Understanding the allure of cobs...

[JJS]

There was an interesting thread recently on the popularity of coloured cobs. The OP raised the question of why so many people choose to have them, and why they're picking them in favour of natives and more traditional riding club types. It was a really enjoyable read and it raised a lot of good points.

But today, when I was riding out on Mary, with the sun blazing down and a spring in her step, I think the answer came to me. It really is their temperaments. Yes, you can critique them all you want in terms of looks and conformation - often fairly - but what the majority of riders need is a kind, safe horse that will take them out and take care of them, and that's what they do best.

More than that, the good ones like to make your life easy. There are no unnecessary dramas, no silliness for the sake of it. Mary's made me a complete and utter cob convert because at rising six, after a year in the field on foal duty and a very stop-start approach to being brought back into work (life has gotten in the way a lot recently), I took her out and had the most perfect, paradisiacal hack.

That's not to say she's a plod. She's incredibly intelligent, forward-going, responsive, comfortable to ride... Everything you could want in a nice hacking horse. She'll never dressage at the highest level or jump her way around a 1m 40 course, but what she does she does well.

So well, in fact, that my 56-year-old mum, who's ridden twice in her entire life, looked at me today and said: "How do you think she'd do as a lead rein pony for me?" I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to hear that!

She can go from mum duties in the field...

... to being out and about exploring the countryside in the time it takes you to drag her in and tack her up.

I think that for people like me, who don't have any ambition to set the world alight with our riding, you just can't put a price on that

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Absolutely agree!!! Most Cobs are fab...and all that hair 😍😍😍
Love the pics, Mary looks like an absolute sweetheart x

 

[Yardbird]

She is beautiful and totally agree with you about cobs.

 

[Cahill]

yes yes yes .love your posts x

 

[Rumtytum]

Agree entirely! And Mary is gorgeous, just look at her mane, what girl wouldn’t be jealous of that!

 

[BBP]

Absolutely. I own a PRE x Welsh B. He is stunningly beautiful (to me, I’m not a fan of feather and moustaches!), moves like a dream, has an incredible personality and I love the bones of him BUT he is hot, hyper, very sensitive, and has been a challenge from Day 1. I may get a wonderful relaxed hack out, or he may have a panic attack at a wheelbarrow that’s facing the other way to the day before. Whilst he has the talent to do a lot of things, I don’t have the talent to ride him through his moments to get there. Some days I long for a nice chilled out cob! Not that I would swap him as apparently I thrive on adrenaline and stress!

 

[Nudibranch]

It was my thread! And I can see you have a lovely chilled cob who does everything you need. However, I still can't see why some of our natives would be less popular. My Fell for example is just like Mary in temperament. I just think it's a shame our natives are struggling to survive when they can do everything a cob can.

 

[Ambers Echo]

I didn't see the original thread but in my view a good, sane horse is a good sane horse, and a hothead is a hothead, regardless of breed.
I've known many super cobs but have known others who are far from straightforward.

I do love our native breeds so I agree it is a shame some of those are struggling. My fell pony was awesome.

 

[ycbm]

Completely agree with you JJS.

Cobs are plentiful, cheap, and they do what it says on the tin for a competent rider. I've been shocked by how much darned uncomplicated FUN, a cob is after years of sports horses.

 

[southerncomfort]

If my coloured cob ever turns out like that I'll let you know!!

To be fair he's only young and still very unsettled about moving here, I do really hope their is a calm, sensible cob in there somewhere.

 

[scats]

What a lovely post.

We paid £600 for the Diva. It was, without a doubt, the best £600 ever spent.

 

[Tiddlypom]

There are plenty of sharp psycho cobs out there too, they aren't all amenable dobbins.

 

[windand rain]

Cant say I like them much to be honest. I much prefer a nice Mountain and Moorland. Mind you thats probably because most if not all cobs I have met are horrid, ungenuine, bolshy and thuggish. Most have also had fear issues head shy or jumpy. So experience tells me to avoid them like the plague. However I am sure there are nice ones about I just havent met one in 50 years of horse ownership

 

[scats]

There are plenty of sharp psycho cobs out there too, they aren't all amenable dobbins.

