It’s horse breed Thursday again and time to meet one of the last four letters of the breed alphabet. Make sure you visit the breeds section where I’ve written pages about every breed I can find.
If you haven’t met the rest of the alphabet, be sure to do so A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V. Today it’s about breeds that start with W, from the Australian Waler which isn’t an officially recognized breed to the Württemberger which was developed in Germany as a heavy coach horse.
The W’s are a pretty big group and definitely one of the most motley crews of the alphabet.
Big Daddy W’s
Almost every letter has a couple of ancient (or at least really old) breeds and I try to share a little about the oldest of each letter. The Japanese Wahsu Horse is one of the most plentiful of the ancient Japanese pony breeds; the grandaddy of the Welsh ponies the Welsh Mountain Pony which was native to Wales prior to the Roman invasion; and the West African Barb is thought to be a degenerate strain of the Barb with Arabian influence.
Personal Favorite W’s
From such a mixed bag it was hard to choose favorites but it’s a labor of love when I get to learn more about them. My first selection hands down was the Welsh Cob which I think it the most handsome (if least pure) section of the Welsh studbook; the Wielkopolski mainly because I have absolutely no idea how to pronounce it; and the Wild horses of the Namib whose origins are a mystery, but their adaptation to their desert home is magnificent.
The Whole List
Here it is, the full list of breeds that begin with W. If I’m missing something, let me know and I’ll add it to my list (don’t want to forget anybody).
Waler
Walkaloosa
Washu Horse
Welara Pony
Welsh Mountain Pony (Secion A)
Welsh Pony (Section B)
Welsh Pony of Cob Type (Section C)
Welsh Cob (Section D)
Weser-Ems Pony
West African Barb
West Norwegian | West Norway | Westland
Western Sudan Pony
Westfalen | Westphalian
Westfalen Pony
Wielkopolski
Wild Horses of the Namib
Württemberger | Württemberg
What’s Your Favorite W?
This week wasn’t a tough one, I’ve always loved the Welsh ponies and they mix so well with cob blood in the Welsh D type. Be sure to leave your favorite W in the comments below then go visit more of the alphabet. A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V.