Latest from Horse & Hound in Gypsy-cob

‘I couldn’t have asked more’: cob bought for £85 to hack wins Search for a Star title at HOYS

Eleanor Jones — Thu, 09 Oct 2025 12:45:54 +0000

An amateur rider and a cob bought for £85 to be a “happy hacker” made their two-day journey to Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) worth every minute by winning the SEIB Insurance Brokers Search for a Star traditional gypsy cob championship.

Zoe Clarke and Marley VI saw off strong competition yesterday (8 October) to win the title on their HOYS debut.

“I couldn’t have asked more of Marley; he thrived on the magical HOYS atmosphere and I am delighted,” Zoe said. “My mum, Nicola Clarke bought Marley 12 years ago when he was six months old for just £85 at a dispersal sale, in a cattle shed. She wanted him as a happy hacker but has never ridden him herself!”

Zoe said the trip was two days overall from her home in Inverness to the NEC Birmingham, including an overnight stop in Carlisle.

“Marley just takes it all in his stride,” she said. “We’ve enjoyed the build-up to HOYS and I would love one day to come back in the open classes. I work as a veterinary physio and am very lucky to be self-employed and control my diary so we can come to these shows.”

The Search for a Star classes have run at HOYS every year since 1998, giving amateurs the chance to ride in the arena of dreams.

Series organiser Nicolina MacKenzie said: “We are thrilled to be providing these opportunities for amateur riders. The HOYS Search for a Star championships are the culmination of months, and in some cases years, of preparation and training for the riders and their horses and ponies.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from HOYS, London International and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in:

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

Live All the HOYS showing news as it happens

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

Nine-hour trip to HOYS pays off for teenage rider with Highland pony

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

‘Winning here is the icing on the cake’: home-bred pony and rider are HOYS champions

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

6 keys to breeding HOYS superstar ponies, according to history-making Heniarth Stud

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now

‘We either terrify fancy horses with our flying feather or people want to hug them’ – meet the gypsy cobs winning in affiliated eventing

Pippa Roome — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 10:23:10 +0000

Full feather lovers, ahoy! Gypsy cob Jasper Carrott won his first British Eventing run in a BE80 section at West Wilts earlier this month (7-8 June) with Sarah Edmunds, following up on Sarah’s six top-three placings across this and last season with her other gypsy cob I Should Coco.

“We can either terrify the fancy blood horses with our flying feather – people say to keep them away in the warm-up – or people want to hug my cobs,” said Sarah. “The steward at West Wilts said he wanted to squeeze ‘Perry’ like a tube of toothpaste!”

Sarah added: “I always put on our commentator info that we’re like a living breathing Thelwell cartoon – we have Penelope and Kipper status.

“It just proves you don’t have to have millions of pounds, a 17hh warmblood, an expensive lorry and a big team of people – you can go and do these things and have so much fun.”

While H&H recommends people should be cautious when buying horses unseen, Sarah did buy both cobs in this way – I Should Coco after scrolling Facebook when she was bored after hunting was snowed off and Perry when his former owner needed to find him a home quickly due to having to leave a yard. Sarah fetched him from a London industrial estate.

Gypsy cob eventing: “We’re not selling this!”

Sarah said: “I was looking for a show cob when I bought Coco but the judges were saying he was a gypsy cob instead, so I got into the feather. I took him to a lesson with my instructor Jane Adderley and said I might sell him and 20 minutes in she said, ‘We’re not selling this’. She won everything in dressage on him when I had to have shoulder surgery – he must have thought rosettes only come in red!”

Coco currently leads the BE80 British Eventing opposition beaten percentage leagues and has also been successful in riding club championships and the Cotswold Cup.

“I thought I was a bit of a coward over flagged jumps although I drag hunt with the Staff College and Berks and Bucks, so I had to get my brave pants on,” said Sarah.

Perry did not feel 100% in himself in the build-up to West Wilts and Sarah had done checks such as having the dentist and chiropractor out, then decided it could be down to the fact she had sold the Albion K2 he had previously shared with another horse. She bought a bargain older saddle of the same model off eBay and “that fixed everything”.

She also switched him from a Kimblewick for jumping to a straight bar three-ring gag following a lesson with Carl Belson.

“It got him off his forehand and really pinging,” she said. “If something isn’t working, you have to talk to your instructors and try different things.”

Sarah works three-and-a-half days a week as a parish clerk, which she says is a very flexible job that fits around horses.

“And if you can deal with the chaos and politics of a horse yard, residents and councils are easy,” she laughed.

To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

‘He took us past Big Ben’: family’s driving pony off to HOYS and London International under-saddle

Alex Robinson — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 17:30:55 +0000

A family’s much-loved driving pony has flourished in his new career under-saddle, qualifying for both the Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) and London International Horse Show (LIHS) during his first season.

Staffordshire-based Eve Meer’s traditional stallion Puzzel, who stands at 14hh, qualified for the traditional, native and cob pony of the year final at HOYS at Denbigh and Flint County last month with his rider, Eve’s friend and neighbour Ellena Thomas.

“It was Ellena who said he was far too good not to be doing the ridden job,” says Eve, who bought Puzzel solely for driving.

Puzzel was bought out of a field in Wales. He’d done very little and Eve and her family introduced him to being driven.

“He is a true Gypsy driving cob; he’d usually drive between seven and eight miles per day, regularly taking us to the pub on a Thursday night for dinner,” Eve says. “We also took him on the London Drive where we drove around the city with 130 other outfits. He was perfect and didn’t bat an eyelid, driving us down Oxford Street, and past Buckingham Palace and Big Ben.”

Puzzel, who has also covered a handful of mares, had done very little ridden work prior to eight months ago, as Eve explains: “He couldn’t even canter earlier this year. Ellena is just up the road from us and she regularly came to ride him. They’ve had some big wins together, though we can’t believe he’s going to both major finals in his first year.

“We’re just a family who aren’t majorly competitive,” Eve adds. “Puzzel is our family driving cob, our pet really. I hope this proves that it is achievable to anyone. He’s a true Gypsy cob who has made our dreams in the show ring come true.”

To stay up to date with all the breaking news throughout the National Dressage Championships, Blenheim Horse Trials, Horse of the Year Show and more, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

5 things owners of ‘hairy’ horses and ponies are always hearing

Alex Robinson — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 15:30:42 +0000

If you’ve decided to let you horse or pony’s mane, tail and feathers go au naturel for whatever reason, chances are you will have heard one of these five comments at some point…

1. You’re always getting asked about your horse’s hair care routine

It’s true, you spend three times as much on your horse’s hair products than your own. While you tend to opt for an own-brand supermarket shampoo for yourself, your horse is treated to a luxury array of natural shampoos and conditioners to keep his mane and tail silky soft. You also battle with a bottle of foul-smelling pig oil a couple of times a week to keep his feathers healthy. Because let’s face it, his L’Oréal moment is way more important than yours.

2. ‘You should hog him’

Your yard friends with their finer plaited horses will constantly be nagging you to tidy up your horse’s locks. While they appreciate that mane might be a struggle to squeeze into a row of neat plaits, they seem intent on sharpening his look, and hogging seems like the perfect way to do this. But it certainly is an extreme makeover so proceed with caution before you get clipper-happy…

3. Your horse often gets judged on his fluffy appearance

Those who don’t know your horse might assume that he can’t keep up on hacks, or might be super cuddly in the stable. But don’t be fooled, when he’s on a mission he can out-walk any eventer, and don’t assume that just because he’s soft and furry he likes snuggles, as you could end up with a chunk missing from your arm.

4. Your mare is always getting referred to as ‘he’

Just because she’s rocking the longest moustache in the county does not mean she’s any less of a lady.

5. ‘Wouldn’t you like a horse to compete?’

The stereotype of the hairy cob still rages on but you’re more than happy to break down barriers and prove that just because he’s got a bit more mane than most, he can still extend his trot and gallop for glory. And wait until you see him jump…

You may also be interested in:

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

18 (tongue-in-cheek) reasons cobs are better than thoroughbreds

Tough, resilient, reliable and brilliant fun. Of course no horse is perfect, but cob owners and riders have got a

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Subscribe today and enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus unlimited website access and digital versions of the magazine dating back to September 2012.

From gypsy cob to Hickstead speed Derby: ‘I wouldn’t have believed it’

Eleanor Jones — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 18:51:28 +0000

A couple who are trying to swap their way from a gypsy cob to a grand prix showjumper say they have thoroughly enjoyed the process – and have qualified for the Hickstead speed Derby.

Tamsin Lott and Frankie Penford started with a £700 cob and now have 10-year-old warmblood Castleconnell Shamboozie (Paddy).

Tamsin told H&H the idea came about as she had lost her beloved horse after 11 years, last March.

