Gypsy Horse Versatility
by Lynn Strauman
As
the glistening sun is rising, the morning dew steams
off the fence posts and tree trunks with its warming
rays. The horses are saddled and gazing at the
rising hills before us as we prepare to embark on
the day’s journey. The official field judge and
event organizers call the morning meeting to order,
as we go over the days events, rules and trail
course. We draw numbers for our starting position
and as each person reveals their number the
excitement builds with anticipation, as the day is
about to begin and the course challenges met.
The
Gypsy Horse’s willing disposition, enables them to
learn various disciplines. They are naturally
adaptable to driving, but they are also favorable to
be ridden under saddle, be it, English eventing, and
dressage, or Getting Western on the trails in the
mountains or rounding up cattle.
The
average height for an adult Gypsy Horse is between
14 and 15.2 hands. This makes them less intimidating
then full sized draft horses as well as comfortable
for riding, yet they have the relevant strength and
disposition of their cold blooded heritage. Their
substantial hoofs, also, provide the Gypsy Horse
with a solid under footing which makes them a
natural for rugged terrain and trail riding.
The
fact that they are close in height stature to the
average Quarter Horse , makes it much easier to fit
them with tack. A western saddle with a wide gullet
will, for the most part, fit a fully matured Gypsy
Horse weighing in around 1200-1500 lbs.
I
have always been a western seat rider, so it was
only natural for me to train my Gypsy Horses with
western saddles and bridles. I use an O ring, sweet
iron, twisted wire snaffle, for the initial
training, and if the horse stays soft and supple, I
keep them in a snaffle type of bit for riding,
unless a show requirement calls for a shank bit.
When it came to the saddle, I did have to do some
experimenting, as the round withers of the Gypsy
does not allow for a snug fit of the western saddle
with conventional cinches and pads. I found that a
wide, Quarter Horse Gullet, with a Neoprene cinch
worked fairly well to help the saddle stay put
during the mounting process.
Although, to this day I think the best way to mount
these horses is to train them to side pass up to a
fence, trailer fender, large log, or mounting block,
after all, I have gone over the big one !
During Ms. Bodi’s first year of training under
saddle, we competed in Northern California’s Western
trail trial competitions. I had never been involved
in this type of competition before, and Bodi had
certainly never seen the types of obstacles, which
are either, natural to the course for the day, or
setup by the field judges.
In
competitive trail trials, the object is to have a
course approximately 2 – 5 miles long with at
minimum 10 obstacles, which you could encounter in a
day on any trail. Most usually there are several
obstacles, which are always included in the days
ride.
They are: a water crossing, a gate open and closing,
log obstacles, uphill, down hill trail, and usually
a bridge crossing. Each horse / rider starts out
with 0 points and is rated at each obstacle, the key
here is, the horse, as it is the horses
approach and ability to master the obstacle that is
judged. Often the judge will note if the rider did
not help the horse to maneuver the course or not,
but the main judging focus is on the horse. The
main objective for the day is to complete the course
with as few added points as possible, another words
0 is 100%.
The
Gypsy Horses’ Naturally quiet disposition make, them
a wonderful choice for this type of competition.
You are not judged on speed, or gaits, or endurance,
the critical criteria are rider, horse safety and
completeness of the obstacle. I have often enjoyed
the water obstacles as the Gypsy’s really like
water, so it is fun to sit back and watch all the
warm bloods get excited and bounce around the creek,
or whatever the water obstacle is for the day, this
is where the competition starts to open up, as many
points are accrued by the other horses.
Bodi loves to dip into the cool creek, I usually
have to keep her moving or she will balk at leaving,
because she wants to stay there cooling off!
In
our first year of competitive trail riding we
managed to attend about 50% of the rides, this was
not enough to put us in the running for the year end
awards, but it was just enjoyable to be out in the
mountains testing our skills and enjoying the best
nature had to offer. We usually managed to finish
in the top 4 for the day, in our age group, which by
the way, was usually very heavily populated as this
is a sport many Baby Boomers can participate in and
enjoy!
I
have not had the time this past few years to
participate in trail trials competitively, but I
have been keeping Bodi tuned up on the trails just
pleasure riding, gathering cattle with friends and
challenging obstacles. We usually ride at the 3,000
foot elevation and up, as I have friends who live in
the mountains, so I go riding with them whenever
time allows. The Gypsy Horse adapt easily to the
altitude change with no ill effects, I usually go up
to the mountains and back down to sea level in the
same day with no ill effects to the horses.
All
in all, the Gypsy Horse, is a natural choice for
persons wanting to take quiet uneventful trail
rides, as this breed has such wonderful calm
attitudes, they prefer to amble along, yet can cover
ground when asked, and most importantly, Gypsy
Horses are practically unflappable.
