I'm sorry, what?

I heard on the grapevine recently of people I know slagging off my new horse, saying this that and the other....

The horse loads and travel perfectly, we jumped the biggest jump I've jumped in YEARS on Saturday, I feel safe whilst in the saddle, I can clip, get said horse shod and know I'm going to come home in one piece (God willing) after a X-country round.

To me, that is a 'Top' horse, and while not 4* eventing....it's means alot.

To those who have prejudged.... :p pffffffffftttttttttttttt!
 
The cob advertised looks like a lovely cob (if poorly ridden in those pics). I can predict with 100% accuracy that it will not get to the Grand Prix in Aachen (top dressage), or Badminton ***3-day event, or win at international show jumping.This is not due to prejudice against cobs, just reality. I really like cobs, but the ad is just silly - as are so many these days.
 
Having been on the receiving end of the fancy lightweight snobbery I can only add that it may well make a top event horse depending on your definition of top. Wont make the olympic team I am sure but who knows.
Anyway having seen my pingy highland pony wipe the floor with the bulk of the horses in this area I will reserve judgement. Trouble is the snobbery is actually quite funny. I have seen many a cob or chunky monkey come top of the line in eventing, showjumping, dressage and showing at sometimes quite a good level. Lovely to see the kids on skinny jumping ponies down the line from a pony that wins at county level showing , Novice dressage, jumps clear round the local 100cm x country and wins showjumping because it jumps fast and cleanly. This is usually after hearing the sneering "bet that scruffy thing cant jump".
 
All to quick to judge, the majority of you are assuming that because the advert says 'top' it means 'top level' or 'top class', have you ever thought it might just be another way of saying super!
At 10yrs i would hope that it had tried it's hoof at most things and from the photos looks like it would give most things a good try. But also wonder is it because the poor horse is coloured or most probally beacause she is 'just a cob'.

Pre conceived ideas and sterotypical pre judements on what a certain breed is capable of rather than what the HORSE in question is capable of.

But that aside the advertiser will be trying to catch the buyers eye, and OP the ad obviously worked otherwise you would not have read it?!
 
khalswitz said:
I agree top level is TOP level - a Grassroots event winner isn't a 'top' eventer - it's not even in the same bracket as something like Opposition Buzz for example. However I think she looks like a nice all rounder, and is priced fairly. Just an unfortunate choice of word.
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Yeah, this. "Top" to most of us means the highest levels you can get as in potential for top level affiliated dressage, SJ and eventing. Which of course this horse is not capable purely due to its build / type. Yes, some cobs do get to a decent level dressage but I didn't see any HW cobs at the last Olympics. I'm sure a lot of cobs are great at RC level stuff, but even the higher levels of RC, like an RC Open SJ or ODE I have never seen a HW cob in. I think its the wrong word to have used. If she'd meant "super" then she should have said just that. I don't think there's any prejudice - certain horse breeds / builds are generally more suited to certain things, thats just common sense. I used to show jump and event my Welsh D, he was brilliant but would never have made the time eventing for example because he just wasn't build for the stamina needed so we just did it for fun. I was under no illusions because he jumped beautifully etc. he could make it at the "top" level!
 
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Not everyone who says a cob isn't a top eventer is a snob. This reverse snobbery/paranoia from cob owners is absurd. I like cobs, I would own a cob. I don't expect to ever see a HW cob jump round a 4* event. EVER. It is not because I dislike them, it is just realism. If it does happen I would think it was jolly cool, I wouldn't be sneering. But that doesn't make it more likely
 
Flosii said:
All to quick to judge, the majority of you are assuming that because the advert says 'top' it means 'top level' or 'top class', have you ever thought it might just be another way of saying super!
At 10yrs i would hope that it had tried it's hoof at most things and from the photos looks like it would give most things a good try. But also wonder is it because the poor horse is coloured or most probally beacause she is 'just a cob'.

