Top 10 Reasons Why Cobs Are Awesome Horses

We all need a Cob in our life

All animals are Beautiful. Although Horses do uphold a unique dimension of beauty, regardless of shape, size or color. Whether a Thoroughbred or a Shetland, every horse is simply striking to the eye.

While “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”, there are those that behold Beauty for all.

There are those of us who are head-over-heels in love with Cobs, an underground crew of Cob-Fanatics, akin to Star Wars fans or Trekkies.

“Beam me up” Cobbie!

Before I broach the beautiful benefits of the busty-Cob, allow me to introduce you to the beast below. But before I do, let me say this:

“May the” Cob “be with you!”

Background

Irish Cobs can be traced back to the 18th century. They are considered a type of Horse rather than a breed, but appealing due to their temperament and physical characteristics. Historically Cobs were bred for farm work i.e., a light draught capable of being ridden by anyone.

While the true origins of Cobs are not well documented, many sources suggest that they originated by crossing an Irish Draught Horse with Irish and Connemara Ponies with some Thoroughbred blood.

Cobs are considered large-ponies or small-horses, ranging anywhere between 14-hands to 15.2-hands.

Cobs are quite versatile too, often used as riding horses today in activities like jumping, hacking, or hunting. Many have their mane roached or hogged, like a Mohawk, a practice dating back to a time when it was more practical to keep hair out of the way of a harness or reins in order to work — to see the crop being harvested — when braiding wasn’t a thing.

Now let’s jump into the detail.

The Top 10

Here are the Top 10 reasons why Cobs are awesome:

1. Beauty is the Beast — There’s something so heartwarmingly beautiful watching a cob do dressage. What’s not to love? A big, brawny, hairy beast dancing as elegantly as a ballerina.
2. Ballerina Bruisers Take Flight — Ditto at jumps. Cobs might look like they have four blocks for feet, firmly grounded in concrete, but they can defy gravity. Jumping a small pole is one thing, but plenty of Cobs possess jumping skills that would make MJ proud, rivalling any Sport-Horse as they glide like an albatross over fences.
3. Calm Canter — Their cool nature means that they’re perfect hunters, an armchair ride soaring over fences at cross-country.
4. Feather Aplenty — Who doesn’t love 80’s leg warmers? Cobs have plenty of feather. Hairy legs are desirable in Cobs, saving a small fortune on razors. That said, those lovely feathered legs do need some preening so as not to look out of place dancing to a Bee-Gees track.
5. Angels of Hip — Cobs are actually the hipsters of the horsey world — they can pull off wearing beards, mohawks and moustaches in a way that thoroughbreds or more elegant horses can’t. A Cob is a thoroughbred of fashion, they totally style it out.
6. Chill — Cobs are as cool as funk. These robust followers of fashion can be out to graze all year round and still nail any fad. They are the ultimate cool-merchants of Chill.
7. All-rounder — Not every Cob will take you clubbing, but they’ll surely give you a great dance around your local Hack, Jump or Gallop.
8. Loyalty — After 3 months our Cob follows us, without a lead. Horses are so loyal … wait … unless he’s following the treats in my pocket?
9. Joy — All animals behold the Joy of nature, especially Horses. Cobs are endless Joy-givers, they throw it around like Cob-Confetti at a Wedding, I mean a Paddock.
10. Spirituality — In the Chinese Zodiac Horses symbolize a powerful spirit that conveys integrity, nobleness and faithfulness beyond measure.

Cobs are the original go-to horse. They can do pretty much anything. With the right training, they are aces at hunting, jumping and dancing (dressage).

Take-Aways

So what can we humans learn from Cobs? As it turns out, there are plenty of Cob-inspired life lessons that we can benefit from, so here are 3 takeaways to chew on:

1. C — Confidence: Cobs display an incredible appetite for life. They love absolutely everything, embracing their entire surroundings with a deep sense of curiosity. Their inquisitive mind underpins their confidence.
2. O — Optimism: An inquisitive mind is driven by curious optimism and Cobs have it in abundance. They do not fear failure. They embrace it. In doing so, they feed their confidence, not because they fail at times, but because they’re optimistic students of life. Their healthy appetite for life exhibits how nature distills failure, confidence, and success as a cyclical necessity of any optimistic venture.
3. B — Bold, Calm Courage: While Cobs do get excited, their go-to state is a chilled-out demeanor. They know when to switch off, and disconnect. Cobs are brave too. Built like 4-legged gladiators they can dance like a Ballerina, race like Red Rum, or jump like Spud Webb. Cobs boldly face their fears, taking “everything in their stride”, knowing that a calm stable awaits them at the end of the day no matter what happens.

To conclude, the most valuable life lesson that Cobs demonstrate to us every day is best captured in an article by Tales From The Country:

“When life gets tough, pick yourself up and get on with it.”