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‘People don’t expect it, but they absolutely can do it’: top tips and 5 exercises to train your cob to excel in the dressage arena
Top trainers and cob experts share with H&H subscribers their practical strategies to bring out a cob’s many strengths, free up the shoulders and develop self-carriage, ultimately building a competitive partnership that will impress the dressage judges
Alysa Matravers&Tiger Tim - Dobson&Horrell Novice Restricted - Espayo National Dressage Championships 2013 - Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, United Kingdom - 20 September 2013
Cobs are smart and willing – but sometimes underestimated in the dressage arena. Top trainers and judges share their best dressage training advice for helping cobs and cob-types succeed between the white boards.
“Cobs are massively underestimated,” says Sam Turner, who trained and competed her 14hh traditional gypsy cob, Cuffstown Rumble (Billy Whiz), up to grand prix.
“They’re clever, hard-working, and so game. You just have to be consistent, patient – and not worry about what anyone else thinks.”
International rider and list 1 British Dressage judge Sara-Jane Lanning agrees: “One of the most fun horses I ever competed was a big, chunky part-bred Irish Draught cob who came third in the medium gold at the winter championships. People don’t expect it – but they absolutely can do it.”
BDCC Level 3 coach and list 2 judge Alice Oppenheimer adds: “Dressage is about ‘gymnasticising’ the horse to make them more supple, athletic and elastic. You can improve any type – that’s the whole point.”
Dressage training for cobs: common strengths – and how to build on them
Cobs bring a lot to the table.
“They tend to have excellent minds,” says Alice. “If they enjoy their work, you’re already halfway there. They’re willing, smart and want to please – that gives you so much to work with.”
Sam agrees: “Billy wasn’t the fanciest mover, but he tried his heart out – and that’s worth more to me than fancy movement.”
They’re also often well-balanced and powerful.
“Cobs can have active hindlegs and a good walk – two things that really help,” adds Sara-Jane. “They often find straight lines easy – so if you focus on test riding and accuracy, that’s a quick way to earn marks.”
But trainers agree: don’t mistake enthusiasm for correct movement.
“They can be very willing – but that can mean rushing,” says Alice. “Balance and tempo are key. You want a consistent rhythm that shows swing and softness.”
Sam has learned that firsthand.
“I used to override Billy because I felt like we had to prove we belonged,” she admits. “Now I’d focus more on keeping him relaxed and letting the work speak for itself.
“Transitions, poles, and patience. That’s our bread and butter. We don’t need to be flashy – just consistent.”
She’s also learned the value of variety in keeping him switched on: “Cobs are smart – which is great but means you’ve got to keep things interesting. If I drill the same thing, Billy just tunes out. We mix it up and do a lot of hacking, and it keeps him sharp.”
Understand the build
Cobs come in all different shapes and sizes, but are often compact and downhill in their conformation. That can lead to leaning, heaviness in the contact and tension through the back.
“They’re not built to be uphill – so we have to create that posture through training,” explains Sara-Jane. “It’s about helping them find self-carriage. The rider can’t do the holding – the horse has to learn to carry itself.”
Getting the hindlegs stepping under, the back swinging, and the shoulders free will help develop a light, uphill balance and contact.
“A lot of the leaning or pulling comes from being out of balance,” Sara-Jane adds. “So you’ve got to slow the tempo without losing energy, and give the horse time to find its feet.”
Five exercises to develop balance and suppleness
1. Spiral-in and leg-yield out (on a circle)
This classic suppling exercise works across all types – but is especially useful in dressage training for cobs that tend to get tight or lean.
“Start on a 20m circle, spiral in to 10m, then leg-yield back out again,” says Alice. “It gets the inside hind under, frees up the shoulders, and encourages suppleness without rushing.”
Sam uses this one regularly, too: “It helped Billy loosen up and focus. We do it in all three paces depending on what we’re working on.”
2. Shoulder-in and travers into renvers
Once the horse understands lateral work, this series develops both sides of the body evenly.
“It encourages them to stretch both sides of the body,” explains Alice. “You want to develop the bend by lengthening one side, not just shortening the other.”
Sam adds: “The trick is not rushing the change between the two – you’ve got to give them time to find the new shape.”
3. On-the-spot halts to improve self-carriage
“Everyone does things like trot-walk-trot and canter-trot-canter, but if you’ve got a horse that’s running a little bit and leaning on the hand, I like to do stopping and starting,” Sara-Jane says.
“Ride to the corner, halt facing the wall [a few strides away], and give and retake the rein. They have to be able to let go of the rein without the horse falling forward or leaning. Then apply the leg – the horse should wait, not shoot off.”
This builds patience and balance – particularly useful for horses that rush or lean.
4. Shoulder-in on a circle
For cobs that lift their knees but struggle to cover ground in extended paces, try this.
“Working on medium trot or canter on a circle helps them find push and reach without rushing,” Alice explains. “It encourages more ground cover – not just height.”
5. Halt, halt, and halt again
Cobs can beat warmbloods on the basics – if you train them.
“A square halt is easy marks – and most people throw them away,” says Alice. “But you’ve got to train it. Repetition is key.”
Correct, balanced halts teach the horse to listen and engage. And with double-marked movements like halt and rein back, it’s worth the effort.
Accuracy, mindset and making a plan
“You’ve got to ride smart,” says Sara-Jane. “Focus on being straight, square and obedient. That’s where you can pick up marks.
“And don’t think you don’t stand a chance. The test sheet doesn’t ask what breed your horse is – it asks what it can do.”
All three trainers agree: accuracy is a key competitive edge. Straight centre lines, correct-sized circles, precise transitions – all add up.
And while ribbons are nice, that shouldn’t be the main motivation when dressage training for cobs.
“We’re not out here chasing red rosettes,” Sam explains, “we’re chasing the feeling of progress – that’s just as satisfying.”
Having the right support matters, too.
“If you have a coach that believes in you, you can go a long way,” Alice says. “Not every trainer suits every rider – but having someone in your corner makes all the difference.”
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Oscar joined Horse & Hound in October 2023 and is the magazine’s dressage editor and sports manager, overseeing coverage of equestrian sport. After studying equine science at Myerscough College, he spent four years working for leading dressage rider Emile Faurie, competing at the 2015 National Dressage Championships and travelling with the yard to CDIs including Aachen and Saumur. He holds a master’s degree in Literature from York St John University (2021).