Oh definitely! But find a good one and they are incredible (though I suppose you can say that about any horse)

I definitely wouldn’t class Diva as a dobbin. She’s held her own in dressage and she rides like a little power house. She has been known to, albeit rarely, spin and bog off out hacking. She also has no problems with sticking her head between her legs and bronching mid canter... but I could ride that pony into battle if I had to and she’d look after me... unless a duck appeared. She hates ducks.

 

[Bernster]

Absolutely! Glad you're having lots of fun.

 

[meleeka]

I posted in the cob thread the other day about spontaneously going for a hack on my cob. He hasn’t been out of the field for 4 years!! I did have a new Forest who was just as sane and I would have one again but it would have to be a larger one to carry me.

Mary is lovely and you couldn’t have done any better with your BOGOF.

 

[JJS]

Absolutely agree!!! Most Cobs are fab...and all that hair ������
Love the pics, Mary looks like an absolute sweetheart x

Thank you! She is

She is beautiful and totally agree with you about cobs.

Thank you!

yes yes yes .love your posts x

Glad to hear it!

Agree entirely! And Mary is gorgeous, just look at her mane, what girl wouldn’t be jealous of that!

I have serious hair envy every time I look at her!

Absolutely. I own a PRE x Welsh B. He is stunningly beautiful (to me, I’m not a fan of feather and moustaches!), moves like a dream, has an incredible personality and I love the bones of him BUT he is hot, hyper, very sensitive, and has been a challenge from Day 1. I may get a wonderful relaxed hack out, or he may have a panic attack at a wheelbarrow that’s facing the other way to the day before. Whilst he has the talent to do a lot of things, I don’t have the talent to ride him through his moments to get there. Some days I long for a nice chilled out cob! Not that I would swap him as apparently I thrive on adrenaline and stress!

From your posts, you and BBP clearly have a great partnership, so I guess they're right about that!

It was my thread! And I can see you have a lovely chilled cob who does everything you need. However, I still can't see why some of our natives would be less popular. My Fell for example is just like Mary in temperament. I just think it's a shame our natives are struggling to survive when they can do everything a cob can.

Believe me, I'm not taking anything away from natives. Fells and Dales ponies were used heavily in coloured cob breeding, so it's fair to posit that a lot of the qualities I'm waxing lyrical about come from them to begin with. My post is obviously a massive oversimplification, and price no doubt comes into it too

I didn't see the original thread but in my view a good, sane horse is a good sane horse, and a hothead is a hothead, regardless of breed.
I've known many super cobs but have known others who are far from straightforward.

I do love our native breeds so I agree it is a shame some of those are struggling. My fell pony was awesome.

My post massively oversimplifies the issue, and of course, there are horses of every breed that don't fit the stereotype. My horse of a lifetime was an ex-racer who was everything good about Thoroughbreds. On paper, she should have been a terrible first horse; in reality, I couldn't have chosen better.

Completely agree with you JJS.

Cobs are plentiful, cheap, and they do what it says on the tin for a competent rider. I've been shocked by how much darned uncomplicated FUN, a cob is after years of sports horses.

It was the fun I saw other people having that largely made me go for a cob. I have a couple of friends who are out doing great things on theirs, and I saw so many fantastic horse and riders combos on here doing the same (you and your boy amongst them). I figured that maybe it was finally time to switch from beautiful blood horses and give myself an easier life

If my coloured cob ever turns out like that I'll let you know!!

To be fair he's only young and still very unsettled about moving here, I do really hope their is a calm, sensible cob in there somewhere.

I think that a lot of them are quite sensitive souls. They tend to handle things with a bit more stoicism than other breeds, so signs of them being unsettled are often missed until they become shut-down and dramatically difficult to handle. Mary was very shy and uncertain when she arrived, but then she'd gone from completely untouched to broken in and ridden away in the space of about six weeks, and through three different homes just as quickly. I opted for time and patience and once she settled, she came good very quickly.

 

[JJS]

What a lovely post.

We paid £600 for the Diva. It was, without a doubt, the best £600 ever spent.

That's lovely!

There are plenty of sharp psycho cobs out there too, they aren't all amenable dobbins.

