Thursday 17 December 2015

What Breed?

Inspired by this post over at Bel Joeor asking what your favorite breed is and how/why you have that preference.

I know you're all expecting me to say Welsh Cobs are my favorite breed ever, but honestly, no they're not. Don't get me wrong, I love my girls, but if I had an unlimited budget and was going to pick something to go look at based solely on type, it would probably be something a bit different.

I had one of those books as a kid with all the horse breeds and this guy was my favorite:
Sorry, blurry but I'm sure it's the same picture. He's either a Furioso or a Nonius, not sure.
There was obviously a Welsh Cob in the book, but he looked an awful lot like the nasty pony at the barn no one wanted to ride so of course I couldn't like him best. Years later, I ended up with Ginger because she is very much my type, but she's also quite refined and tall for a cob mare and maybe not the most typical.

What I like about my cob girls:

-Their big, healthy feet
-Pretty heads
-Round barrel
-lots of bone
-Hardy, easy keepers
-Smart!
-Quite surefooted and careful
-People oriented
-Size range is pretty ideal for a shortie like me

But in a perfect world, my dream horse would:
-have a shorter back
-not have feathers/excess hairiness
-be slightly finer built ie more athletic as far as galloping/jumping goes

No idea what this horse's breeding is, but love the heavy but athletic build. From Wikipedia
I absolutely love the look of some of the Welsh Cob/TB crosses I've seen. I also have a soft spot for some of the Connemaras. Definitely like the look of Irish sport horses (with the more ID the better), but they are mostly too tall for my comfort zone.
Steeped in Luck, RID. Please may I cross you with a small TB mare and event all the things?
I really love the "old school" type Morgans, like the ones Denny Emerson posts on his Facebook page. There was one I used to care for that was Lippitt bred very near and dear to my heart. He was a fantastic dressage and eventing pony in his day and totally sold me on the breed.

I also like the Canadian horse. Although type seems to vary widely by breeder, some look to my eye a lot like those Welsh Cobs and Morgans I'm so fond of, not to mention that horse in the book all those years ago :) Might not be the world's next big sport horse, but I'd be pretty happy looking at one in the barn!

Seriously, just my type.

Generally speaking, I don't think my "type" has changed all that much over the years!




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13 comments

  1. Cobs are so thick and hardy - I love that they are kinda like more delicate Quarter Horses hahah.

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    1. I wonder if cobs are like the quarter horses of the UK? In that they're sort of an all purpose , fun kind of horse for everyone. I do love a good quarter horse too, like Ms Suzie! :)

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  2. You have a very fun type! I definitely wouldn't turn any away. What a fun little blog hop!

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    1. I thought it was a super fun topic, because most of us seem to gravitate towards a specific type and I'm not sure there's always a reason for it.

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  3. i like a lot of the same things as you! and interestingly enough there are some similarities between my arab and the list of things you like in your cobs (good feet, hardy and easy keeper, smart, people oriented; tho obvi 'lots of bone' is not one of them tho lol). i don't have as clear an idea of what i prefer physically in a horse, but it tends to be taller with longer legs and back - with fairly typical TB characteristics...

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    1. Izzy is totally my type, I think I've mentioned before those pics you posted of her sire made me really reconsider Arabians when I was shopping.

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  4. I agree with you. Not sure that cobs are my "favorite" either but there is a certain type of horse that attracts me.

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    1. Yes, one of those things where you definitely know it when you see it! I don't think I'd ever be able to narrow it down to one specific breed .

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  5. I love old school Morgans too! I like ponies/horses with a fair bit of substance. :)

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    1. Yes! It's so funny how we all have a type we're drawn to, even though it might not even be practical. I'd love to event all the things but the horses I am initially drawn to look nothing like a typical upper level eventer.

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  6. We have exactly the same type :) Cobby but a little lighter, less/no feather, nice head, pretty big eyes, good feet, and short.

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  7. I think we have the exact same type, and I'm pretty sure we had the same book growing up. I memorized all of the horses pictures with their breeds and then would make my friends quiz me to make sure I knew them 100%. X-D

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