History of the Irish Cob

History of the Irish Cob

Although the Irish Cob is typically from 14.2hh to 16.2hh, the Irish Cob can be 16.3hh and over.
A Small Irish Cob is from 13.1hh to 14.1hh
NOTE: Breeding small Irish Cobs was not encouraged in the 1990s or 2000s

Creation of the breed

The original Traditional Cob—the first Traditional Cob breed type—is the Irish Cob, which was created in Ireland by Irish Travellers (historically referred to as Tinkers). The Irish Cob Studbook (for Ireland's original Traditional Cob) was officially recognised in Ireland on 18 July 1996.

Irish Travellers in Ireland crossed the coloured Irish Farmer Cob, with its Connemara Pony and Irish Draught Horse (Irish native breeds) influence and Andalusian Horse (Spanish native breed) influence, with the heavier-boned and feathered Clydesdale Horse and Shire Horse to create Ireland's original heavy-boned and feathered Traditional Cob (the Irish Cob). However, it is the influence of the Irish Farmer Cob (with its Irish and Spanish native breed influence) that gave the original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob its unique, elegant and athletic riding cob structure—with a good riding cob shoulder and chest, straight hocks, and the other dimensions and proportions attributed to the riding cob. Another breed known to have influenced the creation of the Irish Cob is the predominantly black Dales Pony.

A short history of Irish Travellers

The original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob

Because it was the 1990s before Ireland's original Traditional Cob (the Irish Cob) became known in countries outside Ireland and Great Britain, Ireland's original (old-type) Traditional Cob is referred to as the original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob.

The Piebald

Although coloured horses were historically not held in high regard, the original Traditional Cob bred in Ireland by Irish Travellers was predominantly black and white (piebald), and Irish Travellers therefore simply referred to them as the ‘Piebald’ before the Irish Cob Studbook was officially recognised in Ireland on 18 July 1996.

World renowned

It is the versatile, all-purpose (ride and drive) original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob, with its handsome straight head and riding cob structure, that from the 1990s made the Traditional Cob so popular as a leisure horse not just in Ireland and Great Britain, but also in Germany, Holland, France, Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Czech Republic, Spain, Italy and also in the USA and Australia. In addition to being ridden and shown worldwide in its full 'traditional splendor' of abundant leg feathering and long, thick flowing mane and tail, when clipped out and hogged, the Traditional Cob of Ireland (Irish Cob) became a common sight on the hunting fields of Ireland and England, as well as in Riding Cob showing classes in Ireland and Great Britain.

The Modern Irish Cob

Since the 1990s, Ireland's original Traditional Cob (Irish Cob) has been modernised. Not only does the modern Irish Cob have a wider range of colour, but it is also regarded as more refined (‘showier’) than the original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob. The modern Irish Cob can also have more of a driving cob structure (subtlety added dimensions and proportions attributed to the driving cob, including a subtlety added driving cob shoulder and chest) than the original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob (which has a riding cob structure including a riding cob shoulder and chest) and can therefore have a more emphasised movement action than the original Irish Cob. Because the modern Irish Cob can have subtlety added dimensions and proportions attributed to the driving cob, including a subtlety added driving cob shoulder and front, the difference between an original '1990s' Irish Cob and a modern Irish Cob may only be seen by the experienced eye.