can cobs work long and low?

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gable

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I'm a bit miffed.

One of the liveries at our yard sniggered when I said I was trying to encouraged my cob to work longer and lower in trot (got it in walk) and replied ' he is a cob - cob's can't work like that!'

Is she right? I must admit I'm having trouble encouraging him to do it
 
I have a Welsh D/Tb who I "dressage" and show in cob classes, part of every warm up/cool down with him is spent long and low, very helpful to him as he can be quite stiff in his back. So yes, it is definitely possible!
 
Yes they can. In fact it is very good for them. Cobs can tend to work short and tight in the neck. So encouraging them to stretch and lengthen is often exactly what they need.

It hard for them to do though compared to other horses only due to the fact they are built heavily infront so it can be easy for them to fall flat on their face if you know what I mean!!

Keep going. Ignore what others say!
 
I think its fair to say they would prefer not to work like that but it is very good for them if you can get them to do it :) I hate tests with 'trot a circle and allow the horse to stretch' in them.... he just doesn't really get it :D
 
My old girl was an Irish cob with a long neck and back and she did a cracking dressage test! It is harder for the cobs with the shorter necks but they can do it. Ignore the girl at your yard, she sounds a bit narrow minded.
 
Yes they can, Sounds like they are jealous of your lovely cob tbh!
some people can be so snooty!

She will also tell you that he cant work from behind,, jump,, or do flying changes. (yes admitedly some struggle and Cobs are heavy in front - but they can do it!) My 15hh Cob Bruno used to be the talk of the Pony Club Camp when we jumped the 3'ft option with a flying change on the corners! (back in the day) - Oh if only he was 2hh bigger now! :(

Go on, Prove her wrong! :D
 
defnatly :p untill they spook at a leaf and throw you off :p

on a serious note my share pony is much lighter built, a connemara show pony type and still doesnt like stretching down !!
 
try laying a trail of carrots round the school - this usually works for cobs! (joke!)

Seriously, maybe working over trotting poles would help, as he might stretch more due to having to look at the poles. (not very technical but you know what I mean.
 
Cobs can do anything a nice blood horse can do and do it better (oh yes, I have a WB as well).

Joking aside, I have the most unwilling to work cob in the world, and he goes long and low with ease. Tell her to get lost and go and show her how fab your cob is.
 
Working a cob 'long and low' is like nailing a jelly to the ceiling; theoretically I am sure it is possible, but even if you managed the results are not aesthetically pleasing.
S :D
 
What a lot of tosh!

Course cobs can work long and low. In fact, it's the only way they should be worked as folding them into a warmblood outline damages their tracheas!

As for flying changes, Zak and I once did two in a row past a judge. Would be better if it wasn't just a riding club show...

Cobs can do anything a warmblood can do. From the ex-owner of a 14.3 heavyweight coloured gypsy horse who used to get placed at every ONE DAY EVENT he went to! Never lower than 5th out of 30 scabby warmbloods.

Reach for the sky and a cob will take you there!!
 
Harper_Gal said:
What a lot of tosh!

Course cobs can work long and low. In fact, it's the only way they should be worked as folding them into a warmblood outline damages their tracheas!
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hmmm, i think that's a load of tosh too! working a cob in a correct outline doesn't damage anything! both of mine do Medium dressage - there's nothing wrong with either of their tracheas!
 
First - yours are welsh, I'm talking more about gypsy cobs who have a considerably thicker set and shorter neck than most welshes.

Second - I said warmblood outline - that does not necessarily mean it is correct!

I watched a brat from one of the oxbridge unis force a gypsy horse into an outline and then have the nerve to suggest it was unwell as it was choking. She was the one choking it with it's own neck muscle.

Also laryngeal paralysis is a common result of overbending cobs. I've owned one with this condition so my information about working cobs in stupid outlines is very much first hand, not rumours!
 
you're talking to a vet here. laryngeal paralysis has zilch to do with overbending cobs! it's to do with degeneration of the branch of the recurrent laryngeal nerve because it is so much longer than the other side where it has to run round the heart and back.

and if you look at the first pic in my signature - that cob has the thickest jowl going - far thicker than most gypsy cobs. of course they will choke if you yank their heads in beyond the vertical but that doesn't mean cobs should only work long and low!!

and what exactly is a warmblood outline? i've seen plenty of warmbloods going around doing giraffe impressions.
 
so anyway I reckon if I get star to come teach F do go long and low like her ginger (though tbf he is built more like the palo and def doesnt look like the ginger even when he is out hunting!) ......

and trendybraincell to come and teach him to go sideways properly like 'the welsh cob' and not just shimmy....

fihunt can teach him how to go xc cos genie is much much better at it than him...

I might have the perfect welshie cob :)
 
I'd just like to know how to work a cob long & low when he is prone to tipping onto the forehand, and falling over.

I'm sure it should be possible: it just elludes me. :rolleyes:
 
ester said:
so anyway I reckon if I get star to come teach F do go long and low like her ginger (though tbf he is built more like the palo and def doesnt look like the ginger even when he is out hunting!) ......

and trendybraincell to come and teach him to go sideways properly like 'the welsh cob' and not just shimmy....

fihunt can teach him how to go xc cos genie is much much better at it than him...

I might have the perfect welshie cob :)
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IMHO EVERY Welsh cob is perfect! LOL Seriously though Carl Hester says that the long/low stretch is a thing that must be taught and best asked for once they have done a little bit of work - much easier.

And yes my Welsh cobs do stretch quite happily.
 
ester said:
so anyway I reckon if I get star to come teach F do go long and low like her ginger (though tbf he is built more like the palo and def doesnt look like the ginger even when he is out hunting!) ......

and trendybraincell to come and teach him to go sideways properly like 'the welsh cob' and not just shimmy....

fihunt can teach him how to go xc cos genie is much much better at it than him...

I might have the perfect welshie cob :)
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the old pally boy can do long and low as well - he just doesn't find it as easy. he'd far rather ponce around with his head in a proper dressage outline! he finds sideways hard because his legs are a bit short in comparison to the ginger one who has legs to die for :)
 
Naturally said:
I'd just like to know how to work a cob long & low when he is prone to tipping onto the forehand, and falling over.

I'm sure it should be possible: it just elludes me. :rolleyes:
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that's a balance issue. my ginger boy still does it if i try long and low in canter, but it's slowly improving. lots and lots of transitions and only do short periods of stretching down before picking him up again so he doesnt learn to just run himself into the ground.
 
lol rather than go 'you what?' oh and then piss off across the field like today (and we were only in walk) apparently in his world people aren't allowed to be out, in their gardens, in the sunshine, having... shock horror... a converstaion! :mad: :p :eek: I think I love it really.

bless him he does try he just doesnt always get the concept!


eta, yup short legs too, though tbc's I dont think are particularly long and he does lovely sideways!
 
ester said:
lol rather than go 'you what?' oh and then piss off across the field like today (and we were only in walk) apparently in his world people aren't allowed to be out, in their gardens, in the sunshine, having... shock horror... a converstaion! :mad: :p :eek: I think I love it really.

bless him he does try he just doesnt always get the concept!


eta, yup short legs too, though tbc's I dont think are particularly long and he does lovely sideways!
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short legs didn't stop him getting 64% at Medium on his only attempt!

and people having conversations? well at least you found aa reason for the pissing off across the field. normally i'm left wondering what on earth it was as i find myself being teleported sideways or forwards at warp speed!
 
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