The Gypsy Vanners
Through selective breeding over more than 100 years Gypsy men and their families in England and Ireland created this breed of horses. Their goal, was to create a unique draft type horse that could pull their caravans in fancy fashion yet was docile enough to be handled by their children and would work all day with small amounts of food and water.

They designed the horse to primarily be half black, and half white. They wanted the horses to have a "WOW" factor so that each family could always have a competition on whose stallion was the finest. The average Gypsy Vanner should stand about 14.3 hands high, and be most any color these days. They should have an arched crown back, smaller ears that curve inward, a round and correct heavy chest, thick boned legs with feathers that start at the knee in the front and the hock in the back that tent-like cover the hooves. This horse should have a very chiseled and refined head with tapering towards the end of the muzzle, and kind, well set eyes. The Gypsy Vanner, or Gypsy Cobb horse as it is sometimes referred to, should have a short back and a very well rounded hindquarter, and a crease down the center of the hindquarter that is called "Apple Butt." The breed should also have a very wide and thick tail that is not set too high, and may eventually drag the ground.

Since the Gypsies have kept little to no written records over the last 100+ years, we have surmised the origins of the breeds used to create the Vanners by speaking with many of the older Gypsy men in Europe.

In England for example, we feel that the Shire, Dales Pony, and the Fells Pony along with the Clydesdale were the major influences. The Fells and Dales are native only to that country and much resemble smaller Friesians with a bit less feathering. However, in Ireland where we feel more of these horses originated, they used the Shire and the Clydesdale with more influence for refining the horse from the Highland Pony.

The name Gypsy Vanner Horse® represents a definitive breed born from a vision to create a specific looking horse. The goal of that vision was achieved and the result is a breed capable of evoking great emotion.

Short back
Heavy hips
Broad chest
Heavy flat bone at the knee
Feathering that starts at the knee and hock and covers the front of the hooves
A short strong neck and a sweet head
Established in 1996, The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society is the mother studbook for the breed and the first in the world.


*Courtesy of gypsy MVP for all of the above (these are not my words)*


******************** More about the breed**************************

The Gypsy Cob was bred to be a wagon horse. These horses were bred by the Romany, and pulled wagons or "caravans" known as Vardos, which is a type of covered wagon that people lived in. They were also used as riding horses for children. Today, the Gypsy Cob is no longer used for pulling Vardos, but it is still looked upon as a symbol of power and strength among the Romany
Up until the late 20th century, the Gypsy Cob was not a recognized breed. Not much is known about the bloodlines of Gypsy Cobs because pedigrees were usually kept secret and only family members knew the details. However, as the interest in the breed grew, several breed registries developed. The first registered horses were imported to North America in November 1996. There are three different registry classifications for the breed, based on height. If the horse is under 14 hands, it is considered to be a "mini Gypsy". If the horse is 14-15.2 hands high, it is known as a "classic Gypsy", and if the breed is 15.2 or taller, it is known as a "grand Gypsy". In 2004, the breed became recognized by the United States Dressage Federation All Breeds Program, and can win breed-specific awards whenever it wins a dressage event or any event sponsored by the USDF.
* This created by Wikipedia I ALSO do not own this*