What does COB mean with horses?

[Akane]

Pony size seems likely to be too small but like mentioned it depends on the brand. I got some regular horse sized ones once that couldn't have fit anything but a small draft or large warmblood. They were way too big for my little quarter horses. Some fly mask brands have an "arab" size mask that fits large ponies or small horses. Others say small horse on them.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I bought 2 large and an average, and the average fits the one on the left. The large would have been okay, but there were a lot of gaps around it, and I figured the flies would have went right inside of the mask.

Do you need a mask? I have the extra large-size I bought. I don't think I can return it, considering it was on clearance. I was going to exchange it, but the place I got it from doesn't have any smaller ones for Lightning.

 

[hollyclyff]

Yep, it really depends more on the size of the head than the height. We had a 15.2h horse that wore a "cob" size halter and bridle. Now I have a 15h horse that wears an "average" size.

 

[michickenwrangler]

Sometimes "Horse" size means "17hh German Warmblood" especially for dressage tack. A woman who boards at the same barn as I do had a Spotted Saddle Horse and bought a Horse-sized dressage bridle (dressage tack is allowed at walking horse whows) and the bridle was too big for her mare (even on the shortest settings). However, a black hunter type bridle that was "Horse" sized fit her just fine.

Cob comes from a Medieval English word that refers to a "Hobby Horse" or a horse that wasn't a destrier--charger, courser--hunter or palfrey/rouncey--gaited riding horse. Historically, cobbies or hobbies were small, stout and trotted though they were occasionally used as war mounts.