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Post by wyrdhorses on Dec 29, 2007 11:41:34 GMT 1
Anyone use a Welsh Cob for endurance riding or long distance riding?
I am not expecting to get up to great distances, but would like to get to about intermediate endurance, and be able to do a good long rides, that will last a few days, maybe a week at the most.
At the moment my little black mare, who is a Welsh Cob, is probably a better bet for me doing this than my gelding.
So, would love to hear from anyone doing these things on a welsh cob, I haven't seen many of them at my endurance group.
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Post by Donnalex on Dec 29, 2007 11:49:27 GMT 1
I would imagine that they would need to be really fit as they would struggle with heart rates and heat retention. I know someone who does it competitively and they tell me that Connemaras are very good at the job but it takes longer to get their heart rates down in competition so they are held at gates for longer than Arabs. The Welsh would need to be super slim as the layer of fat and bulk of muscle that they have would stop them cooling down effectively. Having said that, any breed can be used for pleasure long distance riding as without the pressure of competition, you are free to monitor the horse without feeling pressured.
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Post by Ryan&Dizzy on Dec 29, 2007 11:57:40 GMT 1
i used to do the shorter ones (up to about 25miles) on the coloured in my signature. the only problem i had with him was keeping him cool enough we had to add extra crewing stops in to throw water at him.
you will have to be aware that you will get called alsorts of names for turning up on a cob when you start though even by the organisers. i did have people appolagise to me after i had been doing it and succeeding for a while though. Otto loved it and we always completed them... not aways in time tho... but he was a big HW cob and not at all athletic!!
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dingbat
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Post by dingbat on Dec 29, 2007 12:09:50 GMT 1
some welshies will do it well. i've seen some out. they'd need to be fit and not overweight but have good stamina. mine was never speedy but he'd keep going steadily for ages.
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laura
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going for a splash
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Post by laura on Dec 29, 2007 12:10:56 GMT 1
I did up to the 25 miles with Taz .. although could have done a bit more I think had we done some serious training she still had "go" after this as has been said awareness that cobs dont lose the heat as well as arabs, tb,s etc as their blood vessels not so near the surface yes you may get comments about cobs not being so good ..... but like otto I got a few apologies who thought a cob could not keep up the pace needed ( not looked at welsh cob history did they I did hear about one wc that did the longer distances at speed ... so yes, possible. I liken it to the obedience scene ... eveyone thinks you need a collie to be really good ..... truth is although they are indeed an ideal dog ..... it does not mean you cant be reaaally good with other breeds. have fun Long distance they excel if , like any other horse, they are conditioned properly .. ..
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Oranges
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Moments of Perfection
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Post by Oranges on Dec 29, 2007 12:53:19 GMT 1
I no loads of welsh cobs that do endurance, they happily compete (and beat) the fancy arab lot lol, One woman i think is competing at 80km on hers and getting speeds of 15k, she does have a job getting the heartrate down and she does keep her very trim and fit. Actually if your black mare is the one i'm thinking of shes very similar to the welshie i'm on about
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Post by jes on Dec 29, 2007 12:55:36 GMT 1
I did some endurance a few years back on a Welsh D x. We did 20, 30 & 40 mile rides quite successfully, despite him being a lazy so and so.
I did have to work a bit harder to get him fit enough, but he always had a low heartrate and only failed the vet once for being ever so slightly uneven on the trot up at the end.
There were a few of us who used to go together, including a piebald gypsy cob who never had a heart rate above 40 he was soooo laid back, another Welsh X, an Exmoor, a Highland, a Fell, oh and a couple of Arab x's just to fit in, lol!
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Post by arabheaven on Dec 29, 2007 12:59:57 GMT 1
any horse (obviously without deformities!) with the right training, diet and handling can do endurance i see welshies, new forests, fells, connemaras... all sorts out on the endurance circuit
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Post by joto on Dec 29, 2007 14:40:55 GMT 1
well said arabheaven, exactly right. Welsh cobs can do endurance, as can allsorts of breeds, its just that some take more getting and keeping fit than others. All depends on your commitment and time available.
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gemma
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Post by gemma on Dec 29, 2007 18:01:01 GMT 1
Absolutely no reason why you couldn't do it, and do it well. As other people have already said, you may find it harder to get the heart rate down, and the heavier-muscled horses can find it harder than the lighter Arabs, particularly in the heat, but as ever, it will depend entirely on the horse in question.
A friend of mine does endurance on her two traditional gypsy cobs. If anyone saw the Endurance pullout in the recent BHS magazine, you'll see a fab pic of her on her youngster Ned, in full western tack, looking absolutely fabulous, feathers and mane all flying. He's only done one season of PRs so far, but she intends to do his Novice season in 2008.
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esther
Advanced Poster
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Post by esther on Dec 29, 2007 19:02:00 GMT 1
www.welshcob.co.uk/Okeden.Stud/indexm.htmBy the time Frenin and Meteor sadly passed away they were some of the highest lifetime mileage endurance horses in the country. One of the national distance awards used to be named after Frenin because he was that consistent.
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carol
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Post by carol on Dec 29, 2007 19:35:59 GMT 1
I remember seeing a welsh cob coming into the finishing line at the Golden Horseshoe ride a few years ago. It was the 75 mile class, and that cob looked fabulous, really fit, sound, alert, full of stamina. I was so impressed, so yes, absolutely no reason why a welsh cob can't do endurance!
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Post by Casper on Dec 29, 2007 19:42:23 GMT 1
You could also do some TREC's with him - those are fun. I know they are usually only a day thing, but you get to do all sorts. And as others have said, no reason why you couldn't do endurance either, with the correct fittening programme etc.
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Post by arabmania on Dec 29, 2007 19:44:42 GMT 1
Go for it! correct training and diet are paramount.
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Post by swallowsmum on Dec 29, 2007 19:52:42 GMT 1
i have a welsh cob x hanovarian(more welshie than hanny tho!). we have no problems at all. we are starting out on our first season of competitive rides now having done 2 seasons of PR's. no problems with heart rate, but obviously you need to get your training in before handto make sure they are nice and fit!
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