Confused?? HW Cob!!!..Go Or Stay?

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sbennison

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Been browzing for a while :-) so thought i would ask all you helpful people your advice.

About 5 months ago i sold warmblood due to wanting a more cobby type horse to do show cob classes and working hunter with. and then went on to buy a hw 15.2 cob gelding who was a bit of a project when bought as he was only a hack 1-2 times a week if that but the owner assured me that he has been schooled before and i spoke with the vet and the riding school it was confirmed all was well and it was the owners lack of time why he was just hacked occasionally. Bearing in mind he was 14 rising 15 when bought which did put me off a bit but he was in good health and stunning paces when hacked so i thought why not anyway.. As you do when i bought him home i done the usual hacked first hills ect to get him fit and then eventually started to school him but in the school he is really lazy and ploddy and he does jump but just hops over it no effort but then when you take him out hacking his paces are nice and he is responsive as thats where he is happy... and if he is schooled for more than 20 mins he gets bored and nappy which results in him trying to run back to the gate and the odd buck. All has been checked..

Now my question is what to do i really want to get out there and do a few local shows but i really feel that he has had enough of the schooling side of things with him being 15 and been in a riding school for 3 years before his previouse owner but he loves hacking and is a good lad on roads too i do hack but only 1-2 a week with my husband & his mare and feel if i keep him i will just have to resort to hacking which i dont enjoy as much as schooling. Do you think he would be happy sold as a Hack/Fun Ride?.. Or keep and not show?

Thank you all for reading - Tea & Biscuits for all ill just put the kettle on lol!! Xxx
 
You might find he perks up in the show ring! I know a number of cobs that HATE the school but look completely different out and about.
 
to be honest you've answered your own question, you dont really like to hack and prefer to school, while hes happiest hacking and hates being in the school, so maybe he would be better off and you would be too if he was with some one who hacked him alot, but then you never know if he will perk up once he gets in the show ring
 
I thought that too as my friends cob is that same but he does not like even being in the school with another horse he thinks he should follow them.. and bucks/nappy if i ask him to go in a diffrent direction so thinking he may be the same in the ring? xx
 
:):) our horses are supposed to be a pleasure and cost a lot to keep. if your love is schooling and showing and hacking only is not your idea of fun, then he needs to go so you can find your ideal horse.....even though he is a bit older lots of people would love to have a nice safe hacking horse so you should have no probs selling him. he sounds as if he would love that so you will be keeping both of you happy!!!!:D:D
 
Try the show ring first, my cob was horrid in the school (like yours, lazy, nappy, etc) but always used to perform in the show ring so I did most of my schooling out hacking which he loved. He was always better jumping at a show or XC than at home too.
 
Splashgirl45 - thats my husband keeps saying that he wants me to have a horse too do what i want as im on a livery too and he has his mare too so cost a bit.

Prickyflower - I think ill give it a go at a local show in a couple of week my fear is that he makes a complete prat of me being nappy :-(..

I just cant bring myself to advertise him but if i do i will be making sure he has the perfect home as i love him lots... :-) xx
 
Surpose i worry to much about what people think which is why im posting here with me having selling my warmblood and now selling my cob worry people will start bitching about me at the yard :-(!! xxx
 
fihunt said:
You might find he perks up in the show ring! I know a number of cobs that HATE the school but look completely different out and about.
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That's what I wondered?

You could also school and jump him when out hacking so you'll both be getting what you want. :)
 
awww did you read my post couple of weeks ago about my 15.3hh HW cob, this is basically my same story. I have sold now. I dont regret it because I know hes gone some where where he will be happy.
 
