the rough, a moderate quantity of silky feather is not objected to but coarse, wiry hair is a definite objection.

Middlepiece
Back and loins, muscular, strong and well-coupled. Deep through the heart and well-ribbed up.

Hind Quarters
Lengthy and strong. Ragged or drooping quarters are objectionable. Tail well-set on.

Hind Legs
Second thighs, strong and muscular. Hocks, large, flat and clean, with points prominent, turning neither inward nor outwards. The hind legs must not be too bent and the hock not set behind a line falling from the point of the quarter to the fetlock joint. Pasterns of proportionate slope and length. Feet well-shaped. Hoofs dense.

Action
Free, true and forcible. The knee should be bent and the whole foreleg should be extended straight from the shoulder and as far forward as possible in the trot. Hocks flexed under the body with straight and powerful leverage.”

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Psyche during the 2006 Aberaeron Festival of Welsh Ponies and Cobs)

“As its very name implies, a Welsh cob must be a short-legged animal of Herculean strength. In build it is distinctly the dual-purpose ride and drive type, combining quality activity, and a spirited yet kindly temperament with a subtle ‘personality’ entirely its own… Viewed from the front, a Cob should display some width of chest and from behind the thighs must be extremely powerful and full – a split up, stilty cob is an abomination. It must walk quickly and collectedly and its trotting paces must be very forceful, free and fast, with every joint in use. It must get away in front with full play of the shoulders, knees well up, then forelegs straightened out and feet brought lightly to the ground, without the slightest tendency to drop upon the heels. The hocks must be flexed vigorously and the hind legs switched electrically beneath the body in order to support the weight, give proper balance, and provide propulsive power. The action should be straight and true all round.” (description of the Welsh Cob by the then secretary of the WPCS in 1928 quoted in Wynne-Davies, 1998: 27)

Horses for courses

The following is a quote from an early 20th century hunting diary referring to hunting in West Wales;

“The ground over which hounds are followed would be impassable to men and horses unaccustomed to it. The compact Welsh cobs used could travel the hills far better than larger horses; usually of Welsh stock and mountain bred, they are stout and hardy creatures which, from their upbringing on the rough hill-sides, are as sure-footed as cats: able to make their way down steeps and over rough places where the big hunter would assuredly come to grief could he be brought to attempt them.”

Click here to hear an interview conducted with local endurance rider Chris Jones about Welsh cobs, endurance and the local landscape.

Tregaron bog seen through Psyche’s ears

A ‘small’ horse shoe, most likely to fit a small pony (Welsh Mountain) found at Strata Florida, dated to the Cistercian period of occupancy.