Can a cob ever make it to top level dressage (ie grand prix)?

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eatonbraynat

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As above really, just wondering if this is possible and if not grand prix, highest level you think could be reached?

I know it will always be based on all the factors, ie talent and rider, but just wondered?
 
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I'm not sure about a proper hw cob but I'm sure I've heard of a few welsh cobs doing higher level dressage. I was always told that most horses could be taught the movements but it's putting them all together seamlessly that is the difficult part! A good warmblood or similar is going to find everything much easier due to the correct conformation, but it's the willingness to work and desire to learn that makes the top horses. I see no reason why the odd exceptional cob shouldn't make it to the higher levels. Would love to know if anyone has!
 
No offence to cob owners, but a traditional cob is never going to be in the same league as say a warmblood for top level dressage but as has been said, I know some welsh cobs which have competed to high level.
 
maybe, you never know. it's not so much to do with training, but it's the way the horse has put together - a very well bred warmblood can perform the movements a lot easier and nicer than a cob could, just because of the way they are built. it's an interesting concept though.
 
I have a friend who has a Section D at prix st georges level. They have had to work hard to get there, and warmbloods would find it all a lot easier. It's also probably quite intimidating in the warm up!
 
NicoleS_007 said:
Sure theres that huge horse Mr President who looks pretty much like a cart horse doing prix st george?! I think??
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I think so too :D

I don't know whether at that level a judge would mark a cob higher than a warmblood on principal. I know it shouldn't be judged like that but they are only human and I expect they see so many big flashy wbs that a cob doesn't look right.

Am I making sense?
 
I'm sure they could. Google Ketchup the coloured cob or something who can do piaffe and spanish walk etc.

So yes, sure they could if you really tried, but I fail to see why you'd want to tbh. If you want to go to that level, then really get a horse that's bred for it for me personally.
 
But I'd love to see the reaction Binky. I heard a conversation when in the warm up the other day about Len "Oh that's a nice horse" "Hmm. Wasn't built to jump though"

I hope they saw him jump :D

Admittedly we aren't jumping at as high-a-level as we're talking here :p
 
I think Carol Parson's Giddy is 1/4 or 1/2 Shire crossed with TB and she competes at GP.

I *think* Dr Reiner Klimke trained a cob to GP to prove it could be done but I heard that from a friend so don't quote me on it.

This thread is giving me hope though - at least I know we should be able to progress beyond Prelim :-)
 
As previously stated, its things like conformation that hold cobs back. With alot of hard work some maybe able to make that sort of grade but I imagine they are few and far between. A lot people know I have a Welsh Cob that I do dressage with, we're about to make our debut at elementary. He's working medium at home and I hope to take him as high up the grade as he is capable of, but obviously as you get higher up things will get much harder for something thats not built or bred to do that sort of thing
 
My post was eaten by the forum.

I was just wondering, are warmbloods so drastically different in physique to other horse breeds, ie TBs or Lipizzaners? I've seen a photo of a Lipizzaner competing in the Olympics decades ago, but they seem to have fallen entirely out of favour in Grand Prix dressage, despite doing their thing wonderfully in Vienna.
 
Binky01 said:
I'm sure they could. Google Ketchup the coloured cob or something who can do piaffe and spanish walk etc.

So yes, sure they could if you really tried, but I fail to see why you'd want to tbh. If you want to go to that level, then really get a horse that's bred for it for me personally.
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I love my cob to bits and would love to do something major with him, id also love to prove that i could do it and so could he, but really just pondering!! I guess another horse may do it more easily but they wouldnt be my beloved cob now would they!!!!
 
I would say yes it could but sadly and wrongly would be over shadowed by a flashy big moving warmblood. To compete against warmbloods with that 'look at me' wow factor then the cob would have to be very very correct and then hopefully any decent judge would mark for its accuracy over a flashy warmblood that in there eyes looks better but isnt maybe as accurate.
 
In reply to SusannaF if I was being b*t*hy then i would say the Lipizanners have gone out of fashion because they aren't big enough - dressage horses have to be over 18hh doncherno and because judging is based more on flash than correctness.
 
Feel you are being a little dismissive of Mr President. He looks like an old fashioned WB but if you have ever seen him show off his medium trot, you would not be saying he was a cob!

YO has a cob that is competing at Adv Med though she picks her venues as some places will turn up their noses! Cobs have a similiiar "problem" to that of the Andulasians - they find collection very easy but extensions less so.

So if you have a cob that has regular even paces I think you could go quite far..!
 
I think its more that some horses are just generally better suited to different jobs than others and a cob is just not as suited to dressage than say a warmblood. there is no reason a correctly worked cob can't do well at the lower end of dressage but if you really wanted to succeed at dressage would should choose a breed more suited to the job.
 
lillith said:
In reply to SusannaF if I was being b*t*hy then i would say the Lipizanners have gone out of fashion because they aren't big enough - dressage horses have to be over 18hh doncherno and because judging is based more on flash than correctness.
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That's not true, Isabell Werth's Satchmo is hugely successful and yet he is only just over 16hh! He is really tiny!

I think it's more to do with suspension, rhythm, uphillness, and athleticism....all things that WBs are bred to have. [Obviously there are plenty of WBs with flat paces, built downhill etc.etc..not all WBs will excel in a dressage arena!]
 
lillith said:
In reply to SusannaF if I was being b*t*hy then i would say the Lipizanners have gone out of fashion because they aren't big enough - dressage horses have to be over 18hh doncherno and because judging is based more on flash than correctness.
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And the Spanish have won olympic team medals for dressage with an entire team of Andalusians, most of which don't stand more than 16hh. I saw the medals at the School of Equestrian Art in Jerez. They did comment that modern dressage doesn't suit the Iberian horses as much as classic high school dressage as they find collection easier than extension and generally the modern tests place more emphasis on extension.
 
There are cobs, and cobs! A cob with excellent movement and conformation, like Robocob:

robo%20hoys.jpg


is likely to be able to progress a lot further up the dressage levels, than a cob that is croup-high, with straight shoulders and a stuffy stride!
 
Cobs are just not bred for the requirements needed at top-level dressage - they just don't have the register of movements needed. Its not discrimination, my IDxTB certainly doesn't have that either - nor does most warmbloods! Top level dressage horses are almost freaks of nature (though they are of course bred towards this so not so much "freakiness" involved).

Saying that, trainability and willingness will get you far - but for the very top level, physical talent is necessary.
 
The bog-standard, everyone seems to have one, badly bred "gypsy cob"..the hairy monsters that should be pulling a dray type of "Cob" wouldn't be capable of doing a decent Dressage test because they are not made to move forwards..instead are designed to pull carts..so are stuffy in front...and tend to be croup high.

True Cobs such as Welsh Cobs that have an exaggerated movement would be far more suited to Dressage.
 
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