I just bought my first cob! Introduction + feed advice + photos!

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Rigsby says it is colder now and he likes to be under the covers at night. Hence, in the morning, he looks like a coconut macaroon!



After a few more days with just 2 puffs a day, he is inhaler free again. He seems fine, even when ridden. Hopefully that is him done with coughing/inhalers until August next year!

 

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Same old, same old. Still fine on no inhaler, yay, we are through that for another year. He got a little weighty, so has had to slim down a little, probably because he is no longer interested in going out. I have therefore had to up the exercise; he has mostly been ridden, on average, every other day.

He started to object to saddling; I have swapped the saddle and he is now happier. He is now using BH's dressage saddle, which comes with the fancy Wow girth, so I'm not sure if it is the girth or saddle that is pleasing him.

Each autumn, he gets sores in the creases in his elbows when he is too hot, even when not ridden, so he has been given his 'secret clip' that is tummy, chest and a strip up his gullet. You can't see it from the side, hence secret. Not pretty, but practical, and at least that has sorted his sweat rash. He seems to grow his long coat before the cold arrives.

Last night he was funny, he decided that he would rather have his hay in the stable than on his patio. It was not forecast rain, so I ignored him (preferring him to loaf outside than inside - not least as the poo is easier to pick up from the patio that his luxurious bed); he squealed his displeasure that King Rigsby's wishes were not being respected. He was right, it has rained. I should have bowed to his superior knowledge.

I did a bit of an own goal yesterday, or possibly not...

To keep his scabby legs controlled, I clip his legs every week, and wash. I can often then do the whole week without any products, or maybe just some product on Thursday ready for a clip on Saturday. We bought him some Liveryman Harmony clippers and the first blades did him for a year. I sent them for sharpening but, even after two goes, they were rubbish, so I bought some new blades, which have done another year of weekly clipping.

But, another year has passed and that set have gone blunt. I tried the re-sharpened blades and no, resharpening does not seem to have helped (again). So, I cracked open another new set as I decided that one set a year of new is do-able. Sadly, I seem to have picked up fine ones ? so Rigsby is clipped right down to bare skin ?. His legs look like TB legs or plucked chicken legs ??.

Ooops, I thought, but then, there is certainly nowhere for mites to hide now so who knows, it could be for the best! I have not been able to blend in where the clipping meets winter-fur though, so he is not quite as smart as before.

 

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Just because posts are no good without photos, his skinned chicken legs this morning. It was before mucking out, so everything is pre-sweeping and grooming, messy, but you get the idea!

 

[ycbm]

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Just because posts are no good without photos, his skinned chicken legs this morning. It was before mucking out, so everything is pre-sweeping and grooming, messy, but you get the idea!

?

 

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?

I know, I know, but hairy cob legs V fine blades proved impossible to blend.

Of course, the worst of it is that we will have this effect now for a year, until these blades run out and I replace with coarse ones?

 

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Sory, Rigsby spam today...



He was on top form on his ride today. Yesterday he offered trot, today he offered trot them popped into canter. It was a shame to burst his bubble and inform him that no, canter on the road is not required. He has had a foot trim this evening and is back on his freshly rolled patio.

Luxury for the boy!

 

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Rigs has developed a personal problem ?. He is looking fabulous, he is energetic, his coat is great, feet are great, he is enjoying his indoor/outdoor arrangement and mostly stays outdoors, even when it is damp. He does come inside if it rains properly or is strong wind, but in this horrid damp weather is quite happy outside, pottering.

I was prepping him for a ride out today when I noticed he has a certain odour. Musty. Like an old rug that has been washed and then not dried quickly enough.

I have parted his hair and his skin is perfect. Nothing to see, just a funky, musty smell. Like damp Labrador!

I am not used to this! My horses tend to be in and rugged, clipped too. I usually keep them immaculately clean. Rigs has a full coat, is out most of the time, is only brushed with a flick as I don't want to strip his grease.

Cob culture is still kind of new to me.

What do I do about the musty odour?

 

[chaps89]

I had that - noticed it for the first time when I took a rug off that had been put on when he was wet, that rug stank to high heaven like wet dog. Pony himself seemed to smell fine.
I posted about it at the time and a few people mentioned cushings - he didn’t have any other symptoms but was tested maybe a year later and now has half a prascend tablet a day.

 

[Red-1]

I had that - noticed it for the first time when I took a rug off that had been put on when he was wet, that rug stank to high heaven like wet dog. Pony himself seemed to smell fine.
I posted about it at the time and a few people mentioned cushings - he didn’t have any other symptoms but was tested maybe a year later and now has half a prascend tablet a day.

He just had a cushings test (about a month ago) and was very low. Vet was very happy. He is well in every other way. I think it is about him being damp for days, not really drying off at all.

