By Audrey Panno
The winsome Welsh Pony and Cob! We are celebrating these ponies as our September Breed of the Month on YourDressage!
Did you know that dressage riders who choose a Welsh Pony or Cob as their dressage mount are eligible for special awards through the Adequan®/USDF All-Breeds Awards program, as the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America, Inc. is a participating organization?
Here, a young rider from Region 6 shares how she met her “once-in-a-lifetime” pony, and how he has brought her smiles and joy even after retiring from the show ring.
In 2018, my Welsh Pony, Tide Creek Fergus, came into my life and changed it for the better. I was 8 years old when we got him, and he has made me the rider I am today; now, at 14, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without Fergus.
We weren’t seriously looking for a new horse at the time, but when the cutest little sales pony showed up at my barn, it was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. I was a very nervous rider, and Fergus was as bombproof as they come, so we took a chance and hoped he could help me gain some confidence. We bought him as a seven-year-old, and he had close to no dressage training, but lots of trail miles. My pony before him, who was also a Welsh Pony, was only 12.1 hands, and Fergus is 13.3 with an incredibly wide and stocky build, so at that time, he seemed huge to me. I was very nervous around him at first; he was kind of pushy on the ground, and being new to me, I wasn’t so sure of him. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for him to really grow on me, and for me to realize the incredible pony that he is.
Fergus turned out to be such a confidence booster for me, and even after just a few months of having him, it was easy to tell that I was a whole lot more comfortable, and I was doing things that I wouldn’t have done before. Fergus has taught me so much as a rider, and though I had to work for what I wanted, he managed to keep riding so fun. He was not afraid to tell me if I was doing something wrong and has always kept me honest in my riding. Over the years, we have done a lot of learning together, and with both of us having little dressage knowledge in the beginning, our journey definitely had some challenges. However, it made our small wins so much bigger and more rewarding.
I feel like our partnership really flourished in 2020 when we couldn’t show, and I got to take a step back and have fun with him. I discovered how much fun he is to ride bareback, which, to this day, is still my favorite thing to do. Fergus has the most fun and lively personality, which really shines when we have fun together. Over that year, Fergus and I gained a lot of trust in each other, so when the 2021 show season came around, we both came out feeling better than ever and were ready to be competitive as a team. That year, we participated in our first Great American Insurance Group/USDF Regional Dressage Championships, where we competed at Training Level, as well as the USEF/USDF Dressage Seat Medal Semi-Finals. Sometimes, in our practice at home, Fergus would need a little convincing to do the work, but at shows, that pony would always show up for me.
Although we didn’t get to take home first in our Training Level class, Fergus had no trouble holding his own against all the big horses, and he always wins first place in my book. We did, however, win the Dressage Seat Equitation 13 & Under, and qualified for the USEF Dressage Seat Medal Finals, all thanks to Ferg being the best steady boy. Fergus is so easy to have fun on, and he is the type of pony where if I am having fun, he is having fun.
In 2022, we made the jump to First Level, as well as put in the work to improve my equitation for the Dressage Seat Medal Finals, which were to be held during the US Dressage Festival of Champions in Wayne, Illinois. Fergus made practicing easy and knew his job was to just be steady and listen. In August, we made the trek from Washington to Illinois with Ferg in the trailer, acting like this was something he normally did. At Festival, Ferg really showed up and did his very best, which is all I can ever ask from him, and even put us in the top ten. That will forever be my favorite memory and greatest achievement with him.
That year, we also started our tradition of taking the horses to ocean shores every year. So far, we have gone three times, and I’m sure Ferg looks forward to it every year, just like I do. He immediately fires up as soon as we get onto the sand, and cantering down the beach with him is just the best feeling; he can make those little pony legs go fast! Fergus never fails to make me laugh or smile, and everybody who meets him falls in love with his cute little pony self. He has gained quite the big Region 6 fan club, and we are forever grateful for everyone’s support.
2023 was our bittersweet last show season together, and I definitely made the most of it. We even put together a really cute First Level Freestyle to the Spice Girls and Whitney Houston, which was a big hit! In addition to our freestyle, we showed First Level, where we were really competitive and comfortable. I did bring him out once or twice at Second Level, but he very politely told me that wasn’t a route he wanted to go. Regardless, we had a blast together and made improvements at every show.
When Regional Championships came around in the fall, Fergus felt the best he had ever felt, and he tried his absolute heart out – I think he knew it was our last show together. Although we didn’t place the best or score at the top, I had already won by being on the pony that I love. Riding victory laps on Fergus has always felt so magical, and doing our last lap together was extra special. He is one of a kind.
Fergus is now living his best life at home, where he has lived since 2021. Even though I am not competing with him, our adventures together still continue – we go on lots of trail rides, trips to the beach, and much more. What is truly so special is seeing him teach another little girl about the ropes of dressage and horsemanship, just as he taught me.
I would highly recommend a Welsh Pony to anybody; they are such a versatile and well-rounded breed with so much to give. Fergus is my once-in-a-lifetime pony who has made me fall in love with dressage and shown me how amazing of a relationship I can have with a horse. I am so grateful for the people who helped Ferg and me on our journey throughout the years; it definitely wouldn’t have been possible without them. I love seeing him teach other kids and be the golden pony that he is… Fergus is the little pony that could.
