Sumo Cobs

[gtr121]

I have just read a schedule for quite a prestigious show and noticed a class for 'Sumo' cobs!!! Does this mean that people will be fattening up their cobs to Sumo weight?? Tell me I'm wrong and it just means that they will all be wearing big white nappies!!

[Milliesmum]

Isn't Sumo a brand of feed? Could it be a cob class sponsored by them?

[diane]

Yes MM, Sumo is a brand which purposes to do just that....make 'em fat!!

[Milliesmum]

Oh dear, maybe not good then.

[handcanter]

Sumo is indeed a range of horse feeds from Rowan barbary. Low and behold yet another designed for weight gain. Surely this association is not going to be as great an advertising boost for Rowan barbary as they think if any of the cobs that appear are grossly overweight.
Sumo cobs! :-(

[sageandonion]

Very stupid marketing move. How many cobs do we know that need weight gain and those that do lose a bit over the winter pile it on with a blade of grass. A show cob needs to move, really move, which it cannot do carrying weight.

[jslf]

I found this description of a Sumo cob when i googled the term as i also saw it on a show schedule.

4. SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT OR ‘SUMO COB’
A ‘sumo cob’ may be presented hogged and trimmed, traditional or plaited but its
conformation is unmistakeable it is the super-heavyweight of the cob types.
Description
Height not exceeding 15.2 with 10.5–11.5+ inches of bone and capable of
carrying 16 stone+. The cannon bones are very short from knee to fetlock the
pasterns equally short the joints are strong, the bone is flat, tendons are in
proportion to limb and equally strong, feet large and in proportion to limbs, contracted small feet are considered a fault. The head is frequently large although
not always, sometime with a Roman nose but must be in harmony with the horses
overall picture, the neck short and very muscular with a large crest, the chest is
wide and powerful the limbs set on “four square”. Hocks large strong lacking
profiling, the back always short the quarters very large and round (slab sided or
severely sloping quarters are to be considered a fault) giving the impression of
power and great weight carrying ability, the shoulder large and strong and
workmanlike.
Way of Going
the Sumo cob is active and forward going a little “downhill”, capable of a good
working trot the stride may be slow but it is appropriate to the size of the body,
and should not be rushed or so fast as to make the horse fall onto the forehand.
The canter is again active with a lot of hock action pushing the body forward into
a strong outline, should not be over bent. The legs are short with little daylight
under the body hence a short stride with some knee action. The sweeping stride
is rare. Imagine a box and your sumo cob will go in it. These animals have great
dignity and presence and usually have asweet disposition, they are distinctive and
unmistakeable do not penalise the sumocob for its lack of “quality” but celebrate
its uniqueness.

To me it also sounds just like a fatter version of a normal heavyweight or maxi cob??? Apart from it says max height 15.2hh and i dont think maxi cob height is restricted?

I have a show cob and I keep him at a normal weight (hoping to show him this year so will see how he gets placed) - it disapoints me when I go to watch shows and the fat or even obese cobs are still getting placed. Lets hope they crack down on it soon!

x

[mcw]

Mar 24, 2010 12:39:38 GMT jslf said:

I found this description of a Sumo cob when i googled the term as i also saw it on a show schedule.

4. SUPER HEAVYWEIGHT OR ‘SUMO COB’
A ‘sumo cob’ may be presented hogged and trimmed, traditional or plaited but its
conformation is unmistakeable it is the super-heavyweight of the cob types.
Description
Height not exceeding 15.2 with 10.5–11.5+ inches of bone and capable of
carrying 16 stone+. The cannon bones are very short from knee to fetlock the
pasterns equally short the joints are strong, the bone is flat, tendons are in
proportion to limb and equally strong, feet large and in proportion to limbs, contracted small feet are considered a fault. The head is frequently large although
not always, sometime with a Roman nose but must be in harmony with the horses
overall picture, the neck short and very muscular with a large crest, the chest is
wide and powerful the limbs set on “four square”. Hocks large strong lacking
profiling, the back always short the quarters very large and round (slab sided or
severely sloping quarters are to be considered a fault) giving the impression of
power and great weight carrying ability, the shoulder large and strong and
workmanlike.
Way of Going
the Sumo cob is active and forward going a little “downhill”, capable of a good
working trot the stride may be slow but it is appropriate to the size of the body,
and should not be rushed or so fast as to make the horse fall onto the forehand.
The canter is again active with a lot of hock action pushing the body forward into
a strong outline, should not be over bent. The legs are short with little daylight
under the body hence a short stride with some knee action. The sweeping stride
is rare. Imagine a box and your sumo cob will go in it. These animals have great
dignity and presence and usually have asweet disposition, they are distinctive and
unmistakeable do not penalise the sumocob for its lack of “quality” but celebrate
its uniqueness.

To me it also sounds just like a fatter version of a normal heavyweight or maxi cob??? Apart from it says max height 15.2hh and i dont think maxi cob height is restricted?