 

[ycbm]

Rigs has developed a personal problem ?. He is looking fabulous, he is energetic, his coat is great, feet are great, he is enjoying his indoor/outdoor arrangement and mostly stays outdoors, even when it is damp. He does come inside if it rains properly or is strong wind, but in this horrid damp weather is quite happy outside, pottering.

I was prepping him for a ride out today when I noticed he has a certain odour. Musty. Like an old rug that has been washed and then not dried quickly enough.

I have parted his hair and his skin is perfect. Nothing to see, just a funky, musty smell. Like damp Labrador!

I am not used to this! My horses tend to be in and rugged, clipped too. I usually keep them immaculately clean. Rigs has a full coat, is out most of the time, is only brushed with a flick as I don't want to strip his grease.

Cob culture is still kind of new to me.

What do I do about the musty odour?

What's wrong with musty labradors!?! You are just biased ?
.

 

[chaps89]

He just had a cushings test (about a month ago) and was very low. Vet was very happy. He is well in every other way. I think it is about him being damp for days, not really drying off at all.

Well that’s preferable to cushings I suppose It’s tricky at this time of year isn’t it when it’s determined to rain all the time.

 

[DizzyDoughnut]

Aww I love Rigsby photos!

My old welsh pony sometimes smells like he's been rolling in dead animals it seems to happen after it's rained. He never used to smell bad its only happened since he's been on prascend. It does go when he's dried out, but I use avon mango kids hair detangle spray to disguise it a bit but to be honest it doesn't really work.

 

[Red-1]

Rigs isn't on any medication now. He needed an inhaler for a couple of months at the height of summer, but is now breathing pure and strong.

Today we had our first bit of sustained trotting. He has been ridden every other day for a while and has done a few bits of trot, but today we stayed in it for maybe 1/4 of a mile. He is firing on all cylinders, wasn't sweaty or anything after (has a very small clip - belly, chest and a strip up the gullet). His coat and feet are fabulous.

This is the first year I haven't put even a rain sheet on in the wet. He has been damp for days, not really dried through. He was even damp when I clapped the saddle on today to ride. Yesterday he was drenched for most of the day.

He seems on top form other than a slight musty whiff. His cushings test was only last month.

 

[Annagain]

Rigs has developed a personal problem ?. He is looking fabulous, he is energetic, his coat is great, feet are great, he is enjoying his indoor/outdoor arrangement and mostly stays outdoors, even when it is damp. He does come inside if it rains properly or is strong wind, but in this horrid damp weather is quite happy outside, pottering.

I was prepping him for a ride out today when I noticed he has a certain odour. Musty. Like an old rug that has been washed and then not dried quickly enough.

I have parted his hair and his skin is perfect. Nothing to see, just a funky, musty smell. Like damp Labrador!

I am not used to this! My horses tend to be in and rugged, clipped too. I usually keep them immaculately clean. Rigs has a full coat, is out most of the time, is only brushed with a flick as I don't want to strip his grease.

Cob culture is still kind of new to me.

What do I do about the musty odour?

Archie has developed exactly the same problem! Although he smells more like something has died rather than musty. I can also only smell it when he's in- outside, where there's a bit more air around him it goes (but the stable doesn't smell if he's not in there). He's retired, naked and is filthy so I assumed he'd either rolled in something or had a bit of rain scald. I've been over every inch of him and can't find anything untoward. I've had as good a look as I can in his mouth as he's also been eating very slowly (although has sped up in the last week) but can't see anything in there (dentist is booked). I've also had a good sniff in there and it doesn't smell (nor would it go away when he's dry if it was his mouth). The cushings thing Chaps mentioned is interesting as I was only saying on the oldies thread the other day that he has no symptoms of it at all but I did wonder whether I should just test anyway as he's 28.

 

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Rigs is again on top form. We have continued with the riding and trotting, he is loving it.

Today, after a good long trot, then checking out my cycle to work route, which was flooded (so no cycling to work tomorrow) he was in spectacular form. He was jogging and prancing. Not for long, obviously, but he was like a Frisian stallion.

More Moustache photos too.

Oh, and I'm not so sure that the musty smell isn't the halter!



I actually feel a little guilty owning him, as he could be someone's dream horse. Here, he is a bit of a spare, wheeled out when I have time.

He doesn't seem to mind though. TBF, had Rigs wanted to do more, I would probably not have bought BH.

 

[teapot]

That tash is spectacular!

 

[Laurac13]

Love his Tash ?

 

[Red-1]

I feel that I may need to buy him some 'tash wax!

Or, at least comb it ?

 

[Fraggle2]

Love reading about your rigs adventures.

