Trying endurance with a cob?

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

I recently joined a riding club for the first time. I got an email asking to hear from anyone who might be interested in endurance. I haven't done this before, but I've always wanted to have a go, and I explained this when I responded. Now I'm terrified that I'm going to be terrible and embarrass myself. My lad is a cob (I've been told he looks quite a lot like a Section D). He likes to hack, he likes to power along, he's quite fit, and we have miles of bridleways on our doorstep for practice... but I have visions of everyone else rocking up with super-fit arabs and me and Billy looking like a pair of numpties! I've only been invited to an initial pub-based meet up for gods sakes! I've had a rough time lately and am trying to get out and try new things and meet new people to get myself feeling more positive, but I'm now dithering.

Has anyone tried long-distance riding with a cob? Are we going to look foolish? Am I going to be asking too much of a 15 year old cob? (I don't intend to throw him in at the deep end, he can quite comfortably do a forward-going two-hour hack in hilly countryside, so we would build up from there - if I don't make a prat of myself before then).

 

[be positive]

I thought I would quickly check out the details before replying and found this link answered every concern you have, take a look at the photos hardly all super fit arabs there are several cobs and "normal" RC types, if yours can do 2 hours hacking as you describe he will be more than up to the shorter rides.

https://endurancegb.co.uk/main/BRC-Team-Event

 

[atropa]

Can't be particularly helpful as I don't know much about long distance riding or cobs, but great for you that you want to get out there and meet new people/try new things!
If I were you, I'd definitely at least go along to the meet and greet and find out from someone more experiencedetails what they thought. It sounds as if your boy has a decent level of fitness and that you are taking a conscientious approach to his wellbeing, I'd say as long as you build up slowly and sensibly and mind your boys limits there's no reason you shouldn't give it a bash. Get out there and have some fun.

 

[staffylover]

No knowledge of endurance, I'm afraid, but just to say well done for giving it a go, and I'm sure people will be helpful and supportive. It may be that Billy and you might miss being selected for the GB endurance team(!), but I'm sure you can have a lot of fun. I've heard of cobs doing well at endurance before. I've also heard that endurance folk are very friendly and non judgmental, so go for it and have fun! I'm quite jealous, not really having the time or transport to do it just now. And I have an Irish coloured cob with very hairy legs.

 

[be positive]

I have now found the info I was looking for, the rides are between 30 -42km at a speed of 8-15kph so averaging a good trot or canter pace, I do better with mph so it is 18.6 miles - 25 miles approx at between 5mph and 9.4 mph, walk is approx 4mph trot and very steady canter about 8mph so easily within the limits of your horse who is probably covering pretty much the shorter distance on your 2 hour hacks.

 

[LibbyL]

A friend of mine does it on a 15.3hh overgrown connemara and does incredibly well. Who cares what you look like, just enjoy it

 

[Mike007]

There are cobs doing this out hunting regularly.|||||||(bless em)

 

[NZJenny]

I have heaps of endurance experience and YOU GO GIRL! If it helps, I took my 100 mile qualified, super fit Arabian and did dressage with him. He was never going to be the next Valegro, but we had fun. Same rules apply. Let us know how you get on.

 

[OwnedbyJoe]

A Clydesdale cross recently completed a 50 mile ride here in Western Australia. A respectable time too. I'm planning on taking a 16hh Standardbred built like a brick outhouse up through the levels next season. Go for it.

 

[Sugarplum Furry]

I can remember a few years ago seeing a couple of section D's coming into the finishing line at the Golden Horseshoe ride on Exmoor. They looked absolutely amazing, really muscled and fit, in fact one of them looked as though he was ready to go round the again, they were a credit to their owners and the breed.

Thinking about it..I reckon any breed could do endurance with the right preparation. I was doing a 40 miler once (this is back in the day when it was miles, not km's) and was passed by somebody riding a mule at great speed. My arab almost had a nervous breakdown.

