What is correct conformation for a Cob?
- Thread starter Twigletz7
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That depends, because a Cob is a type and they come in many different shapes a sizes. For example, a traditional Gypsy cob will be short and stocky, while and Irish cob is lighter in build. Then theres heavy weight cobs etc.. 
On a whole, cobs should have a good amount of bone, strong shoulders, compact, short of back, rounded strong buttock, short strong neck, a power house really.
Try googling loadsa pictures of cob and you'll find a general 'look' 
Hope that helps, hopefully some cob folk here will be able to add with their knowledge
On a whole, cobs should have a good amount of bone, strong shoulders, compact, short of back, rounded strong buttock, short strong neck, a power house really.
Try googling loadsa pictures of cob and you'll find a general 'look' Hope that helps, hopefully some cob folk here will be able to add with their knowledge
Could anyone explain/show me what the correct conforamtion is for a cob?? I am interested to know as I ride a cob and we do the odd showing class in the summer, only local and for fun but it would be nice to know what the ideal is
There's a good description of show cobs here
http://www.theshowring.co.uk/cobs.php
And. here are the grading guidelines from CHAPS:
"SHOW COB A short-legged animal exceeding 14.2hh (148 cms but not exceeding 15.1 hh (154 cms). The cob should have substance, bone and be able to carry substantial weight. To be shown with a hogged mane and a pulled and banged tail and clean egs.
TRADITIONAL A short-legged animal, open height. The cob should have substance, bone and be able to carry substantial weight. A true Traditional type should be shown mantural with full mane and tail and feathered legs. Should not be shown with a plaited mane.
VANNER Usually considered the traditional type of a Tradesman's horse of pre-motor days. Of mixed breeding, active and capable of a good trot. Frequently have upright shoulders; may exceed 16.0 hh (163 cms). Can be shown traditionally wiht full manes, tails and feather OR pulled tails and hogged manes."
http://www.chapsuk.com/pdf/CHAPS grading hbk 2007.pdf
They're a good guide to follow. Height is important if you want to go in for cob classes - there is a tendency to label all heavy-weight types as cobs, but that's not correct. They sometimes have classes for 'maxi-cobs', which are bigger, but there's still a height limit. Otherwise the conformation is the same as for any horse: good proportions, straight legs, straight movement etc.
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That depends, because a Cob is a type and they come in many different shapes a sizes. For example, a traditional Gypsy cob will be short and stocky, while and Irish cob is lighter in build. Then theres heavy weight cobs etc..
Sorry to disagree, Torny, but neither "traditional Gypsy cob" nor "Irish cob" is a type of horse. "Traditional Gypsy" refers to a style of presentation - long mane and feathers on, as opposed to the traditional cob (small t!) with hogged mane and clean legs. Irish cob just tells you where it was bred - unlike Welsh cob, which is a breed.
Cobs can be heavyweight, middleweight or light weight depending on the amount of bone they have. All cobs are short-legged, compact and under 15.1hh - although now that cobs are so fashionable and everybody wants one, a lot of people, even dealers, who should know better, label any weightcarrier a 'cob'.
Thanks, Row is shown as a show cob ie. hogged with legs clipped out ect. She is 14.2/3 so within height but often looks really small compared with some of the cobs
She has good straight hocks and a well set neck, but is a little long through the back.
She has good straight hocks and a well set neck, but is a little long through the back.
S
StormyJ
Guest
A cob should have "The bottom of a cook and the head of a lady's maid" according to the books! Their action should be workmanlike, their backs short and strong and they should have good bone and a powerful neck.
A Welsh Cob is something else entirely, but as LindaAd said, a Traditional is a way of presenting it - you could take the feather off and have a show cob! (think of Coyote's Nelly, he could be both it's just how much hair he has that is the decider!)
I'm not sure on the Irish Cob front, if it's a different type or just a Cob from Ireland?
A Welsh Cob is something else entirely, but as LindaAd said, a Traditional is a way of presenting it - you could take the feather off and have a show cob! (think of Coyote's Nelly, he could be both it's just how much hair he has that is the decider!)
I'm not sure on the Irish Cob front, if it's a different type or just a Cob from Ireland?
K
Kate&TheHerd
Guest
heres us at a show with my lovely cob. i know that she is long in the back too, not sure show wise what her conformations like though if its good or bad for a cob, or what type of cob she is? i've never been interested in cobs until i found this lovely girl!
Thanks, Row is shown as a show cob ie. hogged with legs clipped out ect. She is 14.2/3 so within height but often looks really small compared with some of the cobs
She has good straight hocks and a well set neck, but is a little long through the back.
She's lovely, and you both look very well turned out .... Is that a red rosette you're holding?
She's another lovely one - beautiful head! But the photos are weird: in the first one she looks like a long-legged lightweight cob; in the second she's a really chunky heavyweight.
A cob should have "The bottom of a cook and the head of a lady's maid" according to the books!
<snip>
I'm not sure on the Irish Cob front, if it's a different type or just a Cob from Ireland?
Or sometimes "the head of a lady" ...