“Frankie could see how devastated I was, and my horse wasn’t insured, and I didn’t have the money to buy one,” she said. “So he came up with this idea.”

The couple travelled to Wales to buy Misty, a 13.2hh cob, whom Tamsin said was “absolutely perfect”.

“She was so sweet,” she said. “I schooled her a bit and we did lots of hacking, and we found her a lovely home with some kids.”

The couple used the money from Misty’s new owners to buy Darcy, a coloured cob of about 13hh, who Tamsin said was also very sweet and enjoyed her jumping.

“We sold her to a lovely little girl also called Darcy, which was really cool,” she said.

The next project was a 14.2hh cob, whom they bought from Cornwall, called Sausage.

“I think he’s been my favourite,” Tamsin said. “We kept him for a bit, got him fit and riding, and jumping. We’re near Ashdown Forest [in East Sussex] and he loved hacking there.”

By the time they sold Sausage, last September, the couple had about £5,000, which they used to buy a horse called Julio, from Duckhurst Farm in Kent. They kept him till March, when he went to Scotland with his new owner.

“She’s really happy with him,” Tamsin said.

This left them with £9,000, and they bought Castleconnell Shamboozie (Paddy), who impressed both of them so much, they decided to aim for Saturday’s feature class at Hickstead, qualifying yesterday with Frankie (20 June).

“And I don’t think he’ll be the final one!” Tamsin said, adding that while they had Julio, she and Frankie had also started again finding good homes for other project horses.

“It’s quite difficult to find them, we’ve done a lot of travelling,” she said. “Some have just been in the field not doing anything so it’s been so nice to find them such good homes.

“I wouldn’t have believed we’d be able to do what we’ve done. I was so heartbroken over losing my horse, it just gave me something to focus on. I’ve treated them all as my own, then found them the best homes.”

Royal Windsor triumph for full-time nurse and her ‘high-maintenance’ traditional pony

Alex Robinson — Thu, 11 May 2023 21:20:26 +0000

A nurse rode her traditional coloured gelding to clinch the Royal Windsor ridden senior pony accolade, and a coveted Royal International (RIHS) place, on the first day of the 2023 Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Ellie Taylor’s own 15-year-old Buddhist Punk (Paddy) reigned in the Royal Windsor ridden senior pony championship above the reserve choice, Alice Stratton riding her 22-year-old Welsh section B Laithehill Pasha.

The Taylors have owned Paddy for just under a decade.

“We had him on loan initially and then we eventually bought him,” said Ellie, who is a full-time nurse and juggles showing around long hours, including night shift patterns.

“I ride after nights, and I have to book weekends off to show well in advance,” said the 24-year-old, who is based in Liverpool.

When he was younger, Paddy was struck down with sycamore sickness and he consequently suffers from several allergies. Paddy is managed with a specific routine:

“He recovered from the illness but he does have lots of allergies which has set us back,” said Ellie, who has competed Paddy at Hickstead in open coloured ranks several times over the years. “It’s hard to manage as he can’t go near certain things which might trigger him. He’s high maintenance, but he’s come out feeling better than ever this year. He is the most easy going gentle giant in the world.

“I also have to give credit to my farrier, Wilf Ford, who has done wonders with Paddy. He had started to struggle on his feet but Wilf has got him back on track. This is definitely a team effort.”

You may also be interested in…

(Image credit: Alex Robinson)

‘He really loves his jumping’: cob with a pop is top working show horse at Royal Windsor

(Image credit: Alex Robinson)

‘I’m honoured to have him’: firefighter’s 19-year-old wins his second Windsor crown

(Image credit: Alex Robinson)

‘Terrifying – I tried not to hear how high it was’: puissance first-timer is thrilled to jump 7ft wall

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

‘They laughed when I bought him’: self-confessed ‘cob convert’ wins dressage titles

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 06 Nov 2022 19:51:02 +0000

A rider who had always had hunters and never imagine herself riding with feathers flying has become a “cob convert”, enjoying national success with her coloured gelding.

Laura Rose had no plans to take on anything like 14.2hh Borough’s Doorman (Barry), but “took a gamble”. That gamble paid off as the six-year-old has this year not only won at the British Dressage Associated Championships, but also equalled the winning score at the Petplan Equine Summer Area Festival Championships.

“I was that person,” Laura told H&H. “I’d never had a cob, it was all big ladies’ hunters, and I wasn’t looking for him until he came.”

Laura was looking, unsuccessfully, for a horse when Barry became available on her livery yard, and having ummed and ahhed and said no twice, she ended up buying him for herself.

“He was only four and had been backed and ridden away, so I started with hacking him,” she said. “We’ve got a beach two minutes away so I’d ride there and to the North Yorkshire moors. We’d go on our own and pay £10 to camp in a field for the night, then go climbing mountains, and we bonded like that.”

Once the partnership was formed, Laura started taking Barry to shows, starting at preliminary level but enjoying success from the start.

“We qualified for the winter and summer Petplan Area Festivals, then went to the final and were joint first in the bronze freestyle, and were only pipped to second on the collectives. To do that on a cob was crazy.”

The pair then went to the associated championships at Bury Farm, won the prelim silver Traditional Gypsy Cob Association class and the bronze novice, and was the overall highest-scoring cob in the prelim sections.

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

The day was not without its dramas, as when Laura arrived after her journey of five and a half hours, she found she had left her hat at home.

“I asked other competitors but no one had a spare hat so I went to the secretary’s table to withdraw,” she said. “The lady who runs Bury Farm ran down to the closed-down tack shop and found the only BD-legal hat she had left in storage, still with tags, and let me use it. I took home four beautiful sashes, all thanks to that lady.”

Laura added: “I’m on a yard of about 300 liveries, and everyone knows me as having a type. When I got Barry, he was all hairy and looked like he should have been tied on the side of a roundabout. People laughed at me and said ‘What have you bought?’ and even my mum said ‘What have you bought him for?’. So after that, I thought ‘Watch me turn him into a champion’, and that I’d prove them all wrong.”

She added that Barry can be “a bit of a showman” in the ring, and she has to contain his enthusiasm at times.

“He loves to flash his feathers and do his fancy trot, but that’s not required at prelim!” she said. “I’m a cob convert and I wouldn’t have anything else now.

“Look at what we’ve achieved; don’t be like me and snub cobs because I’d missed out on this opportunity and journey for so many years.”

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Meet the silver and gold dressage supercob who changes colour throughout the year

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

‘He deserves this’: pony found with severed tendon at six months old wins two national dressage titles

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade your subscription to access our online service that brings you breaking news and reports as well as other benefits.

‘He deserves this’: pony found with severed tendon at six months old wins two national dressage titles

Eleanor Jones — Sun, 23 Oct 2022 18:53:35 +0000

A pony who was found with a severed tendon and crawling with lice at about six months old has this month won the prelim gold and overall cob titles at the British Dressage Associated Championships.

Katie Lee was overjoyed to win on KSL Long Shot – so named as his survival hung in the balance at the start of his life.

Katie told H&H she was working for the vet practice to which “Minty” was brought as a months-old colt in early 2014.

“He was tiny,” Katie said. “The lice and malnourishment were obvious, and there was blood on his hind leg. It didn’t look too bad until it was clipped but the extensor tendon was completely severed. He was standing with his head pressed against the wall, and I thought I’d never sen such a depressed horse.”

Minty’s case was discussed and it was suggested that the kindest option might be to put him down.

“It would have been difficult to rehome him as he was so young and with a severe injury that needed daily care,” Katie said. “Who was going to want to take him with his injury, and pay for it? But I’d been looking after him every day and I just loved him.

“People have asked me what it was about this poor, mangled little thing, and it was his beautiful face. He was terrified but I loved him.”

Katie went home to talk to her parents, as “horses and competing are very much a family thing”.

“I said ‘You’re going to think I’m barking but why don’t we rehome him?’” she said. “I think my dad was thinking I’d not long bought this lovely warmblood to compete, and why did I want a six-month-old 12hh cob with no tendon. I got it but every horse we’ve had has worked out.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Katie spoke to all the right people, who were happy for her to take Minty.

“Everyone was very clear it was a long shot, which is where his name came from,” she said. “Friends would say ‘Katie, that’s a long shot; you might end up with a lovely pony or you might be heartbroken’ but I said ‘I’ll give it a go’. And within a fortnight, it was evident he wanted to live.”

After extensive rest and treatment, Minty joined Katie’s other horses, and buddied up with Katie’s youngster Wally.

“He walked up to Wally doing his little baby chatter and put his head under his tummy and started sucking on his sheath,” Katie said. “Wally was looking at me like ‘Mum, what is this and why’s it doing that?’ He should still have been with his mum. He didn’t really know what feed was, although that and sleep are now his favourite things.”

