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

When I tell people my boy is KWPN they look at me like I'm some kind of idiot. He's a proper "old fashioned" warmblood with lots of Gelderlander in his breeding. And he looks like one. Definitely NOT a carthorse, though ;)
 
Great post and a really good debate!

Firstly, I have a Welsh Cob (a 16hh one) and a tb/warmblood so I know and love both breeds. Both horses are accurate in their movements, balanced and are lovely to ride. The tb/wb gets better marks because he looks so beautiful and flashy. My Welshie is so gorgeous but he has a rather straight, inexpressive movement. For lower levels, I don't mind being mixed in with the others but he will always get lower marks because his movement just isn't as good.

I quite like the idea of having a cob GP :D My boy would never even vaguely get there but it's a good thought.
 
A cob can be created very nicely from the animal in the rough,using clippers etc,now I love a proper show type cob; they used to be described as a "confidential cob"..that is a suitable handy and trustworthy hunting conveyance for the older gentleman.I do NOT care ,however for "traditional" cobs with all that hair,it makes my clipper fingers itch.The best show types are often I.D.XConnie,a really useful animal. Dressage?? Salad dressing ain`t it:D:D
 
EAST KENT said:
A cob can be created very nicely from the animal in the rough,using clippers etc,now I love a proper show type cob; they used to be described as a "confidential cob"..that is a suitable handy and trustworthy hunting conveyance for the older gentleman.I do NOT care ,however for "traditional" cobs with all that hair,it makes my clipper fingers itch.
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Quite agree.
 
i dont see why not, it would have to be an exceptional cob, but there are very few GP horse on the scale of things so all exceptional :)
my lovely, wonderful cloud had good movement, held herself in a natural outline and was very willing, and had she escaped navicular could have done very well with more training and time.
definatly not GP level so not really the best example i suppose but not all cobs are cart horses ;) and yes, she was however, her long back and short neck could have held her back compared to a better put together animal,say anothrt cob ;) but thats the same with all breeds.
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not saying from this picture that she is grand prix level, far from it, but not a carthorse either ;)
depends on the cob, for me ;)
a really outstanding one could, i think :)
however, there is so much predjudice, they will always find it harder :rolleyes: same with little ones, my 13.2hh share pony is a good little dressage pony, but against the big flashy horses, she sometimes doesnt get a look in!
 
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I think a lot of the "prejudice" against non-warmbloods is exaggerated. Plenty of cobs do well at low level dressage.
The current nation dressage champion has mostly thoroughbred blood, not warmblood. Doesn't seem to have done him much harm against the "flashy" warmbloods ;)

I like cobs. If a cob ever makes it to GP dressage I will be absolutely astounded as it would be a complete freak of nature. You wouldn't really see a Highland doing GP either, would you.
 
marmalade76 said:
Sorry, but arnt Gelderlanders popular in carriage driving therefore making them cart horses?
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No, they were bred as an alround horse, who then became flashy enough to pull rich people's carriage, for example they are the Dutch royal family's horse of choice. They also contributed greatly to the KWPN Dutch warmblood, aalong with the Gorningen. A cart horse is an Ardennes, I own one of those as well, and Shires. They are great and are worth their weight in gold.

I believe that the DWB got its paces from the Gelderlander, think Mr President. And as someone else said you often get DWB with a lot of Gelderlander blood.

As for cobs doing dressage, why not? If you want to go ahead.
 
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