I
have been quoted calling the Gypsy Horse, “My
Baby-to-Baby Boomer Horses”, as both age groups are
easily mounted on them as well as everything in
between.
Owner/ Breeder
Lynn Strauman
Gypsy Rose Ranch , West Coast breeder
Gentle
Hardy
Secure
working
elegant
sturdy
trustworthy
ã
Multiple Registered Gypsy Horses
For
More information about this magical breed, visit our
Website;
www.ghswest.com
or email to:
gypsyvlegs@aol.com
A Brief History...
Over the past
one-hundred fifty or so years, the nomadic people of
the British Isles have bred a horse to suit their
own purposes. The people known as Travelers,
Gypsies, tinkers, or Romani needed a horse that was
strong enough to pull their living wagons, calm
enough to live with the extended families of their
owners, and self-sufficient enough to live off the
pastures at hand along the roads of England and
Ireland. Through deliberate breeding efforts of the
traveling people, the horse has evolved into what is
currently called the Gypsy horse. While there are
other names for this horse (Gypsy Cob, Irish Cob,
tinker horse, or in the U.S. the Gypsy Vanner), most
people recognize this breed simply as the Gypsy
horse.
There are many theories about the foundation stock
of this breed. Truth be told, we don’t know very
much for certain. The Traveler culture was, and
still is, a very closed, male-oriented society.
Outsiders were not well-accepted. The breeding of
their horses was the business of the Traveler owning
the horse, and typically he did not share this
information with anyone. Travelers bred for the
traits that they wanted, which frequently differed
among Travelers of different regions. There are no
written records, and DNA testing today can only tell
us parentage back one generation on.
To
look at this horse, we can guess the foundation
stock had to come out of the heavy horses:
Clydesdale, Belgian, Shire, Percheron, and perhaps
Friesian. To bring the size down and add in color,
as well as improved foraging ability and stamina,
the horse was bred to the lighter breeds, but we
aren’t sure which ones. We can only guess - perhaps
the Dale pony, Fell pony, Welsh Cob, Connemara, and
maybe the Irish Draught. Even among the Travelers,
the preferred traits have changed over time.
The breed today is a light draft horse, standing
14.0 to 15.2hh, with heavy bone and muscle, a head
that is much more refined than the draft horse,
heavy mane, tail, and feather, and a sweet, docile
temperament. They are intelligent horses with an
excellent work ethic, eager to learn and please
their owners. The breed is found in any color you
can think of – from Appaloosa to Palomino, but the
majority are piebald (black and white). In Ireland,
where the breed is referred to as a ‘hairy colored
cob’, the Travelers prefer a horse that is more
white than black; in England, more black than white.
The lifestyle of the Travelers has changed over the
past 30-40 years; many travelers are now ‘settled’,
living in permanent housing. Few of the Traveler’s
living wagons, or Vardos, are to be seen along the
roadways today. However, the Travelers continue to
breed their prized horses.
Romany Gras Paramisi
(Gypsy Horse
Story)
The name Gypsy is an umbrella word used for the
Irish, Scottish, and Romany Travelers, these are
bands of peoples who roamed the European continent….
following is how they got their name:
Around the year 420 ad, Behram Gour, a wise prince
of the Sassanide dynasty, realized his subjects were
pining away for lack of amusements.
He sought a means of reviving their spirits and of
providing some distraction from everyday life.
With this in mind, he sent a diplomatic mission to
Shankal, King of Cambodia and Maharaja of India, and
begged him to choose among his subjects and send to
him, persons capable by their talents, of
alleviating the burden of existence and able to
spread a charm over the monotony of work.
Behram Gour, assembled 12,000 itinerate minstrels,
men and women, assigned lands to them, supplying
them with corn and livestock, so, that, they should
have the means to live in certain areas which he
would designate, and be able to amuse his people at
no cost.
At the end of the first year these people had
neglected agriculture, consumed the corn seed and
found themselves without resources.
Breham, was so angry that he commanded that their
assets and musical instruments be taken away and
that they should roam the country and earn their
livelihood by singing.
The earliest recorded history of Gypsy bands in the
UK is said to be in and around 1514. The locals
often referred to these peoples as Egyptians, as it
was assumed they had migrated from Egypt due to
their dark skin and sharp features.
As time went on, this term was shortened to Gyptians,
and subsequently “Gypsies” which holds to this day.
The English Gypsy’s are referred to either as
Gypsy’s or Romany folk.
The
Irish Gypsies are called travellers or Tinkers and
indeed the Romany find it an insult to call them
Tinkers.