Minty thrived but was still tiny, Katie said, and his “temperament was to die for; he’s a horse who should have been terrified of humans, but he’s beautiful”. He eventually matured at 14hh, which meant she could ride him. He has a significant scar on his leg and frequent physio and farrier visits but has never been lame.

He and Katie had done some showing, but had “no great ambitions” in this area.

“I do dressage with my others but he’s a traditional cob, not a dressage horse,” she said. “But then my parents said ‘You do dressage on a Welsh section D so why can’t he do it?’ and I thought ‘Too right he can’!

“There’s plenty you can do, then British Dressage brought out the associated championships and I thought that was an excellent idea. This year I affiliated him and thought ‘Let’s give it a whirl and see what happens’.”

What happened was that in a few prelim tests, Minty qualified for the championships, so they made the five-hour trip from County Durham to Bury Farm.

“Off we went with no expectations.” Katie said. “In the test, I was walking round trying to conserve his energy, then the horn went and I picked him up, and thought ‘I’ve never sat on a trot like this, he’s totally got this’.

“My husband said afterwards that he’d aced it, it was the best test he’d ever done and I was saying ‘Stop it, his year will be next year’.”

There was confusion over the scores but in the presentation, when sashes were put not only on Minty but on Katie too, she realised he had won both titles.

“It was surreal,” she said. “We’ve had lots of success in BD and unaffiliated but there was something different about that day, and with where he came from in life, I really felt he deserved it. It’s almost unbelievable, remembering where he was.”

Meet the silver and gold dressage supercob who changes colour throughout the year

Eleanor Jones — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 18:53:35 +0000

Meet this stunning “supercob” who’s both silver and gold, changes colour throughout the year – and is a dab hoof at dressage.

Catherine Chalkly and Bradwell Dun Deal, both 16, secured second place in the elementary dressage to music class at the British Riding Clubs championships at Bury Farm on 30 September.

Catherine’s mother Hannah told H&H they have owned “Brad” for four years.

“We clip him all year round and he’s golden, but goes grey in winter,” she said. “He didn’t have many dapples when we bought him; they’re more a recent thing! He changes shade throughout the year.”

The buckskin gelding is described as dun in his passport, but also shows off varying shades of grey.

“We don’t know how he’s bred; when he got him, he had an appaloosa passport!” Hannah said. “He’s now registered as a part-bred with the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association. We’re not sure what the other part is; people have said Clydesdale, Connemara, Friesian – no idea!”

Hannah said her daughter has only been riding for five or six years, and Hannah originally bought Brad for herself, but “he became Catherine’s horse very quickly”.

“They started doing dressage just before Covid; she does a bit of jumping and cross-country but dressage is her big passion,” Hannah said.

“Before we bought him, he’d spent most of his life in a field doing nothing so he was really green and we had to start him from the beginning but he’s been an absolute star, brilliant to do everything with. He can be a bit grumpy but he hasn’t got a nasty bone in his body.”

Hannah added that she trusts the cob implicitly, whatever Catherine does with him.

“We’ve got to a difficult junction in Catherine’s life because she takes dressage very seriously and wants to progress but she’s been told he’ll never get selected for any teams,” Hannah said. “The question came up of selling him but we just couldn’t, we love him, and he’s making her a rider.”

Hannah said she would not want Catherine to have a “push-button” dressage horse, and that she and Brad were selected to represent their region this year, and are hoping to move up to medium level this winter.

She added that she was nervous at the championships – “She was the only junior in the class and there were some very good riders there!” – but all went well.

“I was very proud,” she said.

And as is the case at most shows, others were full of questions about Brad.

“People always ask what colour he is, and what breed,” Hannah said. “They ask if he’s for sale, even when we’ve stopped at service stations! His stable name is really Rolo but we call him Brad as we imagine he’s like a surfer, loving himself with his long hair.”

Wearing your poppy with pride: unusually marked cob is a hit in the show ring

Sarah Radford — Sun, 07 Nov 2021 21:04:17 +0000

A mini cob colt has been wearing his poppy with pride this season — because it forms part of his unusual markings.

Thirteen-month-old Dennis the Menace, who appears to have both a remembrance poppy and kneeling soldier in the pattern on his back, has been a hit in the show ring, winning every class he is eligible for at riding club level.

“Quite a few people notice his markings, especially when I show him in hand, where plenty of people comment on it. Obviously it catches the judges’ attention as well,” his owner Sean Witham told H&H.

“I have had people asking for photos with him as the markings look like the war memorial. Lest we forget.”

Dennis, who currently stands at 11.2hh, has had a successful first season, showing at three different riding clubs where he has won the youngstock, coloured and cob classes.

He will also be able to show off his poppy to a bigger audience later this month when he appears at the STARS Champion of Champions event at Aintree (19-21 November).

Sean said that he had “big plans for the little man”, hoping to show him at county level when he is older, as well as to put him to harness and back him for his 12-year-old son to ride.

Sean bought the colt from a friend who had acquired him as a job lot with another horse.

“I spotted the poppy as soon as I laid eyes on him, it just stands out,” he said. “She couldn’t keep them both, one had to get sold, and once I saw him that was it, I had to have him.”

Sean added that Dennis had grown into a young pony with “a really good nature”.

“I think it’s because he’s been handled from a young age, I could walk him down the A6 and he wouldn’t be bothered,” he said. “He’s the apple of my eye.”

‘I couldn’t have done it without him’: rider who suffered stroke back on her feet with her horse’s help

Sarah Radford — Sat, 16 Oct 2021 20:01:46 +0000

A 49-year-old rider who suffered a stroke has described how her incredible bond with her coloured cob has been instrumental to her recovery.

Leanne Williams bought 11-year-old Rio five years ago, and was his “first real home” after he was passed round sales and dealers’ yards.

Initially nervous to handle — Leanne had to spend six weeks getting him used to having his feet picked up — he has been able to pay back her care by being central to her rehabilitation since she suffered the debilitating blood clot three months ago.

Leanne was forced to relearn her balance after the stroke meant she was initially unable to walk but both riding and handling Rio and yard duties, supervised by her physio James Hinder, have helped her make an impressive recovery.

“The physio asked me what my goal was and I said ‘to ride again’,” Leanne said. “He said ‘OK, we’ll bring Rio into the rehab’.

“They’ve never used a horse in stroke rehabilitation before but I’ve come so far in three months that they’ve said they want to use us as a case study.”

Leanne, who works in the finance department at Cardiff University, had been for a gallop on the beach with Rio the morning of her stroke, and was driving home from the yard when she suddenly felt ill.

She pulled over on to a grass verge and called her sister Kelly Keating, telling her “something’s not right”.

“Kelly and I had both been to the beach with our horses and we’d had a lovely morning. We got back to the stables, I untacked my horse, washed him down, cleaned my tack and said ‘I’ll be back later to sort the horses out’ and within five mins of leaving it was like I’d been hit in the back of the head with a hammer,” Leanne told H&H.

“I lost my vision straight away and then had a feeling like I’d been to the dentist and had an injection, my mouth and tongue were numb, and then I started getting pins and needles in my arms and legs. I thought I was having a heart attack at first, my headache got worse and I was getting nauseous, with an overwhelming feeling of burning up.”

Leanne quickly called her sister, who was with her within minutes. They called an ambulance but were warned it would be a long wait, so Kelly drove Leanne to the Heath Hospital in Cardiff.

“She was so calm, she could see my face had dropped. Then when we got there and I got out of the car, my balance went and I couldn’t walk,” Leanne said.

“I couldn’t believe I’d gone from galloping a horse to being like that an hour and a half later. It was such a shock, at 49 you just don’t expect it. I’ve always eaten healthily and been very active, running and going to the gym.”

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

Leanne said that while in hospital, she accepted the stroke as “there were so many people around in the same situation” but the situation hit her when she returned home to start her recovery at her mother’s bungalow.

“I was used to doing everything at 100mph. I had to go to my mum’s — as her house was on one level and I couldn’t manage stairs — and I remember trying to stand up and I fell on the bed. I thought ‘I can’t live like this’ and burst into tears.”

But Leanne was interrupted by a message from her sister, who had been sent a picture of Leanne galloping on the beach the morning of her stroke — it had been taken by a stranger who was out photographing the shore.

“She said ‘Look what I have just been sent of you on Rio’. That photo, as hard as it was to look at, inspired me and she got it blown up and put in a frame. From then on getting back on was my mission.”

Rio had already been an emotional crutch for Leanne as she went through a tough time, losing her father to cancer followed by the death of her sister-in-law last year. But the traditional cob stepped up again to be a shoulder to lean on in her recovery.

“My husband appreciates Rio so much, he can’t believe how gentle he has been with me,” Leanne said. “The physio had me going up and down on Rio’s leg from crouch position and he would lean away as I pulled up his leg to keep me more steady.”