Pre conceived ideas and sterotypical pre judements on what a certain breed is capable of rather than what the HORSE in question is capable of.

But that aside the advertiser will be trying to catch the buyers eye, and OP the ad obviously worked otherwise you would not have read it?!
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Yes it did catch my eye as I expected something amazing with a title like that; only sadly to disappoint.
 
windand rain said:
Having been on the receiving end of the fancy lightweight snobbery I can only add that it may well make a top event horse depending on your definition of top. Wont make the olympic team I am sure but who knows.
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I know! :p

And re the stamina comment - the stamina required to make the time at higher levels of eventing (and length of stride) and the number of jumping efforts in that timeis very different to that require for most endurance.
 
windand rain said:
Anyway having seen my pingy highland pony wipe the floor with the bulk of the horses in this area I will reserve judgement. Trouble is the snobbery is actually quite funny. I have seen many a cob or chunky monkey come top of the line in eventing, showjumping, dressage and showing at sometimes quite a good level. Lovely to see the kids on skinny jumping ponies down the line from a pony that wins at county level showing , Novice dressage, jumps clear round the local 100cm x country and wins showjumping because it jumps fast and cleanly. This is usually after hearing the sneering "bet that scruffy thing cant jump".
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Ha ha, I used to have a highland who used to beat the horses regularly (I rode him as an adult) - he was great BUT just because he could win up to 1m, that would never have made him the "top" of anything. I dont think most people are snobby about cobs. I personally wouldn't have one, but that's because I do like to event and show jump (at higher than 1m). So sure they're great fun, but there are very few who ever get to a proper decent level in any disipline because they're not built for it, its COMMON SENSE! Just like I generally wouldn't choose a warmblood as my next eventer because I like them to have TB blood for the speed/stamina aspect.
 
MagicMelon said:
Just like I generally wouldn't choose a warmblood as my next eventer because I like them to have TB blood for the speed/stamina aspect.
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I was going to say this exact same thing. At the top end of eventing even trendy warmbloods are out of favour as they lack the speed and they are hard to get fit enough ( I know people have them mixed in with plenty of TB for the dressage now but still, they still have a lot of TB added at top level) If a warmblood isn't up to it what chance does a HW cob have?!
 
MagicMelon said:
Ha ha, I used to have a highland who used to beat the horses regularly (I rode him as an adult) - he was great BUT just because he could win up to 1m, that would never have made him the "top" of anything. I dont think most people are snobby about cobs. I personally wouldn't have one, but that's because I do like to event and show jump (at higher than 1m). So sure they're great fun, but there are very few who ever get to a proper decent level in any disipline because they're not built for it, its COMMON SENSE! Just like I generally wouldn't choose a warmblood as my next eventer because I like them to have TB blood for the speed/stamina aspect.
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Thank you! We have made breeds for certain purposes. While there is always going to be exceptions to this, it's generally the norm to pick a breed best suited for what you want to do.
 
Jesstickle said:
Not everyone who says a cob isn't a top eventer is a snob. This reverse snobbery/paranoia from cob owners is absurd. I like cobs, I would own a cob. I don't expect to ever see a HW cob jump round a 4* event. EVER. It is not because I dislike them, it is just realism. If it does happen I would think it was jolly cool, I wouldn't be sneering. But that doesn't make it more likely
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Agreed. And I own a cob. And natives. It's just common sense :rolleyes3:
 
Jesstickle said:
I was going to say this exact same thing. At the top end of eventing even trendy warmbloods are out of favour as they lack the speed and they are hard to get fit enough ( I know people have them mixed in with plenty of TB for the dressage now but still, they still have a lot of TB added at top level) If a warmblood isn't up to it what chance does a HW cob have?![/QUOTe we have q 17.2 holsteiner (warmblood) who is be eventing at a high level with my husband only trouble they have with the time is going to fast
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JennyConnor said:
Just flicking through some threads when this 'Top EVENT/ DRESSAGE/ SJ / HUNTER popped up on the Horses for Sale Ads.