Of course, but a lot of them are very good eggs. I'm not speaking for every cob in existence - just my own experience of them

Cant say I like them much to be honest. I much prefer a nice Mountain and Moorland. Mind you thats probably because most if not all cobs I have met are horrid, ungenuine, bolshy and thuggish. Most have also had fear issues head shy or jumpy. So experience tells me to avoid them like the plague. However I am sure there are nice ones about I just havent met one in 50 years of horse ownership

Not a single nice cob in 50 years! None of the ones I know or have known are horrid, ungenuine, bolshy, or thuggish, but maybe I've just been lucky! I've also met plenty of nice M&Ms though. I'm particularly partial to a good Dales

Oh definitely! But find a good one and they are incredible (though I suppose you can say that about any horse)

I definitely wouldn’t class Diva as a dobbin. She’s held her own in dressage and she rides like a little power house. She has been known to, albeit rarely, spin and bog off out hacking. She also has no problems with sticking her head between her legs and bronching mid canter... but I could ride that pony into battle if I had to and she’d look after me... unless a duck appeared. She hates ducks.

Diva sounds wonderful! What a character!

Absolutely! Glad you're having lots of fun.

Thanks, Bernster!

I posted in the cob thread the other day about spontaneously going for a hack on my cob. He hasn’t been out of the field for 4 years!! I did have a new Forest who was just as sane and I would have one again but it would have to be a larger one to carry me.

Mary is lovely and you couldn’t have done any better with your BOGOF.

He sounds like an absolute star - I thought Mary did well to come back into work so easily after a year off!

 

[Pinkvboots]

I don't completely dislike them but I would rather have an arab all day long.

 

[Antw23uk]

My mares sire is a big 15.1 traditional cob, all mane, tail and feathers! I cant be doing with the hair but her dam was a ID/TB so she's more sports horse than cob but as a cob x she is blooming awesome, sharp and forward going and has the best work ethic I've ever known in a horse and at eight she has matured into a proper leg in each corner type and I luvs her muchly

 

[shortstuff99]

For me I find most cobs to be horrendously stubborn! I technically have a cob (shire x TB) and she is very sharp! And more spooky than my PRE x TB! But they are hard to fall off and do tend to be fun hahaha.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

It was my thread! And I can see you have a lovely chilled cob who does everything you need. However, I still can't see why some of our natives would be less popular. My Fell for example is just like Mary in temperament. I just think it's a shame our natives are struggling to survive when they can do everything a cob can.

yes this. plus I don't know why people think M&Ms are expensive-for a good ridden Highland or Dales then yes, you need to budget more. But been there done it family Fells are not expensive and youngstock cheaper still (I am constantly talking myself out of Fell and Dales weanlings right now). Just how cheap should a horse be? Then take into account their hardiness, longevity and history.

OP you have two lovely horses that are a credit to you. I have met and ridden some nice cobs but they wouldnt ever be my first choice and I'll continue to wax lyrical about the versatility of a good Fell pony.

 

[Mule]

Lovely post op I like a sensible horse too. The silly ones amuse me but they're a lot of work. I think it's definitely the temperament that makes the cob what it is. I think my horse is a cob disguised as a sport horse. His similarity to the average cob (that I've met) in temperament has me interested in getting a cob the next time I'm looking.

In regard to natives, they do tend to be very small and as a population we are getting larger so heavier boned types are bound to become increasingly popular. I know natives can be good weight carriers but getting a saddle to fit both a pony and a larger rider isn't easy. Go cobs!

 

[JJS]

I don't completely dislike them but I would rather have an arab all day long.

Arabs are lovely too! This isn't a thread about why cobs are great and every other type of horse is rubbish

My mares sire is a big 15.1 traditional cob, all mane, tail and feathers! I cant be doing with the hair but her dam was a ID/TB so she's more sports horse than cob but as a cob x she is blooming awesome, sharp and forward going and has the best work ethic I've ever known in a horse and at eight she has matured into a proper leg in each corner type and I luvs her muchly

I always love reading your posts about her. You can tell that she's absolutely adored

For me I find most cobs to be horrendously stubborn! I technically have a cob (shire x TB) and she is very sharp! And more spooky than my PRE x TB! But they are hard to fall off and do tend to be fun hahaha.

They do have a stubborn streak!

yes this. plus I don't know why people think M&Ms are expensive-for a good ridden Highland or Dales then yes, you need to budget more. But been there done it family Fells are not expensive and youngstock cheaper still (I am constantly talking myself out of Fell and Dales weanlings right now). Just how cheap should a horse be? Then take into account their hardiness, longevity and history.