While Leanne was recovering, Rio had been looked after by Kelly and also his 65-year-old sharer Glenna Hillbourne.

“When they first took me in to see him in his stable I was still in a wheelchair and he was nudging my knees trying to get me up. Then he put his head into my lap and he wouldn’t move,” Leanne said.

Leanne progressed to turning 14.2hh Rio out while still walking with a frame and also spent hours walking round the school with him on foot, building her strength.

“Even when he’d been in his stable for seven hours and was heading out to a field full of grass, he’d be so patient. He’d take two strides and then stop and wait for me,” she said.

Although she is back in the saddle, Leanne is still struggling with both fatigue and balance issues but Rio is doing his best to compensate.

“He is so out of balance because of me and canters like a banana trying to keep me up. He’s always been a sensitive soul like that, although a bomb could go off and he wouldn’t react.

“I just can’t thank that horse enough. I couldn’t have done it without him.”

Gypsy vanner to represent Britain at pony world driving championships

Sarah Radford — Fri, 17 Sep 2021 21:01:10 +0000

A gypsy cob who started life as a vanner is headed to France this week to represent Britain at the FEI combined driving World Championships for ponies (Haras Du Pin, 15-19 September).

Woodie (Elwood) was spotted pulling a wagon near Kelso and was bought off the road from his breeder, Gary Davis. He has gone on to be an unexpected success in top-level driving trials.

His new career direction began when his owner Caroline Church sent him to well-known tandem driver Carol Boswell for schooling.

He did some work as an Riding for the Disabled Association pony and then returned the following summer for some more schooling, leading him to begin his career in driving trials with Carol’s daughter Rebecca March.

“I got into a bit of a bet with Mum,” Rebecca said. “She was at the nationals with her tandem, that she competed with her ex-partner, and when he left there was a bit of a gap. I said to her ‘if you go and aim for the nationals again, Jamie [Rebecca’s husband] and I will drive next season as well and we can both try to qualify.’

“Mum had other ponies but she thought I’d have the most fun with Woodie. He is so different to anything I was used to but she was right and we have had a ball with him.”

Woodie put to a wagon with his former owner Gary Davis (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Rachel’s grandmother Gladys Dale bred Welsh ponies and Rachel had driven them “for fun around the field” but had never competed seriously, having had more interest in riding sport horses.

She had to give them up because of work commitments but thought driving a pony “would be easier”.

“That idea soon went out the window, as just the same level of training is required!” she said.

They first realised Woodie may have the talent to go on in driving trials during their first ever lesson, which was with world four-in-hand champion Boyd Exell.

“Someone cancelled so mum said ‘could Becs come?’” Rebecca said. “Boyd drove him and said ‘he’s got an extension, you’ve got something here to work with.’”

Rebecca went on to buy Woodie and they tackled their first nationals at novice that year before starting to wonder whether it was feasible to draw up a World Championship campaign.

“We aimed to get to these worlds but never really thought it possible,” she said. “Breaking it down into years helped and my trainer [former pony fours world champion] Jan de Boer also helped hugely.”

Rebecca said that Woodie, now 14, has become a “very good marathon pony” and is also strong in the dressage.

“On the marathon he has the heart of a lion. The girl that rides him for me events to intermediate level and she says he is faster than her intermediate horse, he has a serious engine,” she said.

“You wouldn’t think he was sporty to look at him though because he has cankles as soon as he grows any hair — and his canon bones are so short and fat that we can’t use boots on him because none of them fit.”

She added that he also had fabulous paces with a “fantastic” extended trot, and because he started life as a vanner, his “discipline is unbelievable”.

“He has done a bit of everything and I think if we hadn’t driven him, whatever he would have done he would have gone to the top.”

Rebecca said that her aim for their World Driving Championships debut, where they compete as individuals in the single pony, would be to finish in the top half of the field.

“The trick is keeping the consistency in all three phases. We usually get two out of three but at international level you need three out of three,” she said.

“It’s going to be our first time abroad because of Covid, so it’s a bit nerve-racking but a lot of other people are in a similar position as so many couldn’t go to the test event either.”

In fine feather: the growing popularity of the gypsy cob

Stephanie Bateman — Mon, 25 Jan 2021 09:00:21 +0000

Practical, adaptable, good-natured and multi-talented – the gypsy cob is worth its weight in gold. Stephanie Bateman investigates their growing popularity

Gypsy cobs go by many names: traditional gypsy cob, Irish cob, gypsy horse, gypsy vanner – and even tinker horse. As the name suggests, traditional gypsy cobs were originally bred by Romany gypsies to pull their bow-top caravans all over England and Ireland. They needed to be powerful, hardy, fearless and intelligent to cope with life on the road, yet docile enough to be handled by all the family.

“They have since found their way into the hearts of the non-traveller community who recognise their adaptability and suitability for many equine disciplines,” says Andrea Betteridge, founder of the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA). “Today, gypsy cobs are one of the most honest, hard-working and gentle breeds in the world.”

In this article: H istory | Conformation | Temperament | Uses | Price

Potted history of gypsy cobs

With no official records, the exact history and origin of the traditional gypsy cob is unknown.

“What we do have through research and learnings is a good guide as to the history of today’s traditional gypsy cob,” says Andrea. “Romany gypsies had been using horses to travel across Europe for centuries and some settled in the British Isles. During World War I, many horses were bought by the army and taken overseas. One type of horse the army refused was the coloured as they could be too easily seen.”

The Romany gypsies capitalised on this and bred hundreds of colourful horses to pull their wagons and work.

The Romany gypsies used a variety of breeds to produce the gypsy cob – combining flashiness with sure-footed traits – to pull their wagons and work on the land (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

“Our own native breeds roamed freely across the highlands, moors, mountains, fells and dales,” adds Andrea. “The Romany gypsies favoured the flashiness of the coloured horse; the feather, hair and steady, hard-working nature of the heavy breeds; and the sure-footed, sturdy, compact bodies of the Fell and Dales ponies. They bred their horses using this mix, adapting the size and type to suit their needs and likes. The other merit of the ever-popular coloured was that each one was so easily recognisable.”

Andrea set up the TGCA in 2005 to form a verifiable studbook to recognise the breed, and to create a place for non-coloured traditionals in the show ring. Now a breed association approved by Defra, the TGCA holds the studbook for traditional gypsy cobs.

It’s also a passport-issuing office (PIO) and holds an international studbook with registered horses and members worldwide, as well as a well-supported national breed show – the Traditional of the Year Show, known as TOYS.

“Through our studbook, we record old established bloodlines and encourage responsible breeding to maintain the quality and stamp of cobs,” explains Andrea. “We have around 9,000 registered cobs and all our pedigrees are DNA verified.”

It was for this reason that a TGCA showing championship was created at Horse of the Year Show (HOYS) through the SEIB Search for a Star competition.

“Not every traditional gypsy cob is coloured – they’re a breed, not a colour – so I wanted to create a championship for non-coloured gypsy cobs to give them recognition,” says Andrea. “It was the ultimate dream seeing them at HOYS.”

Alongside the TGCA, Andrea also coordinates Cob Care, which is the charitable arm of the TGCA and strives to preserve, protect and promote the breed.

“The aims of the charity are to educate and support breeders of gypsy cobs, ensuring they reduce over-breeding while endorsing responsible breeding practices,” says Andrea. “We educate people and encourage them to breed quality and not quantity. We have a lot of families who have really raised the bar.

“There’s a lot of stigma around travellers who breed cobs, but true Romany people love their horses, and are dedicated, knowledgeable and skilful in breeding them.”

Gypsy cobs: conformation

The breed standard states that a traditional gypsy cob “should be a strong, sturdy and powerful cob coupled with an abundance of luxuriant flowing mane, forelock, tail, and leg hair which is known as feather.

They should always have plenty of heart room, and a deep girth to match.

They should display ample bone and be well muscled within a broad compact body with powerful hindquarters.

Traditional gypsy cobs make a versatile all-round animal, most suitable for driving, riding and are ideal family horses.”

The gypsy cob is typically a versatile, all-round horse (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Temperament

A hallmark is their temperament. They should have a kind, willing, intelligent and gentle disposition and sensible nature, for which they are renowned.

“One thing the gypsies wouldn’t tolerate was a bad-tempered horse, so all their horses had to be totally trustworthy and safe,” explains Andrea. “Over time, this has given us the very placid, even-tempered cob of today.”

A willing, easy-going temperament is characteristic (Image credit: creditUnknown)

Uses of gypsy cobs

Although famous for pulling highly decorated wagons, gypsy cobs are also found in the show ring at the highest level, dancing between the white boards in dressage, jumping and everything in between.