As for Irish cobs, they used to be just cobs from Ireland, but now they've set them up as a breed (for marketing purposes?), and the breed standard allows them to be over cob height, so now if something's labelled "Irish cob" there's no way of knowing what they mean unless you ask.
K
Kate&TheHerd
Guest
ok just for you, can you tell better with any of these of what shes like and type of cob?
in motion...sorry couldnt resist
She's lovely, and you both look very well turned out .... Is that a red rosette you're holding?
Um... I could lie and say yes but it was actuallya pink one
Best condition class I think! We only got to a couple of shows last year, and came third in one cob class, and first in the other. Not bad as shes 18 this year
Hmmm, I'm not convinced about the whole feather=gypsy. Like someone said b4, you could hogg a horse and then it won't be natural anymore. So what 'type' of cob would that be? 
I'm hoping to show my mare this year and I don't know whether to show her with feathers, or without. Because there are different classes.
I beleive there is a breed called the 'Norman Cob' too. http://dunncow.com/hc/hc-norman_cob.htm
Just got this from here:http://www.gypsyhorses.com/faqs.htm
What's the difference between a traditional gypsy horse and an "Irish Cob", or a "Gypsy Vanner"?
Although generically, calling a colored, feathered cob-sized horse a gypsy horse is not a huge faux-paux, technically, there is a difference between Colored Cobs (many call them Irish Cobs), and gypsy horses. A traditional gypsy horse can be an Irish Cob (by their registry's definition), but most Irish Cobs are not traditional gypsy horses. A gypsy horse (frequently called a "Gypsy Vanner horse" by Americans) is a horse which is bred by gypsies, and will have generations of breeding and pedigree behind it. It will have blood from a preserved and protected line, and that blood will be known among the gypsy breeders. An Irish Cob is generally a horse without a past. Many Irish Cobs are cross-bred gypsy cobs, being partially light horse blood, and are quite refined and not well-feathered. Although some of the dealers that sell this type of horse know the sire or dam of their horse, they won't have come from the long bred and preserved lines. Any traditional gypsy horse can be registered as an Irish Cob, but most Irish Cobs can't be called traditional gypsy horses. Physically, traditional gypsy horses will have specific characteristics that gypsies are breeding for at any given time (ie, small size, "sweet" heads, compact bodies, good bone, HEAVY feather, etc
I'm hoping to show my mare this year and I don't know whether to show her with feathers, or without. Because there are different classes.I beleive there is a breed called the 'Norman Cob' too. http://dunncow.com/hc/hc-norman_cob.htm
Just got this from here:http://www.gypsyhorses.com/faqs.htm
What's the difference between a traditional gypsy horse and an "Irish Cob", or a "Gypsy Vanner"?
Although generically, calling a colored, feathered cob-sized horse a gypsy horse is not a huge faux-paux, technically, there is a difference between Colored Cobs (many call them Irish Cobs), and gypsy horses. A traditional gypsy horse can be an Irish Cob (by their registry's definition), but most Irish Cobs are not traditional gypsy horses. A gypsy horse (frequently called a "Gypsy Vanner horse" by Americans) is a horse which is bred by gypsies, and will have generations of breeding and pedigree behind it. It will have blood from a preserved and protected line, and that blood will be known among the gypsy breeders. An Irish Cob is generally a horse without a past. Many Irish Cobs are cross-bred gypsy cobs, being partially light horse blood, and are quite refined and not well-feathered. Although some of the dealers that sell this type of horse know the sire or dam of their horse, they won't have come from the long bred and preserved lines. Any traditional gypsy horse can be registered as an Irish Cob, but most Irish Cobs can't be called traditional gypsy horses. Physically, traditional gypsy horses will have specific characteristics that gypsies are breeding for at any given time (ie, small size, "sweet" heads, compact bodies, good bone, HEAVY feather, etc
You're eligable for maxi cob classes - show cob classes for cobs over 15.1hh.
I think they should have "mini cob" classes for under 14.2hhs!
Glider...I was under the impression that Show Cobs went up to 15.2hh? I didn't know that it was 15.1hh.
I always find those show cobs at the bigger end of the show cob spectrum do look so much bigger then those at the lower ends, and usually stand out a bit more!
I always find those show cobs at the bigger end of the show cob spectrum do look so much bigger then those at the lower ends, and usually stand out a bit more!
Heres my cob,he stands 15hh at 3yrs 10mnths old,he should make the 15.1hh that a show cob should be,he was shown last year as a "traditional" and did extremely well i have been told he has lovely confirmation,he is now shown a a "show cob".
here he is as a "traditional"
Now as a "show cob"
here he is as a "traditional"
Now as a "show cob"
It used to be 15.1hh until it went metric, when it became 155cm, which is a fraction over 15.1hh.
At local level there often isn't a height restriction.
V
vieshot
Guest
ok just for you, can you tell better with any of these of what shes like and type of cob?
in motion...sorry couldnt resist
Is it a mule?
V
vieshot
Guest
I have just brought an 'irish cob' His sire and dam are unknown, he looks like welsh x haflinger, he is just called an irish cob because of where he was bred.
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