Gypsy Cob UK

Commanche Stud have been breeding and producing top quality horses for generations and their wealth of knowledge and experience is evident in their gorgeous horses.  As a family they work with a variety of type from traditional gypsy cobs, mini cobs, standard bred racers however they have become very well known for their steppers. Great care and attention go into their breeding plans with carefully selected stallions and mares who have the best bloodlines and a proven track record in terms of performance.  

Scientists are warning that the recent wet and mild winter may cause an explosion in the tick population the UK, especially as the weather starts to warm up.  Tick numbers and the incidents of the diseases that they carry have increased in the last two decades. Ticks are parasites that feed on the blood of humans and the animals that they bite and can spread a number of diseases including Lyme disease.  Public Health England estimates that there are 2,000-3,000 cases of Lyme disease each year in England and Wales with approximately 20% picked up abroad. As well as humans, animals that have access to the outside can be affected by ticks and subsequently disease.  As a result of the increasing population of ticks in the UK it is important that we are all tick aware and Lyme disease aware for both ourselves and our animals. Parts of the UK known to have a high population of ticks include: Exmoor the New Forest in Hampshire the South Downs parts of W...

Tiger Tim is a stunning Gypsy cob stallion who has made quite a name for himself over the last few years with an impressive list of showing and dressage achievements. Owned and bred by Denise Kersley, Tiger Tom is currently ridden by Alys Matravers. At the recent South West Winter Regional Championships 16-19 February 2014 Alys and Tim gained the highest scores of the four day show proving that cobs can do dressage. With an impressive score of 79.44%n the pair won the Baileys Horse Feeds Novice Open Music Freestyle. Here is a video of Tim and Alys in action: Tim and Alys haven't been doing dressage together for that long and as they don't have a sand school they train in a field and have certainly achieved a great deal and shown that they can compete with the warmbloods.  It is clear that they have plenty of potential to go further in the dressage and they are aiming towards medium level this year. For further information about Tiger Tim, check out his stud car...

Sweet Itch is an allergic response to the saliva in the bite of Culicoides Midge(gnats), affected horses will suffer severe itching as a result of such a bite.  The intense itching is followed by an autoimmune over reaction which causes a thickening of the skin and lesions. Sweet Itch is a terrible condition which makes the life of afflicted horses a misery, particularly throughout the summer months. Sweet Itch is characterised by constant itching and rubbing of the top of the tail and also the mane.  Depending on the severity other areas may well be affected such as the face, neck and sometimes other parts of the body. The constant feeling of itching causes a great deal of distress and many sweet itch sufferers will spend most of their time trying to rub or scratch on anything available such as stable doors, fence posts and even rolling on the ground.  This will result in loss of hair and further soreness and damage to the skin. Horses with untreated and...

Here is a horse that has caught my eye!  McCartneys Highland Prince aka cookie is wonderful stallion owned by the McCartney stud in Devon.  He is currently standing at stud to limited mares.  This horse is a beauty yet has true quality and is a fine example of a traditional gypsy cob.  He has excellent bloodlines with Lion King as his grandsire.  Highland Prince passes on his wonderful conformation and temperament to his offspring; his one son, Abbotswood Gorgie Boy has been awarded a First Premium with CHAPS UK!   The McCartney stud are renowned for breeding beautiful cobs with an emphasis on temperament and correct conformation.  Check out their website to see more photos of their lovely horses.  http://www.mccartneystud.com/                             ...

 Robert with Tom Thumb Robert Giles is one of Britain's most respected breeders of gypsy cobs and is renowned for his talent and experience in producing driving horses.  Robert comes from a long line of horsemen and the horses are a way of life; he and his family have been based in the Sussex area for many years where they breed cobs and trotters and deal in quality horses. Robert has supplied me with many lovely horses and ponies over the years as well as plenty of good advice!  He has a real eye for a horse and can pick a good one a mile off, if I wanted a second opinion I would ask him first.  There can't be many people about who have observed and worked with the sheer amount and variety of horses that Robert has, and while he loves his cobs he has great enthusiasm for all ponies and horses and the ability to get the best from them all.  Lovely old fashioned palamino mare - Robert is bringing her back to harness after time off for f...

If you are looking to buy a cob or a quality driving horse, the job of a wise choice will always be made easier if you can buy from people who know what they are doing and truly understand their horses.  With six generations of horse breeding tradition behind them, Michael Vine and his family have a wealth of knowledge of gypsy cobs and driving horses. Pair of driving mares, currently for sale.  The Vine family name is respected internationally; cobs of their breeding can be found all over the world and many top class horses have Vine horses in their pedigrees.  Celebrated horses from the past and present such as The Lottery Horses, The Ring Master and Lloyds are always associated with the Vine name.  A Vine's bred horse has the benefit of generations of careful, selective breeding, every cob has been bred for a purpose and every cob is fit for purpose.  It is true that there are plenty of good looking cobs about and many also have impressive pedig...