Cob or Chimera? UK Expat Sarah Redstone Lee explains why she believes the Cob Normand to be the most versatile cob of them all nce we had decided to take the The origins of the Normandy Cob can be To this day, the Chateau of Versailles is still plunge, sell up, pack up and traced back to Great Britain, the first ‘Norman’ surrounded by carriage driving Normandy make the move to Normandy; horse, to arrive on our shores was during the Cobs in homage to his passion for the breed. code named Operation transportation of a herd of around 2- 3,000, in The National Stud and home of the Overseas ( as but a small preparations for the battle of Hastings of 1066. Normandy Cob was founded by Napoléon in homage to operation Overlord in Normandy, Much of the success of the invasion depended 1806. By 1840, some of the cobs were crossed Owhich formed part of the D-Day landings), it on the horses that were bred for the endurance with King Henry the VIII’s favourite breed, was not long before my husband and I were required in order to carry the weight of the now extinct Norfolk trotter. This further enjoying la belle vie Francaise. We have been armoured suits, weapons and chain mail, yet the enhanced the look of elegance combined here for almost 10 years now, and, aside from superior among them also possessed great speed. with speed. The standard was set and the benefitting from the usual attractions that The Normans, are even to this day well Normandy Cob was then divided in to two France has to offer, that needs no form of known for their breeding of the Percheron groups; heavier horses for work, and lighter introduction, I have been very privileged to and the French Trotter. Although the horses for the cavalry, this accounts for a wide re-engage in a long since buried passion from Normandy Cob is considered a draft breed, it variation in appearance today. teenage years; The love of all things equine. has almost been exclusively used for breeding sport horses, of great agility and endurance. Founding the Selle Francais The Normandy Cob Many of the heavier horses were often bred From the 18th to the 20th century, the Normandy is a very ‘horsey’ county, with destined for the meat trade, however, as the’ Normandy Cob continued to fulfil dual roles; lush fields a plenty; a feeling of big skies and lightest of the heavy weights’ The Normandy The heavier version that ploughed and worked open spaces, there are horses and ponies Cob was never bred to be bigger, thus the the land, the lighter version that took the to be found around almost every winding conformation even to this day remains children to school, and the family to do the country lane. There is one though, that stands relatively unaltered. weekly village shop. Up until the Second World out head and hooves above the others; The Louis the XIV, The Sun king, was well Normandy Cob. Voted Le Cheval d’honneur known for his love of the breed, indeed he ????????????????? for the 2014 FEI World Equestrian games, one introduced some Arabian blood to the lines, ??????????????? needs to look a little into the past in order to which merely increased the appearance of ???????????????? understand its unique packaging and allure. a magnificent yet powerful thoroughbred. ???????????????????? 16 Carriage Driving February 2016 War the Normandy cob breed and numbers to learn technical manoeuvres make them ????????????????? remained relatively stable. During the war equally popular in the world of vaulting, but ???????????????????? however, many were slaughtered and lost. The they will be just as happy and enthusiastic to ???????????????????? automobile, once the preserve of the aristocracy, do forestry work; they can take the family out also began to be more commonplace. With the for a sedate carriage drive, they can be a safe Normandy cob remains unequalled, rivalled arrival of mechanisation in farming equipment, reliable hack around the country lanes for or outmatched. and the subsequent decline in the need for farm the nervous or elderly, or a fast willing friend horses, the breed was suddenly in peril. There on a hunt. Indeed, what other horse could Pride and joy were those who looked to the possibly be so versatile? The successes of Now, time to come clean. I couldn’t resist meat market. Fortunately, a the Selle Francaise, which can be exchanged the temptation, I had to have one, one that gentleman called Laurens St for 10s of 1,000s of pounds, have eclipsed I could call my very own. Enter Ronaldo Martin, the head of the national the Normandy Cob. Yet for all Coeurire, son of Geni d’Surville, from the St stud in 1944, began cross that, and for my money, Lo National stud. breeding