The Irish Cob
The Irish Cob
Authored By
The Traditional Cob Registry
The Irish Cob
Irish Cob Breed Standard
HISTORY
The Irish Cob is the first Traditional Cob breed type (original Traditional Cob), created in Ireland by Irish Travellers (historically referred to as Tinkers).
A short history of Irish Travellers
Creation of the breed
Irish Travellers in Ireland crossed the coloured Irish Farmer Cob (from Ireland) with the heavier-boned and feathered Clydesdale Horse (from Scotland) and Shire Horse (from England) to create Ireland's original and unique heavy-boned and feathered predominantly black and white (piebald) Traditional Cob (the Irish Cob).
Other breeds known to have influenced the creation of the Irish Cob are the Connemara Pony and Irish Draught Horse—two native breeds from Ireland said to have Andalusian Horse (Spanish native breed) influence—and the predominantly black Dales Pony (from England) and Fell Pony (from England).
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 (England, Scotland and Wales), Ireland's original (old-type) Traditional Cob (Irish Cob) is colloquially referred to as the original ‘1990s’ Irish Cob.
NOTE: 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 other dimensions and proportions attributed to the riding cob.
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 in Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) but also in countries such as Germany, Netherlands, 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 original Traditional Cob of Ireland (Irish Cob) became a common sight on the hunting fields of Ireland and Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales) as well as in Riding Cob showing classes in Ireland and Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales.
Some of the world renowned original Traditional Cob (Irish Cob) stallions born in Ireland that were exported in the 1990s without having been registered in Ireland are The Lion King, The Road Sweeper, The Paddy Horse, The Coal Horse, Bob The Blagdon, The Sham, Shampoo Boy, The Lob-Eared Horse (aka The Lob), Old Henry, Eddie Alcocks Old Black Horse of Ireland, The Checkity Horse, The Old Horse Of Ireland, The Old Paddy Horse, The Kerry Horse, Shambo and Sonny Mays.
The ‘Mother’ Irish Cob Studbook (Ireland)
The Irish Cob Studbook (for Ireland's original Traditional Cob) was officially recognised in Ireland on 18 July 1996.
On 16 July 1996, The Irish Cob Society was officially recognised in Ireland and by the Commission of the European Union (EU) to maintain its Irish Cob Studbook as the EU-recognised studbook of the origin of the breed (the EU ‘Mother’ Irish Cob Studbook). The Irish Cob Breed Standard—which was authored by Evelyn Flynn (formerly Evelyn Murphy) for the ‘Mother’ Irish Cob Studbook—is the original Traditional Cob breed standard.
‘Daughter’ Irish Cob Studbooks
Since The Irish Cob Society officially established the ‘Mother’ Irish Cob Studbook in Ireland in 1998, the following breed societies, which established Irish Cob Studbooks, were officially recognised in their own countries and by the Commission of the European Union (EU) to maintain their Irish Cob Studbooks as EU-recognised ‘Daughter’ Irish Cob Studbooks:
The Netherlands
France
Belgium
Sweden
Välkommen till Svenska Avelsorganisationen för Irish Cob och Irish Cob partbred
Czech Republic
Irish Cob Society, Czech Republic
Finland
Denmark
NOTE: ‘Daughter’ Irish Cob Studbook are subject to the principles (rules) laid down by the organisation or association which maintains the ‘Mother’ Irish Cob Studbook (the studbook of the origin of the breed) in Ireland.
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.
The Traditional Cob Registry
The worldwide registration platform for Irish Cobs and Gypsy Cobs.