About the Gypsy Horse
Gypsy Horses can be known by many names, Gypsy Vanner, Gypsy Cob, Romany Horse, Irish Cob, Tinker Horse or just Tinker, all these terms relate to the same horse, it is just the quality that may vary. Even though there are many names, all Gypsy Horses derive from the same nomadic culture and background. Today, the Gypsy horse is rapidly gaining popularity due to their striking looks, wonderful attributes, and fascinating heritage.
The true Gypsy Horse is a traditional horse and was specifically bred and has been used by the Romany people or, Gypsies, in Europe for many years. The Romany people bred colorful, feathered cob horses to pull their ornately decorated carts and living wagons, or "Vardos", thru the countryside of England and Ireland. These traits made the gypsy horse difficult to be stolen or swapped. The docile and easy going temperament was essential with the Gypsy Horse. No aggressive or dangerous behaviors were permitted and any horse that showed such tendencies were not used for breeding. These horses often worked a long day pulling wagons and, at the end of a long day, they still had the patience to teach the gypsy children how to ride. Traveling the roads, it was essential that the horses be sound, hardy in nature, and easily kept, as there were no special provisions made for food or shelter. They lived on the vacant land and grass strips found next to the road. The Gypsy horse was the Romany people's means of travel, of employment, were their greatest source of pride, and were held very dear to their hearts. While the majority of the traveling Romany people have now settled into more modern housing, a few can still occasionally be seen trotting along the roads and lanes in the UK and Ireland.
For years, the Gypsy Horse has not been recognized by the mainstream equestrian society. Recently, however, the Gypsy Horse has developed an enthusiastic following throughout Europe, North America and Australia. Gypsy Horses have been imported into the United States only for the past 14 years. Coming from a culture that, traditionally, has not kept written records, the best bloodlines were all kept and recorded only in memory. Generations of breeding have been handed down father to son without the aid of accepted means of documentation. Gypsy horses originally started with crosses of the Shire, Clydesdale, Friesian, Dales Pony and to a lesser degree the Fells Pony. 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.
The beauty of these horses is surpassed only by their gentle and intelligent nature making them now highly sought after outside the Romany culture. Originally bred to pull the caravans, Gypsies posses an amazing athleticism that now has them excelling nearly all riding disciplines and driving.
Gypsy horses are strikingly beautiful and come in numerous colors, the most traditional being the spotted pinto patterns, "piebald" (black and white) and "skewbald" (brown and white). They possess lushly feathered legs, and amazing long flowing manes and tails. The traditional Gypsy stands between 13 hands and 15.2 hands tall. The Gypsy horse achieved its designer looks through the perfect union of a powerful and athletic body with heavy, flat bone along with intelligence and docility. They possess a wonderful, kind, and intelligent demeanor and expression that is appreciated by horse lovers world wide.
Gypsy Horses for Dressage…
After years of instructing people and training horses of many breeds for Dressage, it became clear to me that the majority of my clients fit a certain description with similar wishes.
Many of my clients are middle aged, amateur adults, representing the majority of Dressage rider’s in this country. While many of them own brilliantly moving Warmbloods, often, it is difficult for them to ride the big movement and to feel confident handling the sometimes tricky Warmblood behaviorisms. Additionally, I found that many of them did not have the time, dedication and/or desire it takes to ride the upper levels competitively. Instead, I found that these riders equally valued wanting to feel safe and experience other leisure equine related activities such as trail riding or horse camping with their friends.
The athleticism, temperament and versatility of the Gypsy Horse fits these needs perfectly. From the Dressage competition arena to the trail, and as these rider’s age, of course, Gypsies make wonderful driving horses.
While there are Gypsy Horses competing successfully at 3rd level, the breed is so new to the U.S. that they really have not yet had the time to achieve their full potential in the sport of Dressage. The Gypsy Horse can vary in body type, from the shorter and stockier cob to a little larger, more graceful and athletic body style. Certain bloodlines of this breed are carefully selected and specifically bred for performance. I have had the good fortune to work with such a breeder and the pleasure of starting my first Gypsy Horse in 2008. After starting hundreds of young horses over the years, this one was the most enjoyable and easiest horses I had ever worked with. Quite simply, Gypsy Horse’s love people and strive to please. Their willingness is unmatched by any breed I have worked with and this has lead me to campaigning more of them in the sport of Dressage for their breeders and owners. I now offer full training programs for Gypsy Horses and also offer assistance for anyone wishing to purchase a special and unique Gypsy Horse of their own.
Our Future Stallion…
Our new found love of the Gypsy Horse, including experiencing the authenticity of the breed in Ireland, has lead us to purchase a lovely young stallion, Rom Firavoni (Gypsy Pharaoh) from Lynn Strauman of Gypsy Rose Ranch. We feel so privileged to own such a finely bred stallion. We look forward to a bright future for Firavoni and everything he has to offer in carrying on traditional Gypsy Horse heritage and promoting performance for future generations. Firavóni is being trained for competitive Dressage and Carriage. He will stand to a few select approved mares in 2012.
Firavoni’s Sire, Romipen is out of Cushtibok, Foundation bred import stallion by The Old Horse of Wales and Dam Crown Darby, foundation bred import mare by the famous Gypsy King.
Firavoni’s Dam, Ms. Bodi, was one of the first 14 foundation Gypsy Horses imported into the US. Her Sire is Romany Rye (the White Horse) and she is out of Dam Mattie.
For More Information About Firavoni Click Here
For More Information On Gypsy Horses:
Gypsy Horse Registry of America
Gypsy Horse Association
Gypsy Vanner Horse Society
Gypsy Cob Society
Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse Association
Local Performance Gypsy Horse Breeders:
Oak Creek Farm- Standing Gypsy Performance Stallion, Rom Firavoni in 2012
Gypsy Rose Ranch, Foundation bred Performance Gypsy Horses
Wine and Wings Ranch