 

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Oooh, I *think* I have made it so I can share a video of Rigs!

Just little clips from this year, and the water splash from today.

https://www.tiktok.com/@rigsby2/video/7168153876414074118?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en

 

[Lamehorses]

Rigs is again on top form. We have continued with the riding and trotting, he is loving it.

Today, after a good ;omg trot, then checking out my cycle to work route, which was flooded (so no cycling to work tomorrow) he was in spectacular form. He was jogging and prancing. Not for long, obviously, but he was like a Frisian stallion.

More Moustache photos too.

Oh, and I'm not so sure that the musty smell isn't the halter!

View attachment 102939View attachment 102940View attachment 102941View attachment 102942View attachment 102943

I actually feel a little guilty owning him, as he could be someone's dream horse. Here, he is a bit of a spare, wheeled out when I have time.

He doesn't seem to mind though. TBF, had Rigs wanted to do more, I would probably not have bought BH.

I've got a 'spare' cob too, hes too cute to go anywhere.
Embrace it, mine has helped several people when they have needed confidence restoring. I've also always got a spare for a friend of any ability to ride.

 

[Red-1]

I've got a 'spare' cob too, hes too cute to go anywhere.
Embrace it, mine has helped several people when they have needed confidence restoring. I've also always got a spare for a friend of any ability to ride.

He has featured a fair few riders, that is true. I think the age range riding him is over 60 years, youngest to oldest - under 10 to over 70!

 

[McFluff]

I don’t think you should ever feel guilty. You and Rigs found each other at the right time, he gave you what you needed and and you are able to give him what he needs now. Sounds perfect. And you share him (and his moustache!) with all of us.

 

[SaddlePsych'D]

He looks so fabulous! Great to hear he was in such a good mood on his ride out

Nothing to feel guilty about, he deserves a good home and he certainly has that with you.

 

[stangs]

How often/how much do you ride him? As a fellow veteran-cob-with-issues owner, what you've achieved with Rigsby is very motivational for me.

 

[Red-1]

How often/how much do you ride him? As a fellow veteran-cob-with-issues owner, what you've achieved with Rigsby is very motivational for me.

He had a couple of months off altogether August and September while he sorted his asthma out. Other than that, in summer he was wheeled out whenever I fancied it or when friends wanted to ride, as he also had field turnout. Now he is restricted to a smaller all weather turnout, he is ridden every other day, but only for 1/2 hour up to about 50 minutes, mainly in walk.

He could do more, but I have no real ambitions for him. Riding him is just to stretch his legs and mind and because it is fun due to his huge personality.

He did one intro dressage in 2021 but didn't really enjoy it, despite winning, so I didn't require him to do it again. We also did a clear round jumping show, again he did it for me but wasn't really enjoying it, so he hasn't been required to do it again. The funny thing is though, every time we ride past the show ground and something is on, he tries to turn down there. He seems to like the social aspect but not the hard work that goes with it. In 2021 he also did some low level riding club clinics. He enjoyed the resting in the middle aspect of that, and watching everyone jump. He could be persuaded to do some jumping himself, but again, I think it was the social he really liked.

he enjoys his strolls round the village, with whoever is featuring in the saddle on that particular day.

I'm not sure what you think we've achieved? Mainly Rigs does what he wants!

 

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Crikey, I had a play with TicToc yesterday, first time, did a Rigs video, then a BH video. Nothing special, just cobbled a few vids that were still on my phone. No one watches anything I put on Youtube, it seems TicToc is different?

Mostly views of BH, so not from here. How do people find it? How does it work? Should I have listed as 'private' but then, would I be able to share with anyone? Wouldn't that mean no one but me could see it?

I feel very old and confused! I don't think people know who I am on there? Or do they?

 

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Having bought an impossibly posh and expensive saddle pad for BH, I discover Rigs loves it. It is worth more than he is!

He is full of running, happy and active. No coughing either.

Had a little play, trotting here, there and everywhere. he is just so jolly.

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMFVpv8uL/

 

[cauda equina]

Good old boy!
He's looking very Friesian

 

[Red-1]

Good old boy!
He's looking very Friesian

He is supposed to be part Friesian, although his passport says cob X cob. That said, his passport also said he was a rig, which I have disproved by blood test!

I never usually trot on the roads but, TBH, there is a kid who trots her pony everywhere, not a care in the world. I was jealous, but then thought, why not? He is barefoot so concussion will be better absorbed. He only goes for short rides a few days a week.

Rigs is up for it. In fact, when we started trot work, it was slipping into canter and he had to be reined in!

Lovely when an old boy enjoys life. It was this time last year that we nearly lost him through colic. Cost more than his purchase price to the vets and a week off work to bring him round. Priceless.