I have a show cob and I keep him at a normal weight (hoping to show him this year so will see how he gets placed) - it disapoints me when I go to watch shows and the fat or even obese cobs are still getting placed. Lets hope they crack down on it soon!

x

I think they mean MAXI COBS

[melsophia]

no it says maxi cobs aswell as sumo cobs

[hursty100]

my goodness sound like there trying to breed a new fatter type of cob that fits under that catagory. i agree with sageandonion show cobs do need to move, but there does seems to be an overweight problem in the show ring with all types. : )

[melsophia]

just cant believe they are encouraging obesity wen there are already so many show horses grossly over weight. sumo means very fat nothing else, i think its horendus ive already seen cobs which resemble elephants at the top of the line

[dawnie]

I think if you read the full bookle, the bspa are in no way promoting "fat" cobs, and the photos of what they consider as sumo cob do not look over weight. The booklet was produced in 2007 so perhaps this type of heavy weight cob never really came of anything. They would perhaps fall into maxi cobs now? Maybe the show is question is just making sure all bases are covered to open the class up to all cobs so they can be no question on the day as to eligibility? This is the link to the bspa booklet if you fancy a read.
www.bspaonline.com/pdf/2007/Booklets/Natives_Booklet.pdf
LOL I and just glad to read these cobs usually have a sweet disposition as I would have to get on the wrong side of one

[chiefgroom]

I prefer to think of the sumo cobs wearing big white nappies lol

[handcanter]

I still think that Super Heavyweight description sounds like a fat cart horse. I would not want one I mean what can you do with it? Also the mention of a large crest suggests obese.
Like the nappy idea though!

[melsophia]

IMO A cob is an animal that should be capeable of a days hunting i would not like to take a sumo cob hunting those pictured i would not attempt to take hunting imo they are overweight. I am in agreement with maxi cobs there are some lovely cobs who have just gone a smidge over height but they still have all the other qualities of a top class show animal but sumo.....pffft no thanks

[thecremellosociety]

If you notice in the description they allow unplaited and plaited and Hoggeds, Deffo not Maxi as these are shown pulled and hogged and can be any height, this looks to me more a cob class for any type of cob, BUT think its bad to be called sumo cobs thats sick really when we are promoting healthy weights in show horses.

[sarahp]

I've only just taken in since looking at the booklet that we are talking about coloureds here, so I presume the original point of the sumo cob is not to take you hunting but to pull a heavy bowtop caravan! They do have lots of different categories for cobs, I never realised so many which may explain the title of them, it doesn't really give a good impression though. The photos didn't come up for me though so I haven't seen any.

[sageandonion]

So it isn't the Sumo horse feed then. Must admit the description makes the poor animal sound gross and a hippo would undoubtedly fit the bill beautifully.

There seems to be so many 'types' it is confusing and some just look fatter versions of the other. Sumos are the fattest of them all.

[melsophia]

yes sumo to me shouts out obese, dont even need to read a description we all know what sumo means

[dun4u]

So, technically, according to the quote 'A ‘sumo cob’ may be presented hogged and trimmed, traditional or plaited' - a Section D could enter as long as it was over 15.2hh.

[dantheman]

Large crest means obese??? Have you ever heard of testosterone or Insulin resistance (which doesnt only come from over weight) Sumo cobs are not grossly over weight nor are they cart horses!! They are simply cobs that are too tall and or have too much bone to fit in the normal lw hw maxi sections!! Show horses are well covered always have been and always will be!! better than seeing a lean thing going around the ring!!! So i think you should all get off your soap boxes and get a grip!! If you like your horses to be lean or "down" to weight as opposed to well covered and UP to weight so be it but dont slag every one off who like me likes their horses to be well rounded!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[dun4u]

Sorry, dantheman - I think (and sincerely hope) that you will find you are in the minority, these days.

There's no 'slagging off', as you call it (a horrible expression) going on here, just a few sensible people who prefer to see horses fit and healthy and not carrying excess weight, thus putting a strain on heart, lungs, limbs etc.

I note that, as 'dantheman', you are new to horsegossip and wonder if perhaps you are a producer?

[dantheman]

I do apologise... I like my horses well covered (not obese) I think people automatically think a horse is overweight or "too produced" as soon as they don`t see ribs or hip bones... Horses look better well covered and isn`t the aim of showing for the horse that looks and goes the best to win?? And for your latter question yes i do produce horses all of which are fit healthy and happy :-) !!O!! and well covered....

[thecremellosociety]

Note i said healthy weights yes we like them covered and rounded BUT not to the extreme that they have to huff and puff and knacker their joints, thats not nice, bit like asking myself to run a marathon as i am bigger !!!! I dont like to see hip bones but dont like to see flabby necks wobbly bellies and bottoms with a gully so big your could run water down it !!!!

Healthy Not Skinny Not Fat !

[thecremellosociety]

(Also pending but Winergy may well be bringing a weight bridge to the county show, that will be interesting !!!!! See how many dare go on it ?? )

[handcanter]

It would be quite something if the weightbridge had to be used in the Sumo class. I suppose this Sumo idea is at least an interesting idea for a new class but I'm old fashioned and I don't see the point. At least all of our other show classes are about a traditional type or even an age group. What job does a Sumo cob do if it's not a cart horse? I can't imagine it would be comfortable to ride and do a days hunting on. It just seems like a reason to encourage people to put yet more weight on already chunky types that probably don't need it.

[melsophia]

need more sportshorse classes classes for warmbloods not sumos lol

[dantheman]

All of my horsses could go on a weigh bridge i couldnt care less what other people think of them/!!!

[melsophia]

how about that eh horses not allowed to be over a certain weight...that would cut out a few cases of lammy

[thecremellosociety]

Mar 31, 2010 21:05:21 GMT dantheman said:

All of my horsses could go on a weigh bridge i couldnt care less what other people think of them/!!!

Thats a bit harsh, they will only eat what you feed them !!!!!!