are cobs stronger than ponies? an online experiment

puddicat

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OK how sad am I. Following on from the NL discussion on how much a horse can carry I'd like to do an online experiment to estimate how much stronger cobs are than ponios of the same size.

Anyone who has a tape measure and access to a cob or pony with clean legs (no feathers or lots of hair - wrong time of year I know) and known height can take part. All you have to do is measure the circumference of your cob's/ponio's front cannon bones midway between the middle of the knee and the middle of the fetlock - look heres a photo:
horsey.jpg

So measure at point C which is supposed to be midway between A (middle of the knee looking from the front and B (middle of the fetlock looking from the side). Then post BOTH the circumference measurements for R and L legs, the animal's height to the whithers stood on a flat surface with the topline of its neck horizontal, and whether it is a weight-carrying cob or a pretty ponio in your opinion.

If anyone actually replies and we get several ponio/cob measurements for same sized animals then I'll have a go at working out the answer.
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fairhill

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Here's one for you to figure out... although I suspect she'll be too big to include in your experiment:
Height: 15.2 hh
Legs: 12" (R and L)

Would love to say she's a pretty girl, but she's definitely an ugly weight carrying cobster-type.
 

Theresa_F

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Will take measurements for Chancer - you will have to allow a cm or so as he does have feather, but I'll pull the tape tight.

Cairo is not really a cob type being a clydie, but if you want, I am happy to do him as well.

Won't be until Thursday night I can do this - having a couple of well earned days off with them on full livery.
 

shellonabeach

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Pony

14.2

Front legs both 19cm

Currently weighs 445kg

Carries me which is quite a lot more than he'll work out at but he obviously has no problems as he still wants to go everywhere fast!
 

puddicat

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thanks everyone - Beany, anything cob-size would be good!

how do you work out from that measurment how much they can carry?

Good question
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Well I can PM you the detailed argument if interested but basically it works on an assumption that strength is related to the cross sectional area of the bone. Area can be obtained from the circumference using a formula A = C^2/4*pi. So the ratio of the areas for pony:cob gives you an indication of the ratio of strengths. There's a bit more to it than that but I'll save it for later!!!
smile.gif

 

Irishcobs

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Gypsy. 15.1hh cob. Right- 8 3/5", Left- 8 3/4.

Hattie. 15.3hh cob. Bang on 10" of bone of both.

Can do the pony at work tomorrow. Though not sure if it will work as she is just 4 and supposed to be 16+hands but didn't grow. She 14.3hh at the mo.
 

flyingfeet

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Just to add a random comment to this thread:

I am convinced that arabs are stronger than cobs. We had a little 14.3hh who carried my father all day and was still bouncing around on 3 legs (as arabs do).

She couldn't jump for toffee and was generally not terribly good at anything other than endurance (and looking pretty), but had legs like iron and unlike our old cobs, never had any tendon problems.
 
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