About this Breed

 

Gypsy Horses are also known as Gypsy Cobs, Irish Cobs, Coloured Cobs, Romany Horses,  Gypsy Vanners, Tinker Horses or just Tinkers and there is a registry for almost every name.

We believe, regardless of the name people give these horses, they are all one and the same breed, as long as they come from
an original Gypsy/Travellers Stock!
We do not believe  that those known by one name, are somehow superior to those known by another, as there can be found, excellent, good and less than good quality horses in every registry.
Some say that two stallions of Irish origin are reported to have originated the breed around 60 years ago.  One stallion, known as Sonny Mays, was sired by a colored Irish stallion on a mare owned by a Traveler. The second, called The Coal Horse, was born in Limerick, Ireland. These two stallions sired most of the foundation stallions of the breed we know to day.             

 

If you follow the link to this american site 

http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/TheGypsyHorseWhatisit.html

 you will get very good information about the Gypsy Horses.


 

In order to get a verified/registered parentage on the horses we breed we have chosen to register in
the Irish Cob Society who has an EU approved 'Stud Book of the Origin of the Breed' and whos breeding objective is:

"To preserve and protect the Irish Cob breed in it’s traditional form and type, as a small, compact, powerful, yet agile working horse (a cold blood).  The Irish Cob is classified as a working draught horse (as opposed to the carriage horse, which may be clean legged – warm blood type).   The Irish Cob breed is classified as a working draught horse, so as to ensure that the breed is never allowed to become light of bone, which would also have the effect of losing one of the breeds renowned characteristics, the leg feathering.  Although described as a ‘draught’ type animal, breeding organizations shall ensure that the Irish Cob breed also remains a dual purpose animal, by retaining the docile character attributed to the cold blood breeds, while retaining the breed’s agile and versatile capabilities, which are ideally suited to a number of leisure riding pursuits."
 

 
(Click on the Logo to read
The Breed Standard for the Irish Cob)

 

Interesting Links concerning the Breed:
 

 Late Gypsy Stock Stallions:   http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/GoldenGypsyHorsesofthePast.html
     
Present Stallions:   http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/GoldenGypsyHorsesofthePresentPageOne.html
    http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/GoldenGypsyHorsesofthePresentPageTwo.html
     
Lots of US horses with pedigree:   http://www.vannercentral.com/More Gypsy Vanners.htm
     
Feather:   http://www.coloradorivergypsies.com/info/feather.htm
   

 

Colour:   http://www.gypsyhorsesaustralia.com/colour.html
    http://www.horsedna.co.uk
    http://www.horsetesting.com/Equine.htm
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equine_coat_color
    http://www.doubledilute.com/main.html
     
    http://www.morgancolors.com/
    http://www.horsecolor.com/
     
Coat colour calculator:   http://www.animalgenetics.us/CCalculator1.asp
     
Result of colour DNA test   http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/DNA.html
     
Health problems:   http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/HealthProblems.html
     
Feather/leg health problems:   http://www.wolfmanorestate.com/PreventingScratches.html
    http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/ChronicProgressiveLymphedema.html
     
The gypsies (people):   http://www.harlequinfarmsgypsyhorses.com/GypsyHorseHistory.html
     
The  waggons:   http://gypsywaggons.co.uk/
     
THE Appleby Horsefair   http://www.applebyfair.org/