JJS
Well-Known Member
I've just seen another of the numerous posts on sales sites that advertise a cob crossed with a Friesian, and I simply can't work out why people do it. Although I'm sure there are some lovely mixes out there who buck the trend, I've yet to see one, with most appearing to have oversized heads and oddly long, scrawny necks and bodies. Nor have I seen a single good example of cobs crossed with warmbloods, which seems to be another new fad. I honestly think that these crosses are done simply because cobs are cheap, and warmbloods and Friesians are in vogue right now, making the offspring economical to breed but more marketable when aimed at novice buyers.
Does anyone else see some of the new crosses around and wonder why, or am I the only one? There are lots of fantastic old-fashioned mixes, but the abundance of backyard breeders appear to prefer getting hold of a fashionable stallion and just letting it run with poorly conformed coloured cob mares to get youngsters with no real utility. It all seems rather sad to me, especially for all of the resultant ponies who appear doomed to conformational issues down the line because of a lack of foresight on the parts of those who've bred them.
And no, I'm certainly not a breed purist or a Gypsy Cob hater, as these two prove, so if I've noticed it, I'm sure other people must have too!
Does anyone else see some of the new crosses around and wonder why, or am I the only one? There are lots of fantastic old-fashioned mixes, but the abundance of backyard breeders appear to prefer getting hold of a fashionable stallion and just letting it run with poorly conformed coloured cob mares to get youngsters with no real utility. It all seems rather sad to me, especially for all of the resultant ponies who appear doomed to conformational issues down the line because of a lack of foresight on the parts of those who've bred them.
And no, I'm certainly not a breed purist or a Gypsy Cob hater, as these two prove, so if I've noticed it, I'm sure other people must have too!