I'm not one for saying 'cobs can't do' but I highly doubt it would make Top!!

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas...p-event-dressage-show-jump-hunter-409592.html
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I don't know why you singled out this particular advert...H&h is full of adverts of wonderhorses, whatever breed they are, they are always "full of potential", "will go all the way to the top", and can do the ironing for you.
I'm afraid it just makes me switch off...
 
maggiehorse said:
Jesstickle said:
I was going to say this exact same thing. At the top end of eventing even trendy warmbloods are out of favour as they lack the speed and they are hard to get fit enough ( I know people have them mixed in with plenty of TB for the dressage now but still, they still have a lot of TB added at top level) If a warmblood isn't up to it what chance does a HW cob have?![/QUOTe we have q 17.2 holsteiner (warmblood) who is be eventing at a high level with my husband only trouble they have with the time is going to fast
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I said out of favour, not unheard of. There is still a high percentage of very TB-y horses at 4*. It doesn't mean no other horse can do it on occasion, just that it is not the norm. Furthermore, I would go on to say that IMHO there is a reason most top riders choose the type they do. Just because Stroller jumped huge tracks doesn't mean most ponies can. There will always be an exception for everything :rolleyes3:

By god people are touchy over their chosen breed/type aren't they?!

fine, any type of horse can do any job if you want it to.
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jokadoka said:
I don't know why you singled out this particular advert...H&h is full of adverts of wonderhorses, whatever breed they are, they are always "full of potential", "will go all the way to the top", and can do the ironing for you.
I'm afraid it just makes me switch off...
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presumably because it appeared over there >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

and caught the OP's eye.
 
Then again how many other horses make it to the top?!

Regardless of breed/type i still think it takes a pretty special horse to compete at top level.
I love cobs i think they make fab allrounders and tend to see a fair amount about doing local stuff and doing well :)
 
Now I might have misremembered this as it was quite a long time ago, but...wasn't Ginny Leng's horse Priceless a bit cobby? I'm sure I once read a description of him as a 'fat little pony'. And he went to the Olympics.
 
Think Monty fab. Years ago I took over a 15.2 mini Clyde with full feathers. After loads of fittening work we took on the army tb types at a hunter trial held at Barossa along with all other entrants. Bless that horse he galloped the entire track, with me only setting him up 3 strides from each fence and going all the quick routes. He went clear and came third in a class of about 60. They can be brilliant, but we had put the work in to get him fit enough to do it.

Cobs can do endurance to a level high enough for many riders, but do require more fittening work than more athletic types. Last cob I remember winning a 100mile race was with the wonderful Margaret Montgomery, RIP. These days they don't loose heat and recover fast enough in vettings, and the lighter breeds can maintain higher cruising speeds. Defo not knocking them, are some cracking ones about.
 
suestowford said:
Now I might have misremembered this as it was quite a long time ago, but...wasn't Ginny Leng's horse Priceless a bit cobby? I'm sure I once read a description of him as a 'fat little pony'. And he went to the Olympics.
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I would hardly say cobby at all, he's very TB like.
 
cob&onion said:
Then again how many other horses make it to the top?!

Regardless of breed/type i still think it takes a pretty special horse to compete at top level.
I love cobs i think they make fab allrounders and tend to see a fair amount about doing local stuff and doing well :)
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I reckon the odds are better for a horse which is somewhat lighter framed ;)
 
We've used the Bendonhill stallion Tinsley Faerie Legend twice on our ISH mare, with brilliant results. He is tb (Ben Faerie) x tb/wb. Where on earth do you think cob comes into any of their stallions? Btw, the oldest one now 5 has won 50% of the many ode she has done on this her first season, numerous double clears up to be90 courses, dressage in the twenties or better, last test 19.8%. All this accomplished by her 16 year old owner who has trained her from backing. The Ben Faerie line is just so trainable and talented, overlooked by many as not the fashionable wb type.
 
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