Gypsy cobs can turn their hoof to a range of equestrian disciplines (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Dressage rider Sam Wood previously only ever rode warmbloods until the gypsy cob Lexus II (see feature, p30) she bought for her mother to hack started beating her dressage horse.

“I took him out to keep my young warmblood company at dressage competitions,” says Sam of the 10-year-old gypsy cob whom she also shows. “I started entering him in classes, too, but every time he’d end up beating my warmblood, so the warmblood was sold and I began buying cobs.”

Sam has since trained Lexus up to prix st georges and competes at advanced medium, winning three TGCA dressage championships and the first round of the Area Festivals.

“Lexus is naturally talented in that you don’t really have to train him, he just picks things up,” she says. “He’s also very reliable – he’s never sharp or spooky so you can take him into a big arena and he doesn’t react. I never have to do arena walks with him.”

Sam also owns eight-year-old Champagne Showers who is working at novice level.

“They’re safe but have a bit about them which means they can progress,” says Sam. “A common misconception is that they’re a plod on a rope, which they are on the ground, but you can tune them up. The temperament for me is what makes them incredible.”

Another cob convert is Hayley Mossop, who showjumps for a living.

“Three years ago, I had an 18.2hh sport horse stallion who wouldn’t travel alone, so I thought I’d buy a gypsy cob to travel him with,” explains Hayley. “I ended up rescuing 12hh Stoney Meadow Aurora, who went on to win in-hand all over the country, including taking numerous championships and supremes at his first TOYS. He is the loveliest little cob and really converted me.”

Two years later, Hayley decided she wanted another one big enough for her to ride.

“A friend who rescues cobs found a stallion left to die in a barn, so she got in touch and ended up giving him to me,” says Hayley. “He was a pretty sorry sight, so the idea was to rehab him and then have him cut and sell on, but I soon realised how nice he was.”

Stoney Meadow The Greatest Showman (Chaz) is now a 138cm, five-year-old, dual licensed stallion.

“He has the kindest, sweetest temperament you could ever wish from a pony, which is testament to this breed,” says Hayley. “He works as light as a sport horse and the power from the hind end is incredible, but he’s also safe enough to put anyone on.”

The stallion has won numerous championships under saddle, but also enjoys jumping.

“If you asked him to jump off a cliff, he would,” says Hayley. “He has loads of scope and will easily jump a six-bar gate and logs out hacking. He’s also working at advanced medium-level dressage.”

Hayley tries to convert her showjumping friends, too.

“They ride Chaz and can’t believe how light and easy he is to ride,” says Hayley. “I never thought I’d be a cob convert – I thought they were riding school horses for people who had lost their nerve, but I wouldn’t be without them now.”

When Kirsty Warnes bought a gypsy cob mare from a local dealer, little did she know she was getting two for the price of one.

“We got Daffodil as a four-year-old from a local gypsy cob man, unbroken and a bit feral,” says Kirsty. “He assured me she wasn’t in foal but when I started breaking her in, she wasn’t quite right so I had her scanned and sure enough she was in foal – we had a filly out of her who is now broken and ridden away.”

The 14.3hh Daffodil was originally bought as a hack for Kirsty’s mother-in-law.

“It turned out she was a little bit too good for that,” laughs Kirsty, who now competes the mare in showing and won the 2019 SEIB Search for a Star traditional cob of the year at HOYS. “She also competes up to novice level dressage and loves jumping. My daughters ride her and she is exceptionally well-behaved. A bomb could go off and she wouldn’t notice. She is really kind.”

What can you expect to pay for gypsy cobs?

Gypsy cobs aren’t just for travellers – they are one of the most popular UK breeds.

“Everywhere you look, there are traditionals or part-bred traditionals,” says Andrea.

And it’s not just the UK that is smitten –America and Australia as well as other European countries are big fans, too.

“Australians tend to breed their own gypsy cobs because of the £25,000 export fee, but Americans still buy from here, sometimes straight from a photo or video,” explains Andrea. “We had one stallion go to the USA about 15 years ago and they paid £90,000. He hadn’t won anything; he just had lots of fluff and feather and had bred some nice foals.”

To buy a good one over here, you are looking at £5,000 to £6,000 for a broken-in gelding and more for a mare or stallion.

2EADYMN Beautiful big group of Irish Gybsy cob horses foals running wild snow ground towards through cold deep snowy winter field at sunset galloping in pack (Image credit: Alamy Stock Photo)

Size isn’t everything: meet the 12hh hairy pony bought for £100 and is landing supremes in the show ring

Alex Robinson — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 16:24:35 +0000

When her mother showed her an online advert for small and hairy two-year-old pony, Rachel Leek admitted she wasn’t instantly sure if she could see much show potential. However, it soon became apparant that the versatile traditional, The Tramp — who stands at just a shade under 12hh — would prove that size is definitely not essential when you have both conformational and star quality.

The now seven-year-old ‘Barry’ — as he is known at home — recently took the in-hand supreme accolade at the BSPA Festival of Showing and Winter Championships (23 February).

Handled by Rachel’s partner Aaron Calver, Barry is completely home-produced and also contends ridden classes with Rachel in the saddle — she rode him to take the amateur/home-produced championship just before his supreme success.

“My mum, Mandy, had been looking for a mini traditional for about two years and she instantly knew Barry was the one when she saw him,” explains Rachel. “I wasn’t so convinced he’d be good enough for the show ring but mum has proved she’s got an eye for a diamond in the rough.”

After a viewing, Barry was then purchased by Mandy for the sum of £100. Barry has since notched up a host of top results, both in-hand and under saddle. Last season he won both his in-hand classes at Royal Norfolk and Royal Three Counties.

“I take the ride in the ring and Aaron shows him in-hand,” continues Rachel. “He’s only ever been shown by the family and at home he is just a saint. My son also rides him in lead-rein, show jumping and fancy dress classes.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: BASIL HAYES)

Pony rescued as a frightened youngster excels in the show ring

(Image credit: BASIL HAYES)

Reserve for the supreme title was another mini traditional, the three-year-old The Beswick Boy, who stands at just under 11hh. Owned by Paula Hughes, the young colt was crowned youngstock supreme with Sid Proudfoot leading.

Don’t miss the full report from the BSPA Winter Championships in this week’s issue (5 March).

Would you like to read Horse & Hound’s independent journalism without any adverts? Join Horse & Hound Plus today and you can read all articles on HorseandHound.co.uk completely ad-free.

‘It can take up to 10 hours to wash and plait’: meet the gypsy cob with an extraordinary mane and tail

Hannah Lemieux — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 11:24:14 +0000

For many of us, dealing with our own “bed hair” in the morning is quite enough, but for Caroline Barrett her hairdressing skills extend to the stable yard thanks to her gypsy cob, The Gambler, whose extraordinary mane and tail just “keeps growing and growing.”

The eight-year-old gelding is owned by Caroline’s partner, Andy Curtis, but it is Caroline who is in charge of maintaining the horse’s flowing locks.

“When I first saw The Gambler in the field as a two-year-old, his mane, tail and feathers were all curly and he just stood out from the rest,” says Caroline. “He’s typical of his breed in many ways but he’s also different because his mane and tail just don’t stop growing. I decided to let it grow because I was intrigued about how long it would get — I think he looks very beautiful when it is down.”

It can take up to 10 hours for Caroline to wash and plait The Gambler’s mane and tail, which she does at least once a month to keep it in the best possible condition.

“First of all, I start with a bucket of water and Fairy Liquid, and soak both the mane and tail. Then I rinse them out and use a horse mane-and-tail conditioner, before adding some human hair serum and running my hands through. Finally, I use a wide tooth comb to untangle any knots and leave it to dry.

“To plait his mane alone takes a few hours,” she added. “I don’t plait it in a special way; I do straight plaits, with about 25 plaits in total, then plait them together in groups of three. His tail gets plaited and folded up just above the hocks.

“I always use human ponytail bands instead of rubber bands, which just cause damage to the hair. Any hair that does come out, I bag up and donate to furniture companies, who use it for re-stuffing furniture.”

Article continues below…

You might also be interested in:

(Image credit: Future)

Caroline describes The Gambler — who is both ridden and driven by Caroline and Andy — as a “novelty horse”, and he is well-known locally for his unusual locks.

“I took him out hacking once with his mane unplaited and we met a thoroughbred, who was pretty spooked by the sight and nearly ended up in a ditch — so I didn’t do that again and now I keep his mane and tail plaited all the time.

“He’s a lovely horse and so well behaved. He lives out all year round with a fly sheet on in the summer and he always loves being washed.”

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday.

New showing class for gypsy cobs at HOYS

Becky Murray — Tue, 29 Jan 2019 07:03:40 +0000

A new class has been announced in support of the “traditional gypsy cob” at the Horse of the Year (HOYS) 2019.

