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: