Do you...

Irishcobs

Irishcobs

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Have a preconceived view on how good a rider someone is on the type of horse they ride?

For example, I own and ride cobs and I tend to get people saying I can't ride because I ride cobs. But actually cobs are one of the hardest types of horses to ride. When I ride my bosses eventers no one has ever said I can't ride them. The difference is the type of horse nothing else.
And on here, if I post post pics of my riding I get a couple of people that will reply but compared to someone posting pics of a WB type they got lots. Ok maybe they are more popular than me, but it does make you wonder, if I posted pics of me riding a WB how many of you would post a reply when you don't because I ride a cob?
 
I think it's the idea that cobs are 'safe conveyances'. They might be 'difficult' to ride in order to produce the best out of them and get them to perform up to their maximum capabilty but the general impression is one of 'safety'.

Larger performance horses have a reputation of being more tricky to get the best out of them (and as they are generally tall horses it's a lot further to the ground if you fall off).

To be fair to what you are saying - put in another way. If you were recommending a novice what to buy as a first horse - would you tell them to buy a cob or a competition warmblood ????

Most people would say a cob given that question.

There is one total reason why I would never own a cob - they just don't WALK and personally I cannot stand a horse that won't walk out (and my choice of a mount is a 7/8th or 15/16th TB as they walk). I also have a hip problem and find that I need a 'narrow' horse to ride and so a wide cob just won't do.

Again - horses for courses.

Perhaps you should post some photos riding your bosses WBloods or just post under the title of me riding X without giving breeding.

Personal opinion as well is that a lot of cobs are 'coloured' and I cannot stand 'coloured' horses to the point that I would turn away a livery if they owned one !!!
 
riding a cob WELL is difficult (and yes I've done it but it was a black shire cross and he was gorgeous and I was a lot younger) and you have to be fit.

However a lot of people only see cobs ridden ploddy and not asked to do much other than plod. So their image is of plodding

Same beef for me with a different focus - why is it that adults riding ponies are looked down on ?

Similar problem

It's like you have to be only half a rider 'cos you aren't on a 17hh warmblood and are riding a pony instead
 
I agree with you about the safety issue.
To get a cob to work well takes some riding.
Sadly both of mine are big heavy coloured cobs so I think most people would be able to tell what breed they are.
 
Does this look ploddy??
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Sometimes I wish she was, like on pleasure rides when she is trying to catch up with the horses in front!

Joking aside though, I did buy her because I wanted a safe quiet horse - which she was when I bought her thin and out of condition, and why I went for a cob!
 
L I know for a fact I could not ride your two anywhere near as well as you do. Ignore the fact some people think cobs are easy - anyone who can get flexion and bend in those big necks deserve applause!
 
I tend to post more on a horse I like - I prefer TB's to cobs for example so obviously Id show more interest in them. I guess thats what applies to most people?

I dont judge someone by what they ride though
 
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I tend to post more on a horse I like - I prefer TB's to cobs for example so obviously Id show more interest in them. I guess thats what applies to most people?

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Yes I agree, I prefer TB's to cobs so I tend to go by the 'if you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all' rule.

Irishcobs I would reckon most riders will have ridden a cob at some point, and therefore know what they feel like to ride. Why don't you do a poll about it?
 
QR
I hear you on this one.

I have had a couple of people ride out with me at the yard who have commented that they thought Bert was a plod to ride and having either ridden with me or seen him misbehaving have had to admit they made a presumption.

IMO cobs take a lot of working, can often be stubborn and bloody strong. I would only feel happy on a cob though, I think the amount of leg I am used to using would crush a finer horse
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For all the quirks of a cob I have found that they can be more forgiving and the smaller indiscretions on my part can be overlooked, this however does not make them easy.

Stopping Bert when he is on one is near on impossible....has a neck and shoulder like a wall and a back end that will spring up when your not looking LOL
 
Hmm....interesting theory but I don't think people judge anyones riding because of what type of horse they choose to ride.

