The American Gypsy Horse Breed Association is
pleased to have this opportunity to share with you the beauty, magic,
charm and versatility that is the hallmark of a unique horse…a horse
bred by the Gypsy people. A relatively new breed…dreamed of and created
by a culture known for its appreciation of bold colors, vibrant artwork
and mysticism. The Gypsy’s horse reflects his flamboyant appreciation of
life. This magical horse encompasses the color and beauty of the gypsy
culture and combines it with a kindness and substance seldom seen in
other horses. Never before has a breed so touched the human heart and
inspired such emotion and imagination.
Gypsies have had horses for as long as their
culture has been in existence but the horse we recognize today as the
Gypsy Cob or Gypsy Vanner has only emerged within the past 50 years. In
the mid 1900’s, the Gypsy breeders began infusing the blood of the
Clydesdale and Shire horses, which gave the breed bone and feather. They
then introduced the bloodlines of the Dale and Fell ponies for their
economical use of forage and more manageable size. By the early 70’s, a
breed type was becoming established and some magnificent foundation
stock had been produced. These horses were used in nearly every aspect
of the Gypsy’s life, from pulling the colorful wagons known as Vardos,
which were the Gypsies’ homes, to pulling the smaller wagons called
drays (flat carts), which were used for work. A Gypsy’s horses were his
means of travel, his means of employment and his greatest source of
pride.
Traveling the roads and often cared for by
children, it was essential that the horses be strong, kind and have a
willing disposition. They also had to be of a hardy nature, sound and
easily kept, as there were no special provisions made for food or
shelter. The horses lived on the vacant land and grass strips found next
to the road. The Gypsies take great pride in the horses they breed and
use themselves.
While the traveling people have now settled into
more modern housing, occasionally you can still find the horse-drawn
caravan on the roads. And even though the travelling lifestyle is no
longer a way of life, Gypsies often attend many of the weekend horse
fairs either to buy, sell or just flash their horses. Weekends that do
not have a horse fair often see the Gypsy families gathering together
for what they call a drive. A drive usually consists of meeting at a
prearranged site, forming a line and driving a ten mile circuit. These
drives will include dozens of horses pulling everything from the
exquisitely ornate, traditional living wagon to the handsomely carved
and painted flat carts, or drays, or even breaking carts and racing
sulkies. Before and after the drive is a time for families to visit and
compare horses. The Gypsies may not live on the road these days but
traveling is still very much a part of their heritage and the weekend
drives keep that heritage a part of their lives.
With the importation of these mystical horses to
the United States and Europe, the Gypsy people have had a revival of
inspiration to continue to breed and improve the quality of their stock,
as the demand for the breed and its versatility is becoming renowned
world-wide.
The Gypsy-bred horse is often used by non-Gypsy
families as a great all around horse. Many are used as safe and sane
mounts for the novice and many riding schools and trekking centers also
use these kind and willing partners.
Easily recognized, these sturdy little horses
come in nearly all colors and most have pinto markings. Though black and
white is still the most prevalent color, you can also find them in red,
buckskin, palomino, grey and even the occasional Appaloosa spot. Like
most horses of high color, blue eyes are fairly common and can lend a
mystical look beneath an incredibly long and flowing foretop. The Gypsy
horse has a sweet head with a kind eye and neat ears, a short
well-muscled back, well-sprung ribs, deep shoulders with a good slope,
and powerful rounded hindquarters. They will have substantial bone that
is flat, clean and dense and a generous foot with thick walls and open
heels.
With less need for the larger, draft type of
horse, Gypsies now prefer a smaller cob or pony type with an active and
speedy trot. When these horses are not used for working, the Gypsies
love to “flash” them in front of onlookers. The Gypsies strive to add
amazing amounts of hair with each generation of stock. Thick manes that
typically fall below the shoulder and tails that drag the ground are
only the beginning. The crowning glory on a good Gypsy horse is the
abundance of silky feather. Though you can find horses ranging from 11
hands up to 16 hands, they typically stand between 14 and 15 hands.
When showing a Gypsy horse, it is encouraged to
present the horse in its natural state. Hair is highly prized and the
long, full manes, tails and beautiful feather should be emphasized as
much as possible.
Clipping should be kept to a minimum, if done at
all, and should not be more than the ears, muzzle, chin and possibly a
very small bridle path. The mane, tail and feather should never be
clipped, thinned or pulled. The feather does require some care to
maintain its most luxuriant look. Heavy mud or poor ground conditions
can adversely affect its appearance. Care should also be taken to keep
the skin beneath the feather clean and healthy.
For years, the Gypsy horse suffered a certain
lack of appreciation from within the mainstream equestrian society.
Recently, however, they have developed an enthusiastic following
throughout Europe and North America and they have even made their way to
Australia, Mexico, and South America. The beauty of these horses is
surpassed only by their gentle and intelligent nature, making them now
highly sought after outside the Gypsy community.
Coming from a culture that traditionally has not
kept written records, the best bloodlines were all kept and recorded
only in memory. Many horses without specific names, other horses with
names like the Lob Eared horse, the Horseshoe Mare, the Teddy Mare, the
Roadsweeper and the General being considered some of the best of the
breed. Generations of breeding have been handed down father to son
without the aid of accepted means of documentation. With the now
widespread popularity of the breed, crossing not only international
borders but also cultural boundaries, it became imperative that proper
parentage verification be administered and documented. DNA testing has
been established to form a modern data bank and many people have worked
countless hours to ensure the colorful history and a bright future is
preserved for this wonderful breed.
While most of the mature horses have been
imported either from the United Kingdom or Ireland, there are now nearly
1,000 horses currently in the United States, with the number growing
every year.
Originally bred to pull the caravans, they excel
at driving but are also being used for nearly all riding disciplines and
can be found throughout Europe and the Unites States doing everything
from pleasure riding and driving, CDE driving, trail riding, dressage,
hunt seat, jumping, cattle sorting and ranch work.
The American Gypsy Horse Breed Association is a
mission based organization motivated to educate the public, promote the
breed, and make benevolent contributions of Gypsy horses to worthy
causes such as therapeutic riding, horses for health, inner city youth
organizations, and any and all organizations who might benefit from and
care for one of these special horses. Through our program called Angel
Baby, which is in direct support of these causes, our hope is to raise
enough funds to support these interests. To help the funding of our
Angel Baby program, the Association is sponsoring a Gypsy horse raffle
for Lord Duncan, a 2 year old gelding.
Lord Duncan was donated to the American Gypsy
Horse Breed Association by Happy Camp Cobs of Moorpark, Ca. He will be
delivered to the winner, free of charge, anywhere in the continental
United States. The drawing will be held on October 14th, 2007, at the
Georgia Feathered Horse Classic.
The members of the American Gypsy Horse Breed
Association invite you to visit our website at
