When people mention cobs, it might conjure up images of a “steady Eddie”-type, but this is not always the case as these 22 cobs ably demonstrate...
If you love a cob, make sure you pick up the latest issue of Horse & Hound magazine, out today (23 May 2019), which features our cob special.
Lulu Murray and Buster
“This is my cob in action on the hunting field with the Blackmore & Sparkford Vale. ‘Buster’ is a machine and crosses the most challenging country on the tail of our field masters. He has the kindest temperament. I bought him from Lucy Pinney (from the Cattistock) two years ago as a project to sell on but he isn’t going anywhere now!”
Jodie Evans and Merlin
“Merlin is a 14.2hh 11-year-old cob I have owned for four years. He truly loves his job out hunting and will jump anything and everything. Here’s him showing off his scope flying one of the Ledbury hedges without a lead with air! He’s a special boy and will remain with me forever.”
Jane Lavington and Boston Deluxe
“Boston Deluxe did his first dressage grand prix last year. He finished second in the Inter I and third in the prix st georges Petplan Area Festival Finals at Hartpury in 2018.”
Rebecca Harvie’s Arthur
“This is my son’s racing cob Arthur. He is a 14hh cob of unknown breeding and has given my slightly nervous son so much confidence and fun. As well as racing he hunts regularly with the Hampshire Hunt as well as Pony Club eventing, showjumping and fun rides. This picture is of him at Wincanton Pony Club Race Day.”
Vicky Strutton and Sound Barrier
“Sound Barrier won an area festival at PSG and trained to grand prix. He was bred by travellers and purchased as a youngster. He was a regular member of the BD Southern Region teams and came second at the Petplan finals at medium level and fifth at advanced medium. He is now 21 and still feeling like a ‘coblet’ half his age! Canter pirouettes were his speciality!”
Emily Brown
“Can you believe this pony is just 13.2hh?”
Lucy Benson and Alfie
“This is my nine-year-old daughter Lucy and her seven-year-old 13hh hunting, racing and working hunter pony super cob, Alfie.”
Hannah Colman
“My super cob is completely amazing. He leads the yearlings on a pre-training yard, has shown at county level, intermediate team chased, goes side saddle and is the most amazing hunter, crossing any country. He also takes kids riding — he’s truly amazing.”
Samantha Wood and Lexus 11
“Lexus 11 is a 14.1h eight-year-old traditional gypsy cob gelding that is out competing at advanced dressage level and is so far unbeaten in his section at advanced medium. He is working at prix st georges level at home and is moving towards grand prix and he has the starts of piaffe and passage. The amazing thing about him is he has a heart of a lion and never gives up. I once took him to a judges’ convention and they were shocked by the scope in his canter. As you can see by the photo he has a huge canter. Not only does he do dressage to advanced level but he also shows at county level with wins at the CHAPS national championships. He is the safest pony I have ever known and takes novice and nervous jockeys out hacking. I wouldn’t change him for a warmblood and I wouldn’t ever want to part with him. He is only 8 years old and I feel like the future is so bright with him. He is a one in a billion pony and following the success I have had with him I have been able to launch the dressage cob academy.”
Theo Cassell and Mac
“Mac is a 15-year-old Irish cob. He is currently playing horseball in the Pro Elite division against mainly ex-race horses and is holding his own, sometimes surprising others with his turn of pace!”
Abbi England and Pearl
“This is my granddad’s cart horse Pearl who has undergone the most amazing transformation and has surpassed all expectations. My granddad was struggling to get Pearl out in the cart enough to keep her weight down so we decided to break her in to ride so I could help by hacking. Pearl moved to Cheshire with me when I got my first job after university, fast forward just under four years she has turned her hoof to absolutely everything we have asked of her. We have qualified for a BE80(T) regional final this year, the Blue Chip BE80(T) Northern Championships at Weston Park in 2017 and 2018. Last winter we stepped up to elementary dressage and she has had numerous wins at the level too. We lost my granddad suddenly in January this year and due to work commitments on the family farm he never got to come down to Cheshire and see us compete at a British Eventing event despite saying every time we spoke we needed to fix a date, but I know now he will be watching over us every step of the way.”
Maeve Carlin and Sam
“Maeve Carlin and the super cob Sam crossing Northern Irish country last season.”
Sue Grice and Frodo
“Frodo has just started competing at Inter I level dressage gaining 64.5% on his first attempt. He has already qualified for the 2019 Petplan final at PSG with scores of up to 66.5%.”
Miri Hackett
“I’m very fortunate to ride a Turbo cob. He jumps 1.20m courses, has shown in coloured classes at the Horse of the Year Show, has competed and won at elementary level dressage, does working hunter and has evented at BE90 level. He was even the Great War Horse at Your Horse Live last year. He has a fan club on my own social media and is truly the greatest horse to ride — he tries his hardest, no matter what he is doing. He is the underdog that beats all the warmbloods because of his trainable brain and kind heart. He’s owned but the ever generous Michele Cooper and I’m so grateful to have the ride on him.”
Amy Simes and Chubby
“We hunt regularly with the Quorn Hunt, and gate shut if necessary but cross the country easily otherwise. Chubby was sourced directly from Ireland and hunts and gate shuts, but has also previously jousted for The Knights of Nottingham!”
Camilla Sowerby and Toby
“Toby is a 12-year-old traditional cob with furry feet! He plays in the national horseball league at Rugby typically ex-racers are used or polo ponies. Toby has given me confidence to ride at speed with no reins and have a go at picking up the ball in canter. I never thought I would hack on my own let alone canter through the woods with my reins tied up and riding reinless. The training he has had from horseball meant that when we had a go at horseboarding too and he was a star! He has helped me grow in confidence going across country and although he is a solid cob, he has pace!”
Charlie Wilson and Stripes
“Meet Stripes, a 15.2hh, 15-year-old Irish cob that crosses the biggest Ledbury country in fine style!”
Ber Bourke and Dolly
“This is my super cob Dolly. She is 15-years-old and I have her since she was four. She is 15.2hh and has done it all; hunting, hunter trials, showjumping, gate jumping, showing, steeplechasing and even dressage. Dolly is known around the length and breath of Ireland. She is my little super star.”
Ellie Hall and Button
“Button is a 12-year-old old Irish cob that I’ve owned for seven years and we’ve done absolutely everything with her in that time. She now spends her time doing dressage and hunting and enjoys every minute! She really is a super cob who can turn her hoof to anything.”
John Webb and Zebedee
“This is my cob x Friesian, Zebedee. We are keen hunters with the Albrighton and Woodland Hunt and he is as brave as a lion on the hunt field. He is well-known by the masters and other subscribers for being the exception to the rule, as he will happily lead over 5 foot hedges and five-bar gates are no problem to him. This photo is of him leading our thoroughbred to the finish line, clear at the Worcester novice team chase this year, much to the amazement of the spectators and the commentators, for being such an unusual contender.”
Samantha Rose and Spirit
“This is my super little 14.2hh coloured pony, Spirit, who was a broodmare until the age of 10 when we discovered her love of jumping. She’s now 17-years-old and loves showjumping and hunting with the Rockwood West and South Yorkshire.”
Johnny Drake
Johnny Drake flying across the country on his super cob.
Don’t miss the latest issue of Horse & Hound magazine for all of the latest news and reports, plus our cob special, out now (23 May 2019)