OP you have two lovely horses that are a credit to you. I have met and ridden some nice cobs but they wouldnt ever be my first choice and I'll continue to wax lyrical about the versatility of a good Fell pony.

Oh, this wasn't meant to be a post to bash natives - just a happy post about how great cobs can be! I agree with all of the points you made and personally don't think they're overpriced - they're just a little more costly compared to some of the cobs on the market. When I was buying Mary, I actually looked at larger natives as well as Trads, but there didn't seem to be any within an hour of me which were broken and within my £2,000 budget. If I'd seen a Dales that fit my criteria, I'd have happily snapped it up

Lovely post op I like a sensible horse too. The silly ones amuse me but they're a lot of work. I think it's definitely the temperament that makes the cob what it is. I think my horse is a cob disguised as a sport horse. His similarity to the average cob (that I've met) in temperament has me interested in getting a cob the next time I'm looking.

In regard to natives, they do tend to be very small and as a population we are getting larger so heavier boned types are bound to become increasingly popular. I know natives can be good weight carriers but getting a saddle to fit both a pony and a larger rider isn't easy. Go cobs!

Absolutely!

 

[JACQSZOO]

I have owned my first cob now for 18 months after always saying I wouldnt havd one. Shes ace. She wont sdt the world on fire but you cant beat going for a solo hack, exploring new places safe in the knowledge that you areng going to be unceremoniously dumped at some point. My only gripe is she is THE most filthy horse I have e er known. A small price to pay for complete peacs of mind and enless hours of fun.

 

[HazellB]

Having been diagnosed with breast cancer and knowing I'd need a mastectomy, I stopped work on my firey young, newly broken Connamara and bought a cob for £950 from a dealer on allotments in West Yorkshire. Best purchase ever!
He was 3, backed and just about trotting. Within a couple of weeks we were best mates and totally trusted each other. There's never a moment when I feel something could go badly wrong and now I'm over the cancer and have an implant in, I'm confident doing most things on him. Not gone back to the Connie (I have 3 retired/unused horses now!) as the cob will do almost everything I need, just slower and with no drama.
He'll stand snoozing in the trailer while I watch shows, he'll load in any situation, he never gets injured, he's unshod most of the time, he's always level tempered and honest - in short just what a 50 year old who's still getting used to a new body needs.
However, my caveat is that he's never going to be fast out Bloodhounding and he'll never jump well. He's probably worse than most cobs in that respect, as we are usually hammered by every cob in the area in competition! We once broke the minute mark barrel racing!!!

In short, if you want a calm life, try a cob. If you want butterflies at events (and on every windy day!) buy something else.

 

[Annagain]

It's not just cobs who are like that though. I have a 17hh TB x Sec D x Shire share horse who must think he's a super safe coloured cob . Nobody's ever fallen off him (just fallen over with him, he's a bit clumsy ) A couple of years back, after 5 months box rest, the vet said start riding him 5 mins a day so I jumped on and off we went. I never gave long-reining, walking out in hand, having someone with me or lightly sedating him a second thought. He's just the most chilled ever and was even at 5 when my friend bought him. He did BS to Newcomers then changed career to event (only at 80 and 90 as I'm a wimp) and now at 22 does dressage at Elementary and still pops the odd little course for fun. He's exactly the same whether he was ridden 3 hours, 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months ago.

 

[MissTyc]

I never wanted one, but got a little 2yo "rescue" for £300. 10 years later, he's doing well at BE90 (always DC though struggles for time, but that's on me as well), winning affiliated BD Elementaries, and makes it all feel easy. Never been shod, never been fed, never had a vet other than vax and teeth lol .. Cheapest and funnest horse I've ever owned!

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

For me personally the reason I prefer Cobs to natives is the size. I'm 5ft 11 and most natives are 14.2 and below. Now if I could find an enormous Dales I'd be sold on it instantly!!!

 

[JFTDWS]

There are plenty of sharp psycho cobs out there too, they aren't all amenable dobbins.

And plenty of laid-back, easy natives and sports horses. The easiest horse I've ever had is the most athletic and sports horsey by far...

Cobs are popular because they're easily available, cheap and fashionable. I had a hairy cob for decades, before they were fashionable (I SJed and dressaged him as a teenager and he was invariably the only cob at those events back then). He was super, and I thought the world of him. I would never have another though - the feathers are a nightmare, for a start.