As part of the SEIB Search for a Star series, pure-bred traditional cobs will now be able to compete in a traditional horse/pony class. Five qualifiers will be held giving the opportunity for 10 traditional cobs, one coloured and one solid from each qualifier, to compete at HOYS on 2 to 6 October at the NEC, Birmingham.

Emma Williams, event director for HOYS, said: “We are delighted to be opening up the opportunity for more horses and more riders to be eligible to compete at HOYS, which is so widely recognised as the pinnacle of the showing year. Up until now we have not had a class available for solid-coloured traditional cobs so this will provide them with the opportunity to compete among the highest calibre of competitors, along with their coloured counterparts.

“The successfulness of the new addition will determine its longevity at HOYS, therefore we would like to encourage as many amateur riders as possible who enjoy competing their traditional cobs to make the most of their opportunity to compete under the spotlight at HOYS.”

The competition is open to cobs who are registered with the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA), with a TGCA passport or one over-stamped by the organisation, to prove they meet the breed standard and are not part-breds. The first qualifier takes place at Osbaldeston Riding Centre, Blackburn on 14 April.

Nicolina MacKenzie, SEIB marketing manager, said: “This brand new competition will support the SEIB Search for a Star ethos of providing opportunities for grass root riders with their beloved horses and ponies. We would like to say a big thank you to HOYS for their continued support of the series and for giving true amateur riders a shot at the big time. Nearly 20 years ago HOYS allowed SEIB to take ex-racehorses there for the first time and look what a success that class has become. We hope and believe that traditional cobs will prove to be as popular.

“Traditional cobs come in such a glorious range of colours and to date, the coloureds are the only sector that has been represented. This new series will give the whole breed including the solid-coloured horses a pathway to display their beauty and talent.”

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

Cobs: everything you need to know about this versatile type

Here's everything you need to know about cobs

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

Tales from Stoneleigh: the gypsy cob who qualified in the nick of time after his rider gave birth

This piebald gypsy cob continues to impress the dressage judges

(Image credit: 1st Class Images)

Richard Ramsay, SEIB Search for a Star judge, said he is “very much looking forward to judging the classes”.

“This is a really interesting addition to Search for a Star. The traditional gypsy cob qualifiers deserve plenty of support,” he added.

TGCA founding director Andrea Betteridge said: “I am thrilled that the traditional gypsy cob will be showcased within the exceptional SEIB Search for a Star series with its finals at the most prestigious show of the year.”

The competition will follow standard rules for SEIB Search for a Star, which are “strictly enforced”, but competitors do not need to be a member of any organisation.

For all the latest news analysis, competition reports, interviews, features and much more, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, on sale every Thursday.

Cobs: everything you need to know about this versatile type

Emily Donoho — Sat, 10 Nov 2018 12:25:10 +0000

Cobs are one of the most popular riding horses in the UK. They are hardy, versatile, able to turn their hoof to most things from low level dressage and eventing, to winning at the Horse of the Year Show, or to driving and hacking along roads and trails.

The cob is not really a breed; technically, it’s a type, described by the British Show Horse Association as: “A short-legged animal, with bone, substance and quality, capable of carrying a substantial weight. The cob should be well-mannered and ideal for nervous or elderly riders. Cobs should have sensible heads, (sometimes Roman nosed), a full, generous eye, shapely neck, well muscled… and with a well-defined wither.”

While they have a reputation for being steady and sensible (and many are), some cobs can be quite sharp and forward, as a type only describes the animal’s physical appearance, not its temperament.

There are several varieties of cob. The “traditional cob” or “Gypsy cob” is characterised by thick feathering on its legs and a full mane and tail, and they are frequently (but not always) coloured. They were originally bred by the Romany or traveller people of Britain and Ireland to be strong enough to pull their caravans, while being gentle enough to be handled by children. Before the Second World War, the Romany adopted any cast-off equine, especially tobiano animals, coloured horses having gone out of fashion among the landed classes, so they were cheap.

Edward Hart, an agricultural journalist and historian of heavy horses, speculates that the patterns common to the Gypsy horse may have come from coloured Shires. The Romany horse breeders started a more deliberate breeding programme in the 1950s by crossing Dales and Fell mares with Clydesdale stallions. To improve their action, Welsh section D and Hackney bloodlines were introduced.

The Romany community passed on information verbally, so little is known about the founding sires, except that one was called The Old Coal Horse, who apparently pulled a coal wagon in Dublin, and the another was called Sonny Mays Horse. No official registries appeared until 1996, when an American couple, Dennis and Cindy Thomson, “discovered” the animals on a trip to England. To their surprise, the ‘breed’ didn’t even have a name, so they called it the Gypsy Vanner and founded the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society. The name caught on in North America, where the horses sell for many thousands of dollars, but not in the UK or Ireland.

Irish breeders didn’t establish a written studbook until the Irish Cob Studbook was founded 1998, and a UK-based registry, the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association, was launched in 2005.

The traditional cob, with its striking looks and reputation for being steady, sound and forgiving, has gained popularity as the ideal amateur ride in almost every discipline. They might not be favourites to win an international grand prix class, but they are Jacks of all trades.

Flore North, who breeds cobs at her Cairnview Stud in Co. Meath, told Horse & Hound: “What drew us to this breed (Irish cobs), is their temperament. They are extremely kind and usually really enjoy the company of humans. They are very quick learners that do their very best to please. They are perfect family horses, and have a really cool look. The foals are particularly cute and friendly and very easy to breed.”

The other type of cob is best described as the “show cob.” Unlike the traditional cob, they should be hogged and the feathers clipped. They should have generous bone and the low, smooth gait characteristic of a good hunter.

Continued below…

(Image credit: creditUnknown)

#ThisCobCan: 22 cobs that break the mould

When people mention cobs, it might conjure up images of a “steady Eddie”-type, but this is not always the case

The BSHA offers showing classes: “lightweight cob,” “heavyweight cob,” and “maxi cob,” which are based on the horse’s height and weight-carrying ability. There are also working cob classes, where the horses are shown over fences and on the flat.

Cobs of either type are robust and can easily live out on sparse grazing, but there are some health issues to look out for. Like all native breeds that thrive on rough moorland, laminitis poses a risk if the animals are on too rich a diet.

Because many cobs have short, upright pasterns and a rounded action, they are prone to ringbone and sidebone, exotosis or bone growth in the pastern or coffin joint caused by a combination of conformation and concussive force. Heavily feathered cobs can also suffer from feather mites.

So long as these issues are managed, they should be a sound and pleasurable companion for any type of equestrian discipline.

For all the latest equestrian news and reports, don’t miss Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday

‘Horses are miracle workers’: how one gypsy cob saved a woman after she lost her baby

Amanda Vlietstra — Sun, 05 Mar 2017 17:34:52 +0000

When Adele Barker, 34, from Spalding lost her baby after an ectopic pregnancy, she began to suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Here she explains how getting back in the saddle helped her on the road to recovery

“Something doesn’t feel right,” I said to my partner Nathan.

We’d just discovered I was six weeks pregnant — after a year of trying. It had taken a year and a half to fall pregnant with my daughter Layla, now three, so we should have been celebrating — but I felt too ill.

Within a few days, I was bent double with agony. I went to hospital — and within minutes of being scanned, I was rushed up to surgery.

The pregnancy was ectopic, which means the baby was growing outside the womb. There was no way it could survive — and if I wasn’t operated on immediately, I’d die too. The operation was a success, but once I was discharged, I felt incredibly flat.

‘I’d find myself crying for no reason’

I couldn’t feel joy in anything. Even though I had three beautiful children — Layla, Jorja, 11, and Maria, 13 — I felt empty inside.

Usually a happy-go-lucky person, I’d find myself crying for no reason, and snapping at friends and family.

More than once, I felt a strong urge to drive away — and not come back.

“You’re grieving,” everyone told me, but deep down, I knew losing my baby was only part of the problem.

In the depths of despair, I heard a radio programme about Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. Typically experienced by war veterans, the symptoms of this severe reaction to extreme shock or trauma sounded a lot like mine.  Weeks passed. I didn’t feel any better. Finally, a friend dragged me to a doctor, who confirmed that I had PTSD.

He suggested antidepressants, but I was reluctant to take prescription drugs. I could think of only one thing that could help me…

‘I need to buy a horse’

Horsey since I was a small child, I’d taken a break from horse ownership when Layla came along.

Now, though, I felt a desperate urge not just to get back into the saddle, but to get that comforting feeling you can only experience from putting your face into a horse’s neck and breathing hard!

“I need to buy a horse,” I told my parents. ”We’ll get you one,” Dad said immediately.

He was clearly so relieved to finally have a way of helping me. We may not be a ‘huggy’ family, but we always support one another.

