A true gypsy cob will reproduce true every time when bred to another. The breed has always had a variance in height normally ranging from 13hh to 16.2hh with the vast majority standing between 14-14.2 hands. This is simply due to the creation of this breed being the pairing of the giant draft breeds with the native pony breeds primarily the Dales and Fell.

This is ONE single breed of horse and pony, always has been, always will be. DNA and lineages have long since dispelled this "vanner" as a "separate breed" or somehow "elite subset of the gypsy cob" myth. This is totally false. The "cob" is absolutely in no way a "lesser" animal, they are one and the same breed of animal.

Standard for the Gypsy Cob-Vanner Horse

• Short back in proportion to overall body (short distance between last rib to point of hip).

• Broad chest.

•  Heavy well-rounded hips (slab sided or severely sloping hindquarters are considered a fault).

• Heavy flat bone at the knee, ample hooves (small contracted hooves are considered a fault).

• Feathering that begins at the knees or near the hocks covers the front of the hooves. Ample to abundant mane and tail.

• Sweet head (fine head on a strong neck in harmony with the horse’s overall look).

•  Disposition (the horse should exhibit traits of intelligence, kindness and docility; overly aggressive behaviour is considered a fault

Are they thoroughbreds'?

We can tell you for sure that, in spite of the lack of papers, that Gypsy Cobs or Vanners, are a definite type, that breeds true.  They have been bred the same way for generation after generation, some lines over 100 years, which is longer than most breed registries have been around. 

A type that has been bred for generations and that breeds true is the fundamental definition of a breed.  And as any gypsy will tell you 'papers don't make a horse. ' Just because no one decided to start writing down horse names hundreds of years ago, it does not mean that these horses are any less of a breed than any other. 

British and Irish Gypsy horses have been bred for generation after generation by a small, unique group of people on a few small and unique group of islands in Western Europe.  Geography alone goes a long way toward ensuring breed type in this situation.  The oral history on blood of horses is accurate, this can only be experienced and appreciated by getting to know the people who "created" this breed of horse.  

History of the Gypsy Horse

Over a century ago, the travelling gypsies in the UK had a vision, which was to create a very special horse. A magical, almost mythical, colourful, compact, small Draft horse. A horse powerful enough to pull the decorative caravans the Gypsy calls home, yet gentle and trustworthy for the keeping of their children and worldly possessions.

A true Gypsy horse will have feathers from the knees in the front and just below the hocks in the rear, long flowing manes, forelocks, and tails that will drag on the ground.

The selective breeding of dedicated Gypsies has produced what is now known as the Gypsy Vanner.  The horse breeds utilized for this breed, Clydesdale, Shire, Friesian and Dales Pony each have imparted some traits and characteristics individual to their heritage. All of them combined have contributed to the long flowing hair characteristics that the Gypsy Vanner Horse will be remembered by.

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