Characteristics

• Gypsy vanners are the smallest of the draft horses. They are short and compact with heavy, dense bone structures, dense musculature and large feet. Like most draft horses, gypsy vanners have characteristic "feathers," or sections of long hair below their knees and around their ankles. Besides black, gypsy vanner coloring includes black and white, brown and white, pure white and pure black. Black gypsy vanners are unique only in their coloration; otherwise, they are identical to differently colored gypsy vanners.
  
  

History

• The gypsy vanner breed was born in the United Kingdom and Ireland during World War II, when Gypsies decided to breed flashier horses. The Gypsies bred for small, sturdy horses with the strength to pull carts, for dramatic coloring and for flashy movements. The breed has been recognized by international associations.
  
  

Breeding

• The gypsy vanner breed is not yet set, and so breeding is selective and subject to approval by the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, which monitors the breed. When foals are born, they must meet certain standards before they are approved and registered. These restrictions combine to make gypsy vanner horses both rare and expensive.
  
  

Mature Horses

• Gypsy vanner horses reach maturity at 5 to 6 years. They generally attain a height of 13 to 15 hands and weigh several hundred pounds. Once they reach maturity, gypsy vanners are trained for riding, parading and pulling carts.
  
  

Fun Facts

• Gypsy vanners have been crossed with other draft horses to produce "drum" horses. Both gypsy vanners and drum horses are used as parade horses in official ceremonies in the United Kingdom. They also are commonly displayed in the royal British stables in London.