Lottie was the first horse we went to see. A pretty six-year old gypsy cob, she was a bit thin and unkempt, and had never been properly backed, but she had the kindest eyes. My partner had a little sit on her — then I did, and she felt so safe that tears welled up in my eyes.

We took her home, and I set to work getting her fit and backing her properly. It was a wonderful distraction. I felt better than I’d done in months.

That was October 2015. I’m now back to my old self, my kids have got their mum back, and I’ve coped without prescription drugs – thanks to Lottie.

Like this? You might also enjoy reading these:

8 reasons everyone needs a cob in their life

15 signs you’re totally addicted to horses (and wouldn’t have it any other way)

Four in 10 women who go through an ectopic pregnancy experience PTSD symptoms. I want to reach out to them, to show them that there is light at the end of the tunnel.   I can honestly say Lottie saved me. But you know how it is with horses — one is never enough…

Since getting her, my herd has expanded to include 24-year old Finn, piebald cob Shirley, and my delinquent Falabella, Alfie. I’ll never be without horses again — they are the ultimate miracle workers.

Adele has teamed up with bereavement charity Sands and her local Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) group to raise awareness of PTSD and is holding an open evening at the Lincolnshire Wolds branch of the RDA at 6pm on 2 May.

Man jailed after stealing back seized fly-grazed horses

Sophia Heath — Sat, 27 Dec 2014 08:55:38 +0000

Thomas Hope Price, son of notorious gypsy cob breeder Thomas Tony Price, has been handed an eight-week jail sentence after he was caught stealing back horses that had been seized for fly-grazing.

Newport Crown Court heard last week (15 December) how Cardiff Council had taken nine horses from a playing field in Ely in March 2013. But the same day that the horses were removed to a secure location three men and a woman were reportedly seen loading them into a bright yellow lorry.

The lorry was stopped in the area of Treforest half an hour later.

Prosecutor Nick Gedge said: “Police stopped the lorry and a male got out of the passenger side and started walking away.

“He told an officer: ‘I know nothing about it, I am out for a walk —where the hell am I?’

“That was Thomas Hope Price.”

Price was arrested and later pleaded guilty to the theft of nine horses.

Twenty-nine-year-old Price is already serving a 12-month prison sentence for the non-payment of £43,000 of court costs from a previous trial.

Judge David Wynn Morgan sentenced him to a further eight weeks in prison and ordered him to pay an £80 victim surcharge.

It has been reported that his father was also arrested for the theft but that he could not be prosecuted because of “identification issues”.

World Horse Welfare’s Roly Owers described the situation as a “ludicrous merry-go-round” and another example of “callous disregard for equine welfare”.

“Thankfully the judge saw through his denial of responsibility: one of the oldest fly-grazing tricks in the book, along with the stealing back of lawfully seized horses,” Mr Owers added. “His actions are an affront to all responsible horse owners who rightly play by the rules.”

Dead horse found dumped on country lane

Caroline Bankes — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 08:00:37 +0000

A piebald gypsy cob was found dumped on a country lane in the village of Langwith, in Nottinghamshire on 19 June.

The mare was found by local walker, Sarah Betts, who reported the incident to the police.

The RSPCA sent an officer, but does not know where the mare came from or how she died.

In the absence of an owner, the responsibility of removing the horse lies with the landowner, or the local council depending on whose land the horse was found.

Sara Howlett, the RSPCA’s press officer said such cases are becoming more and more common because it costs a lot of money to put a horse down.

“The RSPA come across far too many dumped, neglected and suffering horses,” she said.

Fly-grazer Tom Price is jailed, but where will his horses go?

Flora Watkins — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 13:00:40 +0000

There was relief for welfare charities last month when the gypsy cob breeder and aggressive fly-grazer Tom Price was jailed on cruelty charges.

But there are now serious concerns about what will happen to his herd of around 2,500 horses.

H&H has spoken to the agencies involved to find what the future holds for these animals, many of which are described as “low quality… and of limited appeal”.

Read the full story in this week’s issue, out on Thursday, 25 July.

Traditional Gypsy Cob Association awarded breed recognition

Amy Mathieson — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 15:03:01 +0000

The Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA) has been awarded breed recognition by Defra. â€¨A group of gypsy cob enthusiasts got together in 2005 with the intention of gaining passport status for the new association.

“We wanted to secure official recognition to take the breed forward and preserve it,” said Andrea Betteridge from the TGCA.

“We had to prove parentage and pushed for passport issuing status – and we are very excited to be approved.”

The TGCA is now the official passport issuing office for the breed in the UK and the European Union.

For more information visit: www.tgca.co.uk.

The Lipizzaner National Studbook Association of Great Britain is still responsible for managing passports that were issued by the Gypsy Cob Society before it closed in 2010.

The Traditional Gypsy Cob Association is a separate passport issuing body.

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (26 July 2012)

Investigation after mares give birth to foals at Warwickshire sale

Charlotte White — Fri, 11 May 2012 12:08:11 +0000

An investigation is under way after two heavily pregnant mares foaled in their pens at a Warwickshire sale.

Visitors to the River Meadows Stud dispersal sale on 28 April at Stoneleigh Park were shocked to see the newborns at the sale and contacted the county council. Trading Standards is now investigating.

It is against the law to transport a horse in the final 10% of the gestation period – the two to three weeks before foaling.

The sale was of 200 gypsy cobs bred at the stud in Tenby, Dyfed. It was run by Rugby Farmers’ Mart Ltd.

An H&H reader who was at the sale said: “Most of the pens had three or more horses in a 12-foot square space. The mares and foals had been separated but would have been in with the others beforehand.

“Stoneleigh Park is meant to be the hub of British equestrianism – how can cruelty like this take place just metres from the British Equestrian Federation’s offices?”

Auctioneer Craig Thompson told H&H: “It was unfortunate and the stud was told it must not happen again, but we dealt with it.

“There were also two horses that we did not think were in sufficiently good condition to be sold, so one mare and foal went home with them.

“The other was born a bit earlier in the day and we sold that one [with its dam].

“We made sure it went to someone who lived within 20 or 30 miles of the sale.”

Jenny Frearson of River Meadows told H&H: “The mares were not supposed to foal until June. Our vet had said they were OK to travel.”

This news story was first published in the current issue of H&H (10 May 2012)

‘Fly grazing’ horses cause £12,000 of damage

Horse & Hound — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 14:05:46 +0000

A group of 35 gypsy cobs, dumped on community land in the Vale of Glamorgan have “trashed” the site, according to the charity The Woodland Trust, which owns the land.

Just before Christmas the gates at Monks Wood, near Wick, were broken and the horses were abandoned.

Villagers had planted trees in memory of loved ones on the land.

Staff from the Woodland Trust delivered hay to the site, but the hungry animals stripped the trees of bark and ate much of the grass.

Despite appeals in local media, their owner did not come forward – and it was thought that the horses might have to be destroyed as there were insufficient places available at animal sanctuaries.

The animals were eventually removed at the weekend (7 January), but the charity says this has resulted in further damage to the site.

Woodland Trust spokesman Rory Francis said: “We had a number of offers from members of the public to take some of these horses but in fact at half-past-five on Saturday morning, they were all moved.

“More damage was caused to the side in doing that.”

The charity has asked the police to investigate.

Lee Hackett of the British Horse Society said “fly grazing” was a growing problem.

“There are many hundreds of these horses illegally abandoned on other people’s land in south Wales,” he added.

“This is a real animal welfare problem and puts an unfair burden on landowners who are faced with the unenviable problem of what to do with them.”

New showing classes for solid coloured traditional gypsy cobs

Horse & Hound — Fri, 21 May 2010 16:11:00 +0000

New affiliated showing classes for solid coloured traditional gypsy cobs begin this season.

The classes, held by the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (TGCA), are a chance for solid-coloured animals — which make up approximately half of TGCA-registered horses — to be shown for the first time.

“There’s been a void where solid-coloured traditionals are concerned as they’re not eligible for Coloured Horse and Pony Society [CHAPS] or British Skewbald and Piebald Association qualifiers,” said Katie Rush of the TGCA.

CHAPS chairman Caroline Hamilton has welcomed the move.

She said: “Classes for coloured cobs are well represented but the plain-coloured horses of the same type have nowhere to go, so this is a great opportunity.”

Gypsy cob breeder Amy Coates owns a pure black traditional stallion, Oliver.

“As soon as people see the ‘solids’ out in the showring they’ll realise they’re acceptable and get involved,” she said.

The TGCA hopes the new ridden and in-hand sections will allow traditionals to be judged in their own right.

The TGCA championship will be held at Addington Manor EC on 29 October.

