Should you be able to see a cobs ribs?

ShadowHunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
11 July 2012
Messages
628
Location
North West, UK
Visit site
I've always battled with my cobs weight. Never managed to get her down to the right weight and stay there, no matter what work she was in. However, she's having the winter off, unrugged and the weight is coming off really nicely. Her ribs and spine can be felt very easily, the gutter on her bum is almost gone. She has more to lose but with winter not even started yet (officially), her ribs may start showing by the end. Is this a good thing? Or should ribs only be seen on a tb or similar?
Definitely not complaining about the weight loss, just want to know what to look out for.
 

teapot

Well-Known Member
Joined
16 December 2005
Messages
35,294
Visit site
I'd rather a horse came out of winter looking a bit ribby than the alternative, but that's how I was taught back in the day. It means you're not fighting to lose the weight as the spring grass comes through.
 

paddi22

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 December 2010
Messages
6,232
Visit site
yeah i'd be happy if my two cobs were slightly ribby coming out of winter. once the grass starts coming through it piles back on!
 

FfionWinnie

Well-Known Member
Joined
20 July 2012
Messages
17,021
Location
Scotland
Visit site
No I wouldn't want to see ribs. Feel them yes. My cob was eventing fit and you couldn't see any ribs. Well muscled without any fat but no, ribs on show isn't right on a cob imo.
 

ycbm

Einstein would be proud of my Insanity...
Joined
30 January 2015
Messages
56,533
Visit site
I would be happy to see ribs when the horse moves, but not normally when it's standing still. It wouldn't worry me in March, though.

I might finally get my cob right this winter. I've found pure Timothy big bale and things are looking really good :)
 

MissTyc

Well-Known Member
Joined
25 June 2010
Messages
3,601
Location
South East
Visit site
Slightly ribby coming out of the winter for my uber-good doing cob. This leaves me more relaxed going into the spring grass ... He is fit and lean, so I can usually see a shadow of ribs when he is working.
 

JJS

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2013
Messages
2,044
Visit site
If I could see them on my unclipped cob, I'd think I'd gone a little overboard with the weight loss.
 

JJS

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 September 2013
Messages
2,044
Visit site
Or clipped! They have thick skins, you shouldn't see ribs on a fit muscled cob imo.

I agree, it's just that I'd be especially concerned if I could see them through a thick winter coat.

Actually, unclipped, I wouldn't be happy about seeing them on a TB either. Mine was far from fat, but she never had visible ribs on show even when she was clipped.
 

ihatework

Well-Known Member
Joined
7 September 2004
Messages
21,345
Visit site
Depends on the whole picture for me. A horses condition score isn't just based on ribs. It would be rare to see a cobs ribs unless it was genuinely too poor, but they are all different, and a shadow of the ribs when moving on a super fit cob would not concern me.
 

Goldenstar

Well-Known Member
Joined
28 March 2011
Messages
46,018
Visit site
Ooh, yes, forgot that bit, unclipped. No, neither would I.

It about using a bit of common sense isn't it .
OP it's ok to see ribs as the horse moves and bends it's body but you don't to be about see all the ribs when standing in an unclipped cob.
However if the horse was to be that lean it would it no harm , as they get that slim you need to keep an eye on their muscle bulk should that start to reduce then you know they are using energy sorted in muscle to fuel the body and you need to up the food .
 

fishy

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 March 2011
Messages
285
Location
north west
Visit site
You mean cobs have ribs!?! 😂 Lol. I'd like to be able to feel them come spring and maybe just about see them through a summer coat. As Goldenstar says I would also be watching muscle tone too x
 

ozpoz

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2010
Messages
2,662
Visit site
I'd be concerned if I could see ribs through a thick coat and skin. They shouldn't be apparent on any immobile horse imo, especially types bred to have "sprung' ribcages, barrel shaped cobs and some natives.

There is fitness, and there is lack of condition and it can be hard to get condition back when there is no visceral fat to keep warm. The good thing about cobs is that with forage they will usually keep themselves looking very well!
 

Pigeon

Well-Known Member
Joined
4 July 2012
Messages
3,790
Visit site
I wouldn't want to see ribs on anything tbh. It should be easy to feel them, but at a standstill they shouldn't be clearly visible. When you look at racehorses you should bear in mind that these are generally not mature horses, and adolescents have less body fat. It's not really appropriate for a teenage riding club horse to be as thin as an 18 month old racehorse. You see so many poor looking tbs out there and people always use the excuse that it's a tb... Er, either you aren't feeding it enough or it has ulcers :x
 
Top