 

[EstherYoung]

If he is a welsh stamp, then you may just find he's rather good. It is horses for courses to a certain extent, and he may not have the speed or heat recovery that the lighter horses do, but he will make up for that in ability over rough terrain and in having good recoveries when the weather is poor. It's no accident that the further north you head, the more native types you see on the circuit - they're built for the terrain.

Welshies and their crosses are probably the most common endurance breed in the UK after arabs and their crosses.

Go for it, and enjoy

 

[Exploding Chestnuts]

I think you will find you need to build up to qualify for the longer events. There will be more shorter events than longer ones and you should be fine if he is fit, and you are fit,, [try running alongside him for a mile every day]. A seat saver and swivel stirrups are a good idea. and a good numnah and farrier and diet for cob. If Welsh he should be able to trot and canter for longish periods.

 

[DJ]

I have been a member of EGB, for a couple of years, and I did this year on my heavy, feathered, Gypsy Vanner mare.

http://endurancegb.co.uk/main

Through Endurance GB, you sign up with your local group (for me it was Lindum, Lincolnshire) and there are rides ranging from 8km up to 64 km, some 1 day, some 2 day, some even over 3 days, all events are held both locally and nationally, you can just stick with your local ones to begin with, and then move farther a field as you go on through the season if you feel more comfortable that way. Some are fun rides/pleasure rides, others are training rides/social rides, and the rest are "competition/graded" rides. The group I am with have an evening meeting every few weeks in a local pub, that`s how I first got involved.

They really are an amazing friendly bunch of people who will help you out every step of the way, and if myself and my big ole` girl can manage it, there`s no reason why you would struggle ... As others have said, you`ll just build yourself up to it fitness wise, but this is why most groups offer the fun/pleasure/social/training rides, so you can go dip your toe in the water and see how you get on first.

Go for it

 

[Hetsmum]

Yep I did endurance with my traditional cob for a couple of years. The things I would say is:

I made sure he was more than fit for the distance we did

He did struggle more in the very hot weather when competing than my arab but that is to be expected

He had a higher than average pulse rate which made our chances of a higher grading not really possible

All that said we had A LOT of fun. Endurance people are extremely friendly and it is a lovely atmosphere. He did get some 'oh he's cute' comments but they were very well meaning and actually made me quite proud

 

[catkin]

Welsh and welsh types can take longer to get truly fit than TB/arab types but when they are your average welshie can keep going all day and really enjoy it. Go along and see if it's for you.

PS Read up on the history of the Welsh Cob - the stallions used to be performance tested by trotting miles in a set time.

 

[wench]

You will not look out of place on a cob. Make sure he is clipped in appropriate places, and try and hot cloth any areas that are still hairy the night before to get rid of as much grease in his coat as possible.

Unfortunatly can't say that I have found endurance riders very friendly

 

[pansymouse]

My friend used to do it with her Belgium Draft and did pretty well.

I would say a Section D type would be perfect - mine will go for miles and has a good turn of pace (she's a TBxD.

 

[Steerpike]

Go for it, any type of horse can do endurance! As with all disciplines you get some difficult people but the vast majority of us are a friendly bunch! Depending on which area you are in you can do, pleasure rides or training rides through the winter to give you an idea of what it involves and our graded rides start at the end of February next year!

 

[BigPony]

I recently went on a fun ride with Sport Endurance and there were competitive rides alongside the fun ride.

There were horses of all shapes and sizes and a really friendly bunch of people.

 

[Clannad48]

My daughter competes at endurance on a 17hh dressage bred Dutch WarmBlood mare who is also barefoot, ok so sometimes the vet looks a little surprised when he has spent the last half hour dealing with little arabs but I say go for it - you will not meet a friendlier, more helpful bunch of equestrians than the endurance people. Mind you once you get the bug for it you will never look back.

 

[Woolly Hat n Wellies]

Thinking about it..I reckon any breed could do endurance with the right preparation. I was doing a 40 miler once (this is back in the day when it was miles, not km's) and was passed by somebody riding a mule at great speed. My arab almost had a nervous breakdown.