Visit: www.traditionalcobsociety.co.uk

This article was first published in Horse & Hound (20 May, ’10)

Latest from Horse & Hound in Gypsy-cob

‘I couldn’t have asked more’: cob bought for £85 to hack wins Search for a Star title at HOYS

You may also be interested in:

‘We either terrify fancy horses with our flying feather or people want to hug them’ – meet the gypsy cobs winning in affiliated eventing

Gypsy cob eventing: “We’re not selling this!”

You may also be interested in:

‘He took us past Big Ben’: family’s driving pony off to HOYS and London International under-saddle

You might also like to read:

5 things owners of ‘hairy’ horses and ponies are always hearing

The stereotype of the hairy cob still rages on but you’re more than happy to break down barriers and prove that just because he’s got a bit more mane than most, he can still extend his trot and gallop for glory. And wait until you see him jump…

You may also be interested in:

From gypsy cob to Hickstead speed Derby: ‘I wouldn’t have believed it’

“I wouldn’t have believed we’d be able to do what we’ve done. I was so heartbroken over losing my horse, it just gave me something to focus on. I’ve treated them all as my own, then found them the best homes.”

You might also be interested in:

Royal Windsor triumph for full-time nurse and her ‘high-maintenance’ traditional pony

The Taylors have owned Paddy for just under a decade.

“We had him on loan initially and then we eventually bought him,” said Ellie, who is a full-time nurse and juggles showing around long hours, including night shift patterns.

“I ride after nights, and I have to book weekends off to show well in advance,” said the 24-year-old, who is based in Liverpool.

When he was younger, Paddy was struck down with sycamore sickness and he consequently suffers from several allergies. Paddy is managed with a specific routine:

“I also have to give credit to my farrier, Wilf Ford, who has done wonders with Paddy. He had started to struggle on his feet but Wilf has got him back on track. This is definitely a team effort.”

You may also be interested in…

‘They laughed when I bought him’: self-confessed ‘cob convert’ wins dressage titles

“I was that person,” Laura told H&H. “I’d never had a cob, it was all big ladies’ hunters, and I wasn’t looking for him until he came.”

Laura was looking, unsuccessfully, for a horse when Barry became available on her livery yard, and having ummed and ahhed and said no twice, she ended up buying him for herself.

Once the partnership was formed, Laura started taking Barry to shows, starting at preliminary level but enjoying success from the start.

“We qualified for the winter and summer Petplan Area Festivals, then went to the final and were joint first in the bronze freestyle, and were only pipped to second on the collectives. To do that on a cob was crazy.”

The pair then went to the associated championships at Bury Farm, won the prelim silver Traditional Gypsy Cob Association class and the bronze novice, and was the overall highest-scoring cob in the prelim sections.

The day was not without its dramas, as when Laura arrived after her journey of five and a half hours, she found she had left her hat at home.

She added that Barry can be “a bit of a showman” in the ring, and she has to contain his enthusiasm at times.

“He loves to flash his feathers and do his fancy trot, but that’s not required at prelim!” she said. “I’m a cob convert and I wouldn’t have anything else now.

“Look at what we’ve achieved; don’t be like me and snub cobs because I’d missed out on this opportunity and journey for so many years.”

You might also be interested in:

‘He deserves this’: pony found with severed tendon at six months old wins two national dressage titles

Katie told H&H she was working for the vet practice to which “Minty” was brought as a months-old colt in early 2014.

Minty’s case was discussed and it was suggested that the kindest option might be to put him down.

“It would have been difficult to rehome him as he was so young and with a severe injury that needed daily care,” Katie said. “Who was going to want to take him with his injury, and pay for it? But I’d been looking after him every day and I just loved him.

“People have asked me what it was about this poor, mangled little thing, and it was his beautiful face. He was terrified but I loved him.”

Katie went home to talk to her parents, as “horses and competing are very much a family thing”.

Katie spoke to all the right people, who were happy for her to take Minty.

After extensive rest and treatment, Minty joined Katie’s other horses, and buddied up with Katie’s youngster Wally.

He and Katie had done some showing, but had “no great ambitions” in this area.

What happened was that in a few prelim tests, Minty qualified for the championships, so they made the five-hour trip from County Durham to Bury Farm.

“Off we went with no expectations.” Katie said. “In the test, I was walking round trying to conserve his energy, then the horn went and I picked him up, and thought ‘I’ve never sat on a trot like this, he’s totally got this’.

“My husband said afterwards that he’d aced it, it was the best test he’d ever done and I was saying ‘Stop it, his year will be next year’.”

There was confusion over the scores but in the presentation, when sashes were put not only on Minty but on Katie too, she realised he had won both titles.

“It was surreal,” she said. “We’ve had lots of success in BD and unaffiliated but there was something different about that day, and with where he came from in life, I really felt he deserved it. It’s almost unbelievable, remembering where he was.”

You might also be interested in:

Meet the silver and gold dressage supercob who changes colour throughout the year

Catherine’s mother Hannah told H&H they have owned “Brad” for four years.

“We clip him all year round and he’s golden, but goes grey in winter,” she said. “He didn’t have many dapples when we bought him; they’re more a recent thing! He changes shade throughout the year.”

The buckskin gelding is described as dun in his passport, but also shows off varying shades of grey.

Hannah said her daughter has only been riding for five or six years, and Hannah originally bought Brad for herself, but “he became Catherine’s horse very quickly”.

“Before we bought him, he’d spent most of his life in a field doing nothing so he was really green and we had to start him from the beginning but he’s been an absolute star, brilliant to do everything with. He can be a bit grumpy but he hasn’t got a nasty bone in his body.”

Hannah added that she trusts the cob implicitly, whatever Catherine does with him.

Hannah said she would not want Catherine to have a “push-button” dressage horse, and that she and Brad were selected to represent their region this year, and are hoping to move up to medium level this winter.

She added that she was nervous at the championships – “She was the only junior in the class and there were some very good riders there!” – but all went well.

“I was very proud,” she said.

And as is the case at most shows, others were full of questions about Brad.

“People always ask what colour he is, and what breed,” Hannah said. “They ask if he’s for sale, even when we’ve stopped at service stations! His stable name is really Rolo but we call him Brad as we imagine he’s like a surfer, loving himself with his long hair.”

You might also be interested in:

Wearing your poppy with pride: unusually marked cob is a hit in the show ring

“Quite a few people notice his markings, especially when I show him in hand, where plenty of people comment on it. Obviously it catches the judges’ attention as well,” his owner Sean Witham told H&H.

“I have had people asking for photos with him as the markings look like the war memorial. Lest we forget.”

He will also be able to show off his poppy to a bigger audience later this month when he appears at the STARS Champion of Champions event at Aintree (19-21 November).

Sean bought the colt from a friend who had acquired him as a job lot with another horse.

“I spotted the poppy as soon as I laid eyes on him, it just stands out,” he said. “She couldn’t keep them both, one had to get sold, and once I saw him that was it, I had to have him.”

Sean added that Dennis had grown into a young pony with “a really good nature”.

“I think it’s because he’s been handled from a young age, I could walk him down the A6 and he wouldn’t be bothered,” he said. “He’s the apple of my eye.”

You might also be interested in:

‘I couldn’t have done it without him’: rider who suffered stroke back on her feet with her horse’s help

Initially nervous to handle — Leanne had to spend six weeks getting him used to having his feet picked up — he has been able to pay back her care by being central to her rehabilitation since she suffered the debilitating blood clot three months ago.

Leanne was forced to relearn her balance after the stroke meant she was initially unable to walk but both riding and handling Rio and yard duties, supervised by her physio James Hinder, have helped her make an impressive recovery.

“The physio asked me what my goal was and I said ‘to ride again’,” Leanne said. “He said ‘OK, we’ll bring Rio into the rehab’.

“They’ve never used a horse in stroke rehabilitation before but I’ve come so far in three months that they’ve said they want to use us as a case study.”

Leanne, who works in the finance department at Cardiff University, had been for a gallop on the beach with Rio the morning of her stroke, and was driving home from the yard when she suddenly felt ill.

She pulled over on to a grass verge and called her sister Kelly Keating, telling her “something’s not right”.

Leanne quickly called her sister, who was with her within minutes. They called an ambulance but were warned it would be a long wait, so Kelly drove Leanne to the Heath Hospital in Cardiff.

“She was so calm, she could see my face had dropped. Then when we got there and I got out of the car, my balance went and I couldn’t walk,” Leanne said.

“I couldn’t believe I’d gone from galloping a horse to being like that an hour and a half later. It was such a shock, at 49 you just don’t expect it. I’ve always eaten healthily and been very active, running and going to the gym.”

Leanne said that while in hospital, she accepted the stroke as “there were so many people around in the same situation” but the situation hit her when she returned home to start her recovery at her mother’s bungalow.