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Size of the Gypsy Cob?! For some reason the height of the Gypsy Cobs seem to surprise so many people. They either think they are bigger or smaller. Not sure why, to my mind the word "Cob" would give a bit of a clue to height!! But then of course cob can be used more for body type instead of height alone. In the early days of the Gypsy Cob to Australia they mostly seemed to want them bigger. By that I mean over 15hh, as that seemed to be the common thinking for a minimal height for a "useful" horse. Thankfully people are now realising that maybe a 14hh stocky cob type isn't so bad!! Riding schools in the UK are full of coloured cob types in the 14 to 15hh range so I guess they must find them useful! I've found the question on height come up again lately, with the Gypsy Cobs being registered with the Australian Pony Stud Book (APSB). Now we are out the other side of course where the question is, should they be considered ponies? There is no doubt they come in pony height, in fact most of the top priced "cobs" in the UK are well under 13hh, even down to 11hh!! One of the best stallions imported to Australia is approx 13hh. This colt in the UK below, closer to 11hh.   Having travelled around England though, most of the big herds of the Romany breeders seem to have them average about 13.2 to 14.2hh. It's certainly easier to find one to buy in that height range. If you, as a buyer, are looking outside that range be prepared to be patient! Many would like the Gypsy Cobs divided up better in registration, with Pony Cobs under 14hh and the Cobs over 14hh. There is no doubt the smaller ones have more native pony type. Although of course expected to have the good bone and feather of their larger counterparts. Getting too much over 15.2hh and the cobs often seem to lose their quality. Nice ones are certainly around but just harder to find. Most of them would be better suited to be registered as a Drum Horse with more characteristics from the Shire and Clydesdale. In Europe the "Tinkers" are often bigger and less "cobby". There are some nice Welsh Cobs around 15.2hh, so good cob types can come in the bigger heights. The Welsh Cobs also have no upper height limit. Should there be a height limit (either upper or lower) on the Gypsy Cobs? Most think not, but the question often comes up being that there is such a range with them. Can a Gypsy Cob to too small, or too high?? Overseas registrations have no height limits, but there is no doubt those UK imports outside the common 13 to 15hh height range are closely scrutinised to be sure of no recent crossing to other breeds. Again the Welshies perhaps can be used as an example with the various sections of different heights and types. With stud book registration still in the early days for the Gypsy Cob, things will evolve as they will, no doubt!! In closing, with my continuous rambling of thoughts, I thought on What is a Cob?? The breed standard committee (of which I was one) of the GHA (US) put this description together to better explain to their US counterparts what a cob was. I thought I'd put a version of it below for those in Oz who wonder at the Gypsy Horse being called a "Cob". Traditionally a cob in the UK was a comparatively short-legged sturdy
type with an easy-going nature. Ideally, a small head, which probably
brought about the saying that "A Cob should have the back end of a cook
and the head of a lady". Fairly heavy boned and of medium height with
obvious draft influence, even so they could also pick up a good pace when
in harness and were also very popular as hunter/jump mounts. The Gypsy
Horse has been bred in a true cob mold but also with their own unique
qualities for which the Romany folk bred.
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