For nearly 100 years the Gypsies have bred and used colourful horses to pull their ornately decorated carts and living wagons through the country lanes of England and Ireland. The horses that they used were heavy boned and feathered horses, which were strong, sensible, docile and incredibly hard working.
The beautiful colours of these horses were not only pleasing to the eye, but also made them instantly recognisable, which helped prevent them from being stolen or swapped discretely for inferior horses. The heavy feathers on their legs, along with the long flowing manes and tails added to the overall flash and flair long associated with the misunderstood and usually discriminated-against gypsy people.
Traditionally, the Gypsy Horse is involved in all aspects of family life, faithfully pulling the caravan wagon during the day, while still being patient enough to teach the gypsy children to ride when the day way done. The horses are tethered at the campsite with the family caravan when they are not working. They live and thrive in all types of weather, grazing on the grasses that happen to be growing along the side of the roads. The heartiness and exceptional disposition of these horses are their trademark. They are known to be one of the most docile and gentle horses in the world.
Worldwide the various types of Gypsy horse have come to be know by several different names. Irish Tinker, Gypsy Cob, Irish Cob, Romany Horse and the like, are all names used to describe they type of horse which gypsies have bred and used in the British Isles for generations. Although many horses of similar type are bred indescriminatly in Europe, the most sought after type of gyspy horses are bred by generations of gypsy families, who have prized and guarded bloodlines that produce the highest quality horses imaginable.
The Gypsy horse is extremely rare in Australia, numbering only around fifteen or so individuals. Around a dozen of these make up the foundation stock of they Gypsy Horse Association of Australia. Situated in Taminick in Victoria’s North East. Gypsy Cobs Down Under is home to the largest herd of Pure Bred Gypsy Cobs in the South. Imported from the United Kingdom with bloodlines stemming back to - The Lottery Horse, Roadsweeper, The Business, Trolley Cob and Lion KingThree stallions, six broodmares and three foals !!
