What do you like/dislike about cobs/hairies/traditionals

C

Cedars

Well-Known Member
Joined
19 May 2009
Messages
7,830
Visit site
As below thought we'd start one for the cobs etc!

I'll start. I love their sweet nature, willingness to please, jack-of-all-trades ability and their cuddlyness.

I dislike that I'll never be able to compete to a high level on my yak (see pic ;)) and the amount of hair that they produce that gets everywhere!

Gratuitous pics:

SAM_1599.jpg


SAM_0857.jpg


SAM_0790.jpg
 
I don't dislike cobs/hairies I just don't want to own one if that makes sense? I enjoy riding other peoples (although after my little TB some of them are a tad too wide... :o ) :)
 
Please excuse my ignorance, I have a fieldmate hairy cob type but never ridden one. What are their strides like as compared to lighter breeds? I just assume they would feel quite bumpy and uncoordinated, which I would dislike.

Other than that, the only complaint I could offer is trying to figure out what to do with her mane/tail! Considered hogging but without owners permission hmmmm better don't lol!
 
Hmm I dunno cos my baby is only 16months so obviously havent ridden her but the ones I have ridden arent uncomfortable, they're just not as floaty and flowing as say the TBs I've ridden.
 
MosMum said:
Please excuse my ignorance, I have a fieldmate hairy cob type but never ridden one. What are their strides like as compared to lighter breeds? I just assume they would feel quite bumpy and uncoordinated, which I would dislike.

Other than that, the only complaint I could offer is trying to figure out what to do with her mane/tail! Considered hogging but without owners permission hmmmm better don't lol!
Click to expand...

My section C was like riding on a lovely soft floaty cloud - sitting trot was a dream. Our big cob is like riding a huge fast moving rumbling storm cloud!
 
I love my traditional cob because he is just so easy and uncomplicated - nothing fazes him, he stands like a rock to be clipped, bathed and for the farrier, he loads perfectly, almost never spooks (and when he does it's just a look, never anything dramatic), can be trusted with the smallest child and will always look after his rider. He's also the most affectionate horse I've met, and his character never fails to make me smile.

The only thing I can think of to dislike is that he isn't a good jumper, and anything bigger than a small crosspole tends to get bulldozed. I would like to progress further with my jumping, but it will never be his forte. This is only a small inconvenience though, and it's something I'll happily sacrifice for all the joy he brings me in other ways. :)
 
The best ones are stunning, and have great conformation and move beautifully, but now they are 'fashionable' there are too many that have straight shoulders, weak hindlegs, not enough bone and stuffy movement.

I must add a little anecdote about 'cows'. My daughter was out hunting and I was trying to catch up with the hunt along with a few other parents. Straining our eyes through the murky drizzle one lady called out "Here they come - I can see Magpie" (the name of her son's lovely coloured cob). She hesitated a second and then said "Ooops - no it's not - it's just a cow!" as a herd of bovines came mooching across field. :cool:
 
I never wanted to own one.
To me, they're minions sent by satan to wreak havoc amongst...everything.
They may seem charming but we'll never know what they plot behind closed doors o_o

I also think the only reason they don't compete to high level is because no ones really ever professionally trained them to high level xD
Try all you want but, like a TB, if the training isn't there, it isn't going to happen ^^

I've seen lots of really good jumping Cobs. But everyone thinks Cob = Plod.
 
I love cobs, their characters and ability but I do detest the untidiness of those kept as traditionals; it must be the old hunter groom in me! It doesn't matter how long someone has spent in the washing and brushing, I just want to clip the whole lot off and make them tidy and looking like a decent horse rather than something that should be pulling a cart. That is not meant to offend anyone, I just dislike untidy horses full stop; I'd even chop off the Spainish and Lippizana manes so there's no hope for me.
 
Cobs are fun and come in fancy colours! You can come and go as you please and you don't have to take out a second mortgage or marry a rich man to have one ;).
 
I just LOVE hairies! As well as the general hairyness of them, I love their dispositions. I took a 21 year break from horses to raise a family and bought a gorgeous bombproof irish cob mare when I came back to riding. She was so forward-going and I never needed to use any leg on her... it was all about holding back. My confidence was stratospheric with her so it was a bit of a shock when I took on a TB after saying I'd never have one. I pre-judged him and he's never, ever lived up to my expectations of being "mental" yet I still don't feel as confident on him as I did on the cob mare... perhaps it's the height, or the width, or the fact that he can turn on a sixpence whereas she needed ...*cough*.. room to manoevre! :D

I now have the TB and a 17m coloured traditional and I adore them both but in totally different ways. Who can resist this cheeky face...

DSC03171.jpg
 
Maesfen said:
I love cobs, their characters and ability but I do detest the untidiness of those kept as traditionals; it must be the old hunter groom in me! It doesn't matter how long someone has spent in the washing and brushing, I just want to clip the whole lot off and make them tidy and looking like a decent horse rather than something that should be pulling a cart. That is not meant to offend anyone, I just dislike untidy horses full stop; I'd even chop off the Spainish and Lippizana manes so there's no hope for me.
Click to expand...

Now you see I'm a bit different - I can totally admire the luscious hairiness and I love to see hairy traditional cobs such as the one belonging to Binky01. However, I just wouldn't want to own one, just as I wouldn't want to own anything high maintenance such as greys, coloureds etc! (White socks are bad enough in my book.)
 
