AT A time of year which is depressing for more reasons than one, it came as light relief to receive the accompanying photograph which had winged its way via the Internet from the other side of the world.

Not only does it remind us of sunnier, warmer times but also the promise of longer day length and new arrivals; this one has its own special story to tell.

The photograph was sent by a longstanding friend, Mark Bullen, whose Imperial Stud in Victoria, Australia, is world renowned for both Welsh mountain ponies and the Welsh Section B. Unusually, he comes from a famous circus family and his early life involved working elephants and a liberty act of Welsh mountain ponies. It was the latter which sparked a special interest in the breed and at an early age he started to breed his own ponies.

Interestingly, his first visit to Britain in 1974 brought him to Scotland where he visited Blair Drummond Safari Park with a view to purchasing bears for the family circus. Armed with a copy of the Welsh Pony and Cob Society Annual Journal, he took the opportunity to visit studs round Britain where he selected the best of breeding to enhance his own stud.

One of his purchases, Kidwell Pipson, was well known to Scottish exhibitors as they had witnessed this Darlington-based colt take championship honours at the Royal Highland from 1967 to 1969. The Scottish connection didn't stop there as his next major purchase was Revel Pye, a senior stallion which had stood at the Persie Stud in Perthshire.

By 1983, his stud was in need of another infusion of new blood and it was to Scotland Mark turned once more when he purchased the yearling colt, Waxwing Herrod, the youngest native pony ever to have qualified for the In Hand Finals at HOYS following his supreme championship at the Royal of England that year.

With a good eye for a pony and insight for bloodlines which work together, Herrod was soon to become Australia's leading sire over a 10 year period. Modesty nearly prevents me from saying that his name is legendary within the Welsh mountain breed Down Under but it's true nonetheless.

For 20 years Herrod was a major influence at the Imperial Stud, however a health problem impeded his fertility so, as a precautionary measure, his semen was collected, frozen and stored. Herrod has long since passed away, however his offspring live on although his last foal was born 12 years ago; the filly foal in the photograph is the first since then. Obviously got by artificial insemination, it highlights the advances in reproductive technology which are no longer considered revolutionary but remarkable nonetheless and certainly unusual within the native pony world.

Prior to his export to Australia, Herrod's fertility was tried and tested at home and, from a small number of offspring, he produced an exceptional colt called Roseisle Pandytudyr for the Milligans from Yetholm. Pandytudyr has become a huge influence in the UK in his own right as an exceptional breeder of leading rein and first ridden ponies with champions in abundance.

Meanwhile, Herrod's full brother, Hurricane, has excelled in exactly the same way producing among others the HOYS mini M and M champions Waxwing Paintbox and Thumbs Up.

The success of this family of ponies reminds us how important it is to breed from stallions and mares of sound temperament as well as conformation and movement. How often have we heard the story that a mare is too difficult, unpredictable or unreliable for competition so she is retired to the breeding paddocks?

While there is no certainty that this type of temperament will be passed on, why risk it when often experience tells us that it often is. Similarly with stallions; it is imperative that stallions are of sound temperament as well as trainable.

Both qualities are assessed in continental Europe before stallions are passed for grading and may be a contributory factor in the success of their breeding programmes. The significant increased incidence of stallions in most competitive disciplines in Britain in recent times speaks volumes for the change in attitude among competitors and breeders alike.

It seems a bit premature to start talking about breeding although we know that Thoroughbred foals will start arriving soon after New Year. The product of that industry comes to fruition so much earlier than most equestrian disciplines although I personally find it a scary thought that 2013 foals are already being backed, or have been backed, with a view to racing early summer. Tradition and finance dictates this practice in a way inconsistent with most equine thinking and it surprises me that it goes unchallenged by groups which champion equine welfare.

We are led to believe that the Thoroughbred matures earlier than the native breeds for example, but does that early maturity bring with it the strength of body and mind to cope with the racing industry into which it is plunged?

I wonder if this is a major contributory factor towards the high culling rate of horses within the industry. Has it been, or could it be, a subject for major research or might the potential findings, uncomfortable as they may be, impede its progress through the funding exercise? I wonder?

Perhaps this is one reason why I am personally drawn to National Hunt racing where youth accounts for few winners and maturity seems to count. Despite the calamities which can occur, watching racing over jumps on a Saturday afternoon, cup of coffee in hand, the central heating turned up and the odd snooze between races, is one of the few visions of heaven that I associate with winter - but roll on spring nonetheless.