The mysteries that surround these families are
because of the stigma attached and their life style,
the way they move around all the time, they have
earned a reputation for being untrustworthy, which
with a Romany or true Gypsy family could not be
further from the truth.
To facilitate their acquired nomadic nature the
gypsies constructed a home on wheels otherwise known
as a “caravan”, or Vardo. Although gypsy
caravans and carts can be found in many European
countries, only in Great Britain did the gypsy
caravan literally become an art, form, making the
English version the most highly decorative gypsy
caravan in the world. Understandably, the owners of
such caravans sought to breed a type of horse ideal
for pulling their colorful wagons. Originally the
horses that pulled the gypsy carts and caravans were
not colored, nor were they a specific type. Horses
were bred in both England and Ireland but the
English Gypsies were the only ones to have the
coloured horse until they were introduced into
Ireland, up until then they mainly had bays and
blacks.
The
Gypsies set out to produce a small attractive,
draft, type horse with color and disposition, to be
used for multi purposes which included, pulling
their caravan wagons, field work as necessary,
riding when needed, and to entertain / baby sit the
children. The Gypsy’s would geld and otherwise cull
unacceptable specimens, those which did not
demonstrate all of the, above required traits.
The foundation breeds utilized to achieve the Gypsy
horse of today, was Shire, Clydesdale, Friesian, and
Dales pony, and is the result of a dedicated
breeding program founded and cultivated by
discerning Gypsy’s. They are the originator of the
breed, it is a breed that was produced for a purpose
and a way of life, hence the outstanding
temperament, type and conformation for pulling.
Above all, the horses are a sign of the gypsy
families wealth and social standing within the gypsy
fraternity the biggest best quality top breeding
herd is an open statement that they are a high
ranking family.
Gypsy families of the UK have been selectively
breeding these horses, with known lineage for many
years, although it has not been recorded, but only
passed down through the spoken word.
Gypsy Horses can be any color, tobiano marked
Piebald and Skew balds are the most common, but all
colors are prized.
The intelligence and human bond is present within
this breed, right from the moment of birth, they are
bred to interact with their human family, are
willing to please, and are very trainable.
The Gypsy Horse is very compatible to any and all
riding disciplines, as well as driving.
They are wonderful equestrian companions for
Western, English, Dressage, Eventing, mountain
trails, ranch and cattle work as well as, driving
and pulling.
The Gypsy Horse Breed, is one of the rarest horses
in the United States today, in June of 1998 the
breed was formally introduced to the American
public, and it has grown rapidly in a relatively
short space of time. It's 10 year anniversary on US
soil, will occur in 2006.
The Gypsies bred these horses for temperament, to
maintain a steady pace and not spook at the roaring
of a passing truck or unexpected happenstance on the
side of the road. The Gypsy Horse had the ultimate
responsibility of protecting the family and Caravan
home in the pursuit of a new campsite, and at days
end the same Gypsy horse was expected to tolerate
the antics of the gypsy children and often they
would be seen with little ones, climbing over , and
under their bodies, and the horses would not move a
foot, or turn an angry head to the wee ones.
As traveling was the Gypsy lifestyle, most could not
read or write. Thus their pedigrees and the breed’s
history were kept in the oral tradition passed down
within families, or Clans as they are known. The
Gypsies are elegant story tellers as well as shrewd
bargainers. No written contracts or transfers were
signed with the sale of a Gypsy Horse. Bargain for a
horse is done with the slap of a hand. This
tradition is still in practice and can be seen
regularly at the Gypsy Horse Fairs such as Appleby ,
England and Ballinsloe , Ireland today.
The breed is a body type, not a color breed, it can,
and does come in many colors, with the Piebald and
Skewbald , being the most common and popular. These
horses with their brilliant coat patterns, flying
mane and tail, heavy bone, and abundance of leg
feather makes this the most exciting breed to be
introduced to this country, and it is gaining in
popularity, by leaps and bounds.
DNA data is being collected on every horse
registered in America , as well as some of the
foundation sires and mares even still in the UK .
The influence of the American market has dictated
this requirement as the breed is formally being
recognized as such here in the US as well as in
Europe.
These horses are now being recognized for their
versatility and are beginning to be seen at horse
show venues in many disciplines.
It should be noted that this breed of horse is very
attractive to the very young as it is child
friendly, and to the Baby Boomers as it is
steadfast, and less likely to spook and jump out
from under their rider, as they are so docile, for
this very reason the Gypsy Horse Breed is here to
stay and will only continue to grow in numbers and
followers.
Co-Authored by:
Andrea Betteridge / UK
Lynn Strauman / USA
Jan Cox / USA