Thank you, gala, I snorted tea up the back my nose when I read that!

Thanks for all the responses, I'm definitely going to go along to the meeting and learn more about it and meet some of the people, and then I'll see where it goes from there

 

[PollyP99]

I've done starter rides (endurance pleasure rides of 20km) on my tubby ish section d and now have bought the kit ready to start doing it in earnest. I was the only cob rider, pretty much wall to wall Arabs but I did t give a hoot and nor did they!

Edit to add she loved it, was well up for it and I'm doing one in two weeks, I think it could be the making of us, we hate fun rides as they are often frequented by horsey hooligans, endurance riders seem to be polite 'may I pass you' types, there are no jumps (she's can't jump I'm wont jump), she needs the excercise!

I say go for it!

 

[Joanne_Stockport]

I've started at the beginning of the year with my gypsy cob (he is 7, 14.3 hands). I have been to a few rides from EGB and one with EnduranceGB.
We were doing the fun rides (20 kilometres most of the time) but with EGB they still have a minimum speed so we are trotting most of the time as he is quite a slow walker. I am looking at starting again with the 20kms ones at the beginning of next summer but would like to move on to 32kms later on. They can still be fun rides but they also have some endurance ones for the same length. A cob will need to be kept more in shape then an arab but should still be able to do it. Problems with cobs is the heat as they would sweat a lot and the heart rate might not come down quick enough. It's great fun and people are quite nice

 

[BSL]

My mum clocked over a thousand miles with her cob type (not papered) and that was with just one group she rode with. He also took me hunting with the blood hounds. Not the best conformation, as he dished slightly. However, that horse looked after me on the hunt field and did fine with the endurance rides. Obviously, he was not built for speed, like the arab/thoroughbred types, but he gave us so much pleasure. Go for it, just help him, by keeping him as fit as you can.

 

[julie111]

I know of a young girl who did endurance on a cob, they were very very successful! Go for it!

 

[Tobiano]

my Irish cob and I do lots of pleasure rides and we have done one graded ride and got a completion which I was very proud of!! My sister (who has 2 false hips) does graded rides on her connemara and has had quite a few grade 1s.
I would say if your horse is sound and fit he will do very well. Enjoy!

 

[darkbay19]

Go for it!!!!!!

 

[kez81]

I recently joined a riding club for the first time. I got an email asking to hear from anyone who might be interested in endurance. I haven't done this before, but I've always wanted to have a go, and I explained this when I responded. Now I'm terrified that I'm going to be terrible and embarrass myself. My lad is a cob (I've been told he looks quite a lot like a Section D). He likes to hack, he likes to power along, he's quite fit, and we have miles of bridleways on our doorstep for practice... but I have visions of everyone else rocking up with super-fit arabs and me and Billy looking like a pair of numpties! I've only been invited to an initial pub-based meet up for gods sakes! I've had a rough time lately and am trying to get out and try new things and meet new people to get myself feeling more positive, but I'm now dithering.

Has anyone tried long-distance riding with a cob? Are we going to look foolish? Am I going to be asking too much of a 15 year old cob? (I don't intend to throw him in at the deep end, he can quite comfortably do a forward-going two-hour hack in hilly countryside, so we would build up from there - if I don't make a prat of myself before then).

Go for it! There are plenty of natives out competing in endurance and doing pretty darn well at it too! I used to compete with my arab (before he retired from endurance at 24!) and we were often accompanied by a whole range of ponies, cobs and other non-arabs. My big heavy cob is going to start his season next year and will be aiming for a good team time as he has a hell of a march on him!

 

[EstherYoung]

Thanks for all the responses, I'm definitely going to go along to the meeting and learn more about it and meet some of the people, and then I'll see where it goes from there

Excellent news Hopefully it will change your life as it did mine. It really is the most excellent fun, and the people you meet become family.