82 Breeds of Horses 



towards the nostrils, which should be wide and open, long neck; 

 short back, with quarters well up; long to the hock; long forearm; 

 short cannon bones and pasterns, with long wavy silken feather. 

 These points apply equally well to the Welsh cob, the main 

 difference being one of height. 



These ponies are in great demand by English buyers, who 

 use them for riding and driving, or keep them for show purposes, 

 where they often win great fame. Others use them as foundation 

 stock for breeding Hackney ponies, and for this purpose they are 

 unrivalled. Many a London winner bred in this way has been 

 picked up at a comparatively low figure at the Welsh sales and 

 shows. For breeding Polo ponies, again, they are excellent. To 

 say that thirty per cent of the Polo ponies bred in this country 

 have Welsh blood in them would probably be no exaggeration. 



Their suitability for such a variety of purposes is not without 

 its disadvantages, and the scarcity of mares of the old Welsh stamp 

 is already felt. Welsh farmers would be well advised to use their 

 best mares for breeding pure-bred specimens, for which there will 

 be an increasing demand as time goes on. The soil and climate 

 of Wales suits the pure breed, and the natural system of breeding 

 adopted ensures that stamina and endurance which is its special 

 feature. 



3, 4. THE WELSH COB 



The two cob sections may well be taken together, as the only 

 difference which exists between them is one of height. 



Much as the lowland pony has done to ensure popularity for 

 the light horses of Wales, the reputation of Welsh horses of this 

 class is chiefly to be attributed to the strength, courage, and en- 

 durance of the Welsh Cob. At home cobs begin to give a return 

 for their keep in their third year, and they may be seen doing 

 saddle and carriage work in addition to all kinds of farm work. 

 This variety of purposes for which they are adapted and used 

 accounts perhaps for their extraordinary muscular development. 

 It is not by any means an unusual sight to see two cobs drawing 

 a plough, or a mowing machine, and on the hill farms they are 

 even preferred to heavier animals. 



In the absence of any records their origin must always 

 remain a matter of conjecture. The generally-accepted view is 

 that the Welsh Cob and the old Welsh cart horse are closely allied, 

 and a cross between mares of the latter breed and Mountain Pony 

 stallions, with a certain amount of subsequent grading up, resulted 

 in the evolution of the cob, Farmers who cultivate land adjoining 