Normandy Cob pound for pound the I am blessed to be the proud owner of a mares with thoroughbred French Thoroughbred, whose family can be stallions to create the now hugely popular multipurpose Selle Francais. This in turn, while ensuring the breed to a certain degree, also made the pure Normandy Cob stallions a rare commodity. It should never be forgotten, that behind every Selle Francais is a Normandy Cob, and this is often evident by the outline of many a Selle Francais that can be seen at Le Grand Complete, three day FEI world eventing championships. A Selle Francais can jump beautifully, it can go a healthy lick at cross country, it can more than adequately perform dressage. There again, perhaps surprisingly to some, so can the Normandy Cob. Moreover, Normandy Cobs can drive in teams at an international level, indeed by 2011, more than a third of horses at French driving championships were represented by the breed. Their calm temperaments and willingness February 2016 Carriage Driving 17 THE NORMANDY COB Useful contacts Haras National – St Lo (National Stud) Avenue du Marachel Juin, St Lo, Normandie, France 50000 Tel: 00.33.233.77.88.66 08.30-12pm 14.00-17.30 www.ifce.fr/haras-nationaux Normandie Driving Basse – Normandie, France 50370 Tel: 0033.233.69.31.64 - English Spoken www.normandiedriving.com out on a shoot. The again, I can harness him to a little carriage and pop out for a jolly Sunday jaunt. He has many admirers in our commune, who always greet him enthusiastically, even Madame La poste, on her daily visits to our letter box, comes fully furnished with a carrot for her compatriot. Maybe the best thing of all is I can leave Ronnie in the field for six months, and do nothing with him. He doesn’t mind, he just keeps giving me the same old loving devotion. There is no unexpected surprises, no what I call fizz, bang, wallop. He remains the same steady horse, despite the weather, traced back to a winner of the Prix de l’Arc circumstance or season, 365 days of the year. Breed standards de Triomphe in 1936, as well as a vixen of an I asked at the beginning of this article, Cob Irish cob which can be traced back to a Dublin or Chimera? Looking to ancient mythology, Head: The head should be well housing estate, and even an elderly Arab mare, a Chimera is a cross between several animals, proportioned, similar to that of a Selle rescued from unscrupulous hands, which each bringing different levels of power, speed Francais, wide nostrils, small ears and a I adopted through the Normandy Epona and as we say here, in France, a certain ‘Je ne straight or convex facial profile. Sanctuary, run by a tireless Englishwoman called sais quoi’. While a Percheron is a Percheron, Neck: Thick, muscular and arched Ann, to whom I am proud to call a friend and a Selle Francaise remains a Selle Francaise , Shoulders: The shoulders should be am honoured to be able to assist , but that is the Normandy Cob is truly the greatest of all broad and angled. Body: The chest must be deep, perhaps a tale for another day … rounders, that rarest of creatures; all things to with the withers pronounced, the Finally, last but by no means least is my all men. The Chimera is described as wildly body is compact with a short, strong pride and utter joy, my Normandy Cob, imaginative, oft implausible and simply back. The croup muscular, sloping with Ronaldo. I have subsequently traced his dazzling. I can think of no better description hindquarters similar of the appearance pedigree back to 1955, to one of for my beloved Normandy Cobs. of a thoroughbred. the original Normandy Legs: Muscular, strong with thick bone, cob stallions; ????????????????? though less massive than a draft horse. ???????????????????? Feet: Wide, round with strong and solid ???????????????????? hooves. Often capable of going unshod. Acceptable colours: Chestnut, bay or seal brown (called Pangare noir) Height: A mid-sized horse, should stand between 15.2 hh and 16.3hh Weight: Between 550kg and 900kg Beaumanoir; Movement and observations: The the start of the large variations in height and weight official stud book are explained by the variety of uses, however, all Normandy Cobs should in 1950. What a appear elegant, and closer in type magnificent beast to a Thoroughbred cross. Overall my boy is, everything confirmation is similar to that of a I imagined, hoped robust Thoroughbred. They have for and dreamed of. So a naturally extended trot with long kind, so willing. I can go strides. The strong forehand is ideal around the country lanes for driving, while the agile, almost on his back, and he will not racing quality hindquarters provides blink at a lorry, a herd acceleration.