I think perhaps more people who come on here have something other than cobs; so perhaps they find these other horses attractive and maybe don't see this in the pictures of the cobs posted? Having said that, Patches seems to get loads of replies to her photos posted and she owns a cob and she is often complimented on how well she rides.....so that sort of blows that theory out of the window.

If you posted a picture of you on a WB and the horse appealed to me, then yes I would reply. If I didn't like the look of it, no I probably wouldn't. Having been on this site for a little while I generally know what type of horses everyone has, so if they post in the Gallery I know what I am expecting to find. There are a few horses on here that I absolutely love to view, however I often don't reply because someone else has said what I think. Generally the only time I reply is because the horse looks SO stunning or has changed beyond recognition.

I have had one cob in my life - I found her quite unexciting and slow, even though she wasn't really slow for her, but she was in comparison to my QH's.

I think it is all down to what people like really. Most know that you have cobs, most know that I have QH's.....so anyone who doesn't like cobs or QH's wouldn't be interested in either of our posts LOL!!
 
QR.

Sadly cobs do seem to have got a rep for being ploddy.

I well remember an ex YO riding mine for the first time....she had just got off her flashy 5 year old warmblood. She rode my cob with the same aids as her horse and within 2 minutes was on the deck. Her wb required a lot of leg to get extention so she tried digging her heels in my cob. he goes off the lightest squeeze so didnt take kindly, got to the long side of the arena and took off with me yelling 'take your leg off'. Poor YO got beyond the point of hanging on so cob bucked her off.

Had her motivation to ride him not been just to show off I would have been sympathetic but she certainly didnt get anything more than sniggers when her arse went black and blue.

That changed her attitude I can tell you! She never asked to ride him again.

Some cobs are incredibly light and are particularly good at collection and extention, they also have one heck of a gallop. And talk about jump!!! I admit some look braindead and take 20 minutes to get half a mile but you cant tar them all with the same brush.
 
Mmm, thats an interesting one... I think some people do, infact most people do but I wouldn't think that people who ride cobs are worse riders at all.

I do on the other hand think that people who have "ex-racers" *think* they are better riders than people with any other horse - not really sure why though?
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from my experience of cobs - or even more chunky chaps or gals they wear you out a lot more to get them working properly! I think they tend to be a bit less sensitive so lots more pulling together and leg involved - urrg, making me tired just thinking about it!
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I think there is truth to both sides of your theory IC.

I would be the first to say that Patches is a super safe ride. She is, totally suitable for a beginner to go out and hack, walk trot and canter on. Heck she must be as I'm not much more than a beginner and I've never come off her! (I shouldn't tempt fate eh?)
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However, whilst she's a safe ride, no one would say she's an easy ride. By that I mean to get a decent tune out of. Whether that's down to my riding, schooling or the type of horse she is I'm not sure. Quite possibly a mixture of all three.

However, yes, people do think cobs are horses bought by beginners who will "move up to a REAL horse" when they are good enough. I love the feeling of confidence that Patches gives me, and quite simply I love her too. Must admit though, I've ridden a thoroughbred and I absolutely adored her length of stride and the way she covered the ground. She was a joy to ride, even though she was bouncing around.
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Having said that, I am guilty of turning my nose up at some of the really woolly, hairy cobs around here. Compared to them, Patches doesn't seem quite so chunky. Can't abide to see unkempt horses. I love full feather and mane on other people's horses when it's kept clean. I just wouldn't be seen out on a horse with mud hanging from every woolly extremity.
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I think you have a very valid point Irish Cobs. I own a 16.3hh Warmblood and everyone on my new yard treats me as though I am just as good as them. Actually, I am not as good a rider as most of them but my horse makes me look better than I am. Thank you Ollie!

However, I used to ride a DalesX mare and it may just have been the yard I was on then, but there were one or two people who wouldn't even give me the time of day. They were Warmblood & ISH riders so I can only asssume that my horse didn't live up to their standards? Funny thing is that my current horse knocks spots off theirs with both his looks and way of going so it would be interesting to see if I was suddenly their new "best friend" if I moved back to that yard.
 
I think part of the reason is, with a lot of cobs you can't just 'sit and look nice' (not saying you can with WB's but with them, once they are going they go, if you see what I mean?) with a lot of cobs you do occasionaly have to work a lot which sometimes makes you look less tidy as a rider. Personally I love my cob and after the display he gave me cantering through a field the other day, I would most definitely say not to tar all cobs with the same brush!
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He doesn't always go 'fast' BUT when he wants to he can't half shift! its such good fun to experience when he steps up a gear (soooo nearly overtaking ex-racers before now
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People do look down a little when you say you have a cob
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I tell non horsey friends of mine I have a cob and they immediatley ask for a ride as he is a cart horse !!!!!
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I tell them they wouldnt stay on for more than 5 minutes before dissapearing into the distance. they dont really believe me until I show my xc photos with a whirlwind of dust behind us and me out of control
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my cob is as sharp as a TB anyday, and certainley not a novice ride! she has on hell of a gallop on her too, easily keeps pace with YO's TBx! yet a lady at the next yard has one of the real hairy jobs i have yet to see break out of a slow amble!
i do think there is alot of snobbery still especially in riding clubs, it has put me off joining as being an adult on a 14hh cob, and soon a welsh sec c - also a breed known for it's quirks! - i feel i will be looked down upon, why should i ride a TB or a warmblood just to be "in"??? i got rid of my TB as i just did not enjoy riding him anymore, i just don't like the narrowness and being short i don't feel i wan't anything over 15hh again either, although he was a beautiful atheletic animal, he wasn't right for me!!
for difficulty you want to try dressage with an ex-driving cob - oh what fun, especially when they set that neck and bogger off with you!
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My welsh cob was 100 times more of a handful than my warmbloods!!

A cob is not a lesser horse, its just a different horse and yes you get the impression of safety and reliability from them, but they are by no means just boring plods!
 
I doon't think it reflects your riding ability if you ride a cob, but maybe your perswonality or what you learnt on. My sister rides a shireX who is not an easy ride as she is huge and takes a lot of holding together, plus if she sets her neck and goes she is unstoppable. I ride a lightly built appy. The horses reflect our personalities and what we learnt on. Sister is 5 years older and bigger built than me and we learnt at the same time, she rode cobs and I rode flighty little show pony types and that is what we stuck with sort of.
 
I'd never really thought about this before, but I think there's probably a lot of truth in what you're saying. Owning a cob, and an old one at that - people must think I'm a complete novice! I've never had someone comment on it before though. In fact probably the opposite - whenever I go to shows etc there's always at least one person that comes up to me and says he's lovely, and I do get a lot of people staring (although could be for bad reasons
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). Whenever I've taken a tb sort no one even takes a second glance. Everyone seems to love Chex once they've met him, although obviously not those that hate coloured cobs with a passion
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. At my old yard people wouldn't hack out with me
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but that was because Chex wound their horses up so much that they couldn't control them
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I don't, but I know from experience that novice riders or non-horsey people do tend to think that.
I ride arabs by choice and they always look a handful making people say "Oh, you must be a good rider" whereas in fact, I am not, physically, I find larger boned horses uncomfortable to ride and therefore ride them very badly. I know very many cobs and would never say that they are the easy option or that their riders are any the less for riding them.
 
I think it takes a good rider to make a cob go nicely and really 'perform'. They're not the sort of horse I go for, they don't suit me because I'm quite petite, but when I've been to county shows I always feel compelled to watch the cob classes and when the heavyweights are powering past it's an impressive sight.

I know what you are saying about coloured horses, I find a lot of people tend to look down on me when I say I have a coloured horse, and I do admit that I would have been one of those before I found Flash, now I just love them. Who's to know that my coloured is a finely built WB x that gets mistaken for an arab? hehe!
 
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I cannot stand 'coloured' horses to the point that I would turn away a livery if they owned one !!!


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Really?
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Good job you don't dislike brown horses then....otherwise you might not have ANY liveries, LOL!!
 
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