He sounds just like my cob!!! I think they are very intelligent horses and he is just bored rigid. Try taking him to local shows - I bet he will rise to the occasion. Mind loved doing cob showing, and when he realised that mum had put his pelham and double bridle on as opposed to his snaffle, he lit up. Also, we did some prelim dressage and he got very lit up when he saw the white boards and letters. Luckly for me, if he is like this, its not difficult to channel his energy into something positive. He used to grow to 16.3hh, from his 14.3hh, and seemed to develop dressage horse paces. We also got nice comments about his 'presence' and what a super little horse he was.
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Another thing to try is hunting. This totally transformed him. He has never been what I would call a total novice ride, but he is safe. After taking him hunting several times his personality was totally different. He was very forward going and responsive. I find taking him hunting a few times a year does the trick, it just seems to make him 'smile' and he's a different horse once the season has started. Also doing any schooling out hacking - I hardly ever school in the arena, unless its the middle of winter and dark after work. To him, hacking is great fun and he adores it, he hardly notices that mum has asked him to leg yield down the path, or that we are doing transitions along a country lane. He;s also been to PC camp and rallies - he loves it.

Good luck with him, I think they are very undervalued, versatile little horses. I will never, ever part with mine, he's for life.
 
I think because you're undecided you ought to try some options first. Nothing wrong with selling horses, it's better for him if he goes to a hacking home only if that's what he'd prefer, rather than staying with you and you getting frustrated that he won't do the things you want to do.

I'm sure there are plenty of people out there that would love the opportunity to have a safe hack.

Take him to the show and try and have some fun, if he is nappy then it will make your decision a bit easier :) good luck and let us know how you get on!
 
I would be inclined to take him to a show to see how he goes since you are obviously fond of him. At least then you'll know. Don't worry about him not behaving - we've all been there!
If he really isn't going to do the job, then you should sell him to someone like me who loves pottering around the countryside. If you have fields to ride in then schooling in a field sometimes seems less like work to some horses and you can practise transitions, shortening /lengthening, leg yielding etc. anywhere.
I have an ex RS pony and she loathes and despises the school, looks miserable, moves like a clockwork toy and will tank to the gate at any opportunity. I don't bother now as we both like hacking and she is a really perky wee girl out and about. Perfect match.
Good luck and hope you work things out so both of you are happy.
 
Agree with Theory that a spot of hunting might liven him up and make him more willing in his other work. A decent safe cob will always sell no matter how old so you still have time to try a few options before selling on - he may just surprise you :D
 
Thank you this forum has some lovely helpful people on it like said below i will try taking him to a local show and see how we get on :-)

I have also tried schooling while out hacking but he is very cleaver and knows what your doing so still gets nappy but he does love to pop a few small jumps logs whilst out hacking. He is really weird because he will walk trot and canter on the bit perfect if we are just going forward but as soon as i turn him in circles like schooling he hates it.

I would try hunting but its not my thing - ( dont think im brave enough haha ).

Will update you on how we get on hopefully that what will make my decision.

Thanks Again Everyone xxx
 
He is really weird because he will walk trot and canter on the bit perfect if we are just going forward but as soon as i turn him in circles like schooling he hates it.
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That worries me - have you really have the vet out to do a lameness investigation? Being reluctant on a bend is classic sign of hock problems, along with a couple of other things.

If you want to do a lot more schooling and he hates it, selling him will make both of you happier - he can do a job he enjoys and you can get a horse who enjoys what you're wanting to do.
 
If i were you, i'd try showing him once or twice, and if you are still not happy, then sell him as a happy hack. seems you really like showing, so theres no point in keeping him unless he can do what you want to, unless you can afford to keep him as a hack!!!!
 
My cob hages the school as well. She'll tolerate it for a lesson once a fortnight - but any more and she's just horrible.
So we school while hacking. Lateral work between tractor wheel tracks, transitions using lamposts as markers, circles are done on flat grassy ground. And then we move on and find somewhere else before she starts to get fed up.
Her balance has improved because the surfaces are not perfectly even, and we both get what we want.
Again, in the showring, she's a lot better.
 
Sell him to a happy hacking home and make yourself and him happy.I had an exriding school once and he hated the school.Sold him to a hacking home.In my experience oflivery yards they bitch anyway and the more successful you are the more they bitch.
 
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