[Ed Note: Mrs. John Mountain, past president of the WPSCS and a moving force in the breed today, is breeder of the Twyford ponies, daughter of the late breeder of the Clan ponies, and editor of the Society’s yearly journal from which the accompanying photos come.]

Anyone appointed to a Judges’ Panel should be thoroughly familiar with the breed standard and description laid down by the relevant Society. There is not space to print the entire descriptions of the Welsh Breeds here, so I shall try to pick out those points which are particularly characteristic of them.

The most important point in these descriptions is that there is a marked similarity in the requirements for all Sections, and if you study a really good example of each sort lined up together this is noticeable. It shines through as their "Welsh-ness" showing their common ancestry, and it is something that should never be allowed to disappear.

When judging a breed, conformation and correctness of limb and movement, of course, play quite a large part in one’s final decision. But it is the marrying of these things with Breed Character and Type that is often the most difficult part. Every judge has his personal ideal in his mind. Probably none, or certainly very few, go about their judging in exactly the same way. Quite often the final placings are the same, or very nearly so.

The set of head on the neck is very important. This is one of the things that a Welsh Mountain Pony needs to give it that typical head carriage and balance that is one of its most beautiful points. Shoulders strong and well laid back to keep a saddle in the right place. Back well coupled, strong with a good length of quarter. Then that very great characteristic of a Welsh Mountain Pony – a tail set well up and gaily carried.

Deep through the girth, on short, strong limbs with good feet. Many young ponies take time to let down and deepen, particularly if they have grown a lot. One makes allowances for this, but an adult must have depth. Bone, I think, is very important, because it is such a characteristic of the breed. It must be of adequate quantity – hard an flat with short cannon bones. A well-formed knee and a well made, clean hock, nice and low to the ground are of great importance, as are feet of good size and shape that will stand up to some work.

With the ever-increasing demand for leading rein and first ponies the Welsh Mountain is in a happy position to fulfill this need. I hope though that breeders will not go all out for this and forget that strength and quality do go together. Quality is sometimes mistaken for lightness of bone only.

This leads us to movement. I am often asked whether the "knees up" variety or the "daisly cutting" sort are correct for the Welsh Mountain Pony. My answer is neither! The action should be free and active. In front the leg should come up and then out from the shoulder. Behind, the hocks should really work balancing the pony and propelling it forward. I dislike an animal whose knee comes up but whose foot never gets out farther than its knee, as much as those whose forefeet come forward from underneath, just above the ground. Both sorts usually leave their hind legs behind them too, which makes for an ugly and unbalanced picture. So often too, when one stands behind the pony and watches it move away the hocks do not flex enough and hind feet turn out. Movement sometimes can be improved by careful attention to feet and shoeing; and if anyone wants more "hackneyfied" action, or that exaggerated "straight out in front" sort, that is manmade!

My aim when judging a class of Welsh Mountain Ponies is to try to find first and foremost a pony which is typical of the breed, with that characteristic expression. There is no more beautiful pony in the world.

Much of what I have said regarding conformation applies equally to the other three types of Welsh. In discussing these I will confine myself more to the difficulties one has when judging them.

(Section ‘B’ in the Stud Book, not exceeding 13.2h)

These have been much criticised in recent years for the diversity of type among them. I have every sympathy with breeders who aim to get them as near as possible to the height limit of 13.2h and of a type to compete in open Riding Pony classes. They are very marketable animals too. But, if one is going to judge a BREED class, the standard for that breed must be adhered to. With careful, selective breeding it should not be impossible to produce an animal of top class riding type, which still retains its Welsh characteristics. Do not forget that a top class 12.2 is almost as valuable as a 13.2, and Welsh blood has already proven itself in the 12.2 classes. With this in mind I often wonder why a Section ‘A’ stallion of real riding conformation is not more frequently used on some of the Section ‘B’ mares.

Personally, I wish that all Welsh Ponies, when in their own class or those for mixed Mountain and Moorland Breeds, should be shown unplaited, and with heels and tails untouched apart from ordinary tidying up.

The description for this Section says that they should be as the Section ‘A’s’, with a difference of height, and with emphasis on riding qualities. It may have been a slight warning (or a glance into the future?) that it also specified pony character, adequate bone and substance, hardiness and constitution.

So, you stand in the middle of the ring and watch your Welsh Ponies enter. I must admit that my heart has often sunk at this moment, for many times they have been from 11.2 to 13.2h and of every type imaginable, from one that could be a rather stuffy Section ‘A; up to a 13.2h who, on looks, could be predominantly of Thoroughbred or Arab blood. When this happens I try very hard to first find those that most closely resemble the Stud Book description. Quite often there may be only one or two that do. Then one is left with the awful task of the other placings. Sometimes I have had to leave some very lovely ponies low down, putting far less valuable ponies above them, but this is a class for a breed so Welsh Ponies must be found. I must say as a breeder that this is only common sense. You must have your true to type Welsh Ponies as a breeding foundation. It is quite easy to get them finer and more glamorous, but very hard to put true type and substance back into them once it has been lost.

(Section ‘C’ in the Stud Book, not exceeding 13.2h)

(Section ‘D’ in the Stud Book, no height limit.)

Many people think of the cob as a heavy, gallumping animal, rather like a war-horse. This is not so at all. A good cob is an animal of great quality with the balance and activity that is so noticeable in the Mountain Pony. They must have plenty of bone, the right sort too. The coat is fine and they should have a lot of presence. They should be compact and strong, and never common.

Probably the most usual points to criticize when judging them are a coarseness in head, and in limbs and feet. They should have bone like flint and feet to stand up to the work for which they have always been notable. Their heads should have a pony look.

In everything I have written above about judging I have assumed that straightness of movement is taken for granted. In Welsh Cob classes, particularly in Wales, one sees many yearlings shown with quite heavy shoes. Most of them move like a child wearing its father’s boots. For my own interest, I have followed the progress of some of these youngsters through the two and three-year-old classes in later years and, sadly, the majority of them end up throwing their feet about in all directions. Their joints suffer as well and by the time they are four many sets of limbs are showing great signs of wear. Man has a lot to answer for!

The Welsh Breeds are now enjoying tremendous popularity. We as breeders or judges of them have a great responsibility to ensure that there is no falling off from the high standard of the best animals.