Traditional cob lovers

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littleladylou

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I am very excited about the arrival of my new gypsy cob mare.
I have tried her extensively and she is just what I am after- I hope I have made the right choice in this little mare. I want a safe (as possible), fun, good doer to do low level dressage, showing and hacking with. A couple of questions; she is very forward off of the leg (I think due to being ridden in spurs in a previous - before current owners- home and has a very light mouth but goes into an instant outline almost like she has been ridden in draw reins. She is nervous of new riders and has a very fast trot if allowed (she has been driven) - what tips can you share for getting her to relax in trot, in time take a 'true contact' and slow down. It is a small issue as apart from this she appears calm, safe and as bomb proof as you can get. She is 10 years old. Also a chance to share your happy cob stories....
 
Bless her :) Much rather have a forward going horse than one you have to encourage constantly to move forward. Try rising out of the saddle slower than she wants to trot ( if that makes sense), count if you have to to help yourself keep a rhythm ( and to keep you breathing, try not to tense up or she'll sense it and want to go faster). Keep asking ( squeezing) your reins and lower your voice to a wooah steady tone as you ask, when she tries to trot faster....thats what i do and it generally works. I'm sure others on here will have different methods that may help more!
 
Oh wow how lovely for you. My little traditional cob mare was on the forehand and heavy in the hand. It is possible to get them more uphill by doing lots of lateral schooling. I did our schooling mostly out hacking as we both found this more enjoyable. If you pull back on the rein to try and slow down you'll create muscle tension and an unhappy coblet :-( Ride her from the seat to slow the paces and lots of praise when she gets it right is the way to go. She sounds sensitive as my mare is and I've found keeping very calm and praising is what these clever little horses really respond to. Good luck and happy riding :-)
 
sheepdog said:
Oh wow how lovely for you. My little traditional cob mare was on the forehand and heavy in the hand. It is possible to get them more uphill by doing lots of lateral schooling. I did our schooling mostly out hacking as we both found this more enjoyable. If you pull back on the rein to try and slow down you'll create muscle tension and an unhappy coblet :-( Ride her from the seat to slow the paces and lots of praise when she gets it right is the way to go. She sounds sensitive as my mare is and I've found keeping very calm and praising is what these clever little horses really respond to. Good luck and happy riding :-)
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This.
Our lovely girl lived until she was aged 31. She was absolutely bombproof in traffic but did take exception to a garden bench that appeared overnight and was convinced that some new large stones that appeared on a familiar track were going to squeeze together and get her legs as she went through. She was very excitable on grass and once ran backwards down the road as she was chased by a rogue hydrangea head! But you could put a novice on her and know that they would be absolutely safe.
The key I think, to riding most horses, is to relax yourself and then the horse will do so too.
 
Thank you for all of your replies. It is lovely to know that you all have equally as great stories to tell about your cob's - fingers crossed she stays with me until she is 31!
 
Congrats! Sounds like you've got a good'un.

IME horses that have been driven always tend to go markedly on the forehand and its a devil of a job to get them working from behind rather than throwing everything into their shoulders as they have to do in driven work.

Can't advise other than to say that IME the best way to get a horse "going uphill" is to, er, go uphill - literally! Don't whereabouts you are in the country but if there are any nice hills near you then trot yours up to the top every time! Can't be bettered for (1) getting them off the forehand (2) getting them to work from the hocks and (3) building up the right muscle.
 
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