Horses - Nuts About Cobs

No matter what level you compete at or what type of horse you favour, there is one type that has universal appeal, and that is the cob. They're the horse that puts a smile on your face, whether you're looking for a showing star, a riding club all-rounder, a horse who can find a fifth leg out hunting or a partner for the lower levels of affiliated dressage and show jumping.

Cobs are chunky, cheeky and addictive. Whatever you do, there's a cob to suit, whether it's the strimmed and trimmed show variety or one with flowing mane, tail and feathers. With the exception of the Welsh section D or Welsh Cob, which is a breed, cobs are a type. They originated as relatively small, workmanlike horses who could pull a trap to market one day and carry a rider out hunting the next and it's this versatility that helps make them so popular.

Definitions

A show cob in the classic sense is a deep-bodied horse with relatively short legs and plenty of bone. They can be lightweight and able to carry up to 14st or heavyweight and able to carry more than 14st. In both cases they should exceed 148cm but not be over 155cm. Traditionally, it's shown with a hogged mane to display its powerful neck.

Maxi cobs, which from this year have their own final at HOYS, must exceed 155cm but at the same time, they must be true to cob type.

The Welsh Section D is a native breed and excels in all disciplines, under saddle and in harness. It must have true pony character and be over 13.2hh, though there's no upper height limit.

The Welsh Section C is officially a pony of cob type that must not exceed 13.2hh. Both breeds may be of any colour except piebald or skewbald.

Show cobs

Avril Bartolomy bought her first show cob, Miss Minnie, by chance. At the time, she didn't even know what a show cob was; now, Avril is one of the most successful and popular amateur competitors on the circuit and in the nicest possible way, a true cob nut.

She and her husband, Robin, have seven cobs at their Sussex home, ranging from the prolific winning maxi cob, Clantara Shadow Play, to a home-bred coloured youngster, Simply The Best - known as Tina. Both Tina and another maxi cob in the Bartolomy string, Robert The Bruce, are out of Miss Minnie, so Avril has a lot to thank the mare for.

It all began about 15 years ago when she wanted a dapple grey cob to hack in Ashdown Forest. "I looked in the paper and there was an advert for just the right one," she recalls.

Although she had ridden for many years, Avril decided she needed to brush up her skills and went to the multi-talented Ali Remmen - show jumper, course-builder and trainer - for help. Ali told her that Minnie would make a nice show cob. "My first reaction was: 'And just what is a show cob?'" remembers Avril.

Minnie took her all the way to what is now the British Show Horse Association's national championships and after retiring from the show ring, produced three foals. Avril continues not only to compete against and often beat the professionals with the established Clantara Shadow Play and her coloured lightweight, Benetton, but also produces her horses from home, with Robin's help. "I've always gone for the cob type, even before I started showing," she says. "They tend to be sensible and sane and have plenty of character, but no badness. 'Benny' is the naughtiest cob out and will take another horse's rug off over the fence. But I love him to bits. He's a real showman and a pleasure to own. I couldn't manage without Robin's help. He hacks out with me, but I can't get him into the ring."

Avril believes that if you want to succeed with a young show cob, you have to put in time and patience. "Compared to other types, they're slow to mature and take longer to produce," she says. "I don't think they're as naturally flexible as, say, a Thoroughbred and it takes time to get them off their forehand. I don't spend a lot of time in the school, but we do a lot of hillwork."

Another attraction of cobs is that if you have an eye for the right type, you can spot a potential star many people would pass by. This is what happened with Benetton, though Avril insists that she was lucky. "He was in a local dealer's yard," she says. "Someone had asked for a cob and decided when they saw him that he didn't move well enough. He certainly does now, so their loss was my gain!"

The traditional cob

The term "traditional cob" is much used, but, strictly speaking, is a matter of presentation.

"For our society, the only difference between a traditional cob and a show cob is a mane, tail and feathers," says Lynda Lodge, chairman of the British Skewbald and Piebald Association.

The jury's still out on the true definition of gypsy cobs, which can be of any colour. However, Jacquie Bland, who owns Paintball Gypsy Cobs in Cumbria, says they tend to be shorter in the neck with a higher knee action than mainstream show cobs. As well as having their own societies - the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association holds its second annual show at The College, Bedfordshire, in September - they have plenty of devotees.

Welsh cobs

Meirion Jones is as Welsh as his name suggests, but his passion for breeding Welsh Cobs has its roots in America as well as north Wales, home of his Machno Stud.

"My parents and grandparents both had Welsh Cobs, so I grew up with them," he says. "When I was 17 I went to work in the USA, first on a ranch in Wyoming, then in St Louis with Clydesdales for Budweiser and polo ponies. Everyone said Welsh blood was the foundation for good working stock."

Meirion's aim has always been to breed sport ponies and he believes the Welsh breeds can do everything and anything. "Good ones are athletic and also easy keepers - what more can you ask?" he says. "They also have character and presence." His aim is to breed the Ferraris of the sport pony world and his stallions and mares are chosen with that in mind. At the same time, he's strict about only having ponies with good temperaments and native hardiness. "There are no bad characters here," he says.