I LOVE tha fact that my little Bob the Cob...
-tries his hardest at everything!
-can do a good dressage test and jump round a reasonable height course
-he can turn on a sixpence, whilst remaining balanced and can use his rather large back end to launch himself over the fence :P
-can keep up with the big boys out hunting
-doesnt need to be fed by the bucket load but still not a fatty either
-he usually a well behaved little gentlemen
-he is 100%bombproof in traffic (literally 100%! )

dislike the fact that
-he needs to be fully clipped about every 2 weeks or he ends up with bog brush style legs
-his white bit are impossible to keep clean
-he can be a stubborn little so and so and we end up having battles of willpower
-he is built like a tank and knows how to use this to his advantage :/


He is the BEST! :D :D :D
 
I love a good cob but since I read a description of shire horses desperately rubbing half a hedge away because their feathers made them uncomfortable, I've worried that excessive leg hair (ie those flouncey American "gypsy vanners") can be a bad thing. I also hate seeing Arabs/US show horses whose tails actually trail on the ground, simply because I would imagine that it gets in the way of them being horses and comfortable in their horse skin.

That said, want to see some hairy horses? :)

http://www.messybeast.com/history/horses.htm
 
i think cobs are brilliant so gentle and amusing always strong characters and willing to please but i always wonder if theire manes/forelock annoy them as they can be sooo long.

and cobs can jump! very bold aswell not born to jump but theres not much stopping them
they are lovly
 
Maesfen said:
I love cobs, their characters and ability but I do detest the untidiness of those kept as traditionals; it must be the old hunter groom in me! It doesn't matter how long someone has spent in the washing and brushing, I just want to clip the whole lot off and make them tidy and looking like a decent horse rather than something that should be pulling a cart. That is not meant to offend anyone, I just dislike untidy horses full stop; I'd even chop off the Spainish and Lippizana manes so there's no hope for me.
Click to expand...

I totally agree! I don't have anything against cobs; admittedly I haven't ridden many, I'm more of a TB or warmblood person, but it's the hair I would want to remove. I hate long manes and long unpulled tails, I can't abide beards or feathers. A lovely hogged, trimmed, pulled and clipped cob is fine. One with a 3ft mane and a 4ft wide tail is my idea of hairy hell! :)
 
Cobs are fantastic. When you ride one you ride a bit of history. They are the horses who over the centuries have carried men to war, ploughed the fields, pulled the carts of the farmer or the street vendor or the carrier, taken every member of the family hunting safely, are wise, affectionate and bold, and are rarely ill.


My own, who is seriously underused with me but I adore her, can jump 5 feet with just a two-stride run-in, has a good hand gallop, lovely walk and lots of stamina, though I must admit her trot is slightly stumpy. She is the wise matriarch of our herd, has a fine coat and jet black good quality mane and tail (she's a mahogany bay) - never pulled since I've had her - Nature gave them protection like that , so why try to improve on it? My vet's bills in the 5 years I've had her have been minimal; and, best of all, she seems to love me as much as I love her. Whenever I call her she answers with a neigh and comes galloping.

Finally, somebody intimated that cobs don't achieve great things. Just look at Endurance and Long Distance Riding. Some years back there was a cob called Alfie who represented England again and again - and won!
 
tallyho! said:
Actually, not 'everyone'. Anyway, I thought you had a cob? :D
Click to expand...

I do. Given the chance, with a newbie, he'll just stand there and go to sleep, no matter how much pony club kicking you do. If you're feet aren't past the saddle flaps, you've got no chance :D
I don't think Cobs are plods, personally, I just think they're intellegent...and extremely scary o_o

Kao being the one I'm most weary of, everyone loves him on the yard so there must be a conspiracy going on.
Starting with, he only has three expressions:
High -
62966_430957193298_790618298_5007667_2302114_n.jpg

"I Are Serious" -
71921_445577543298_790618298_5263217_3209860_n.jpg

"I Are Cute n' Pinkz" -
71756_442898363298_790618298_5209468_1360078_n.jpg


He's just. Scary. I don't know why and I'm probably the only one who see's it but, he is.
 
I love mine! He is a l/w, and we don't do much these days, just a little bit of hacking, but he's definitely most gorgeous when hogeed, trimmed etc - he's all scruffy at the moment, living out naked with his cob mates - another gelding, a year old, who has the same gentle sweet disposition.
 
i bought a piebald hairy cob weekend just gone & so far i love him! ok he isnt a world beater but neither am i! he just seems to have so much character but is also going to look after me too.

the only problem (apart from the poo stains that show up on his white- i have only had bays before!) is that my friend's TBx shire was scared of him! we think he might have thought basil was a cow as he is scared of cows! half way round the ride though they made friends so he must of realised that basil was a horse that looked like a cow & not actually a cow!

ETA: hair cut is due at the weekend though! but i refuse to hog!
 
Last edited:
I love his cheeky character, his ever happy demeanor and the fact that he really tries to have a go at anything I face him with.

If only there was a magic way to keep them clean!!!

My boy:

DSCF0253.jpg


My world :)
 
I love my traditional cob's beauty, his boldness out hacking, his amazing feet and that I don't have to have a dedicated work schedule with him. I also love his stamina and speed

I dislike that when he wants too he can use that huge neck against me, he's also been more difficult to handle and ride than the ex racers on the yard!
 
I love it when they flick their feathers and swish their tails and they move in a cloud of (clean) silky hair...

I own one cos I wasn't allowed a 'my little pony' as a child....

Blitz
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top