The Gypsy Vanner Horse story can be traced back over a half century ago to one of the world's most colorful and least understood societies. Nomadic and intriguing, the Romany Gypsies have traveled throughout Europe for centuries. Their horses have been selectively bred over the last fifty years producing a small Shire powerful and colorful enough to match and pull their caravans.
The Gypsy Vanner Horse is a new breed in the United States created by Dennis and Cindy Thompson, the first to import these rare and beautiful horses to America. Understanding the Gypsy Vanner Horse name is both important and straightforward. Gypsy was chosen to honor the people who dedicated their lives to the development of the breed and Vanner is short for caravan, for which these horses were bred to pull.
The Gypsy Vanner Horse looks like a small Shire featuring a short back, heavy flat bone (flat at the knee) broad chest and hips and a sweet, refined head. They range from 14 to 15.2 hands but individual horses vary at either end of the spectrum. Their average weight is from 1,100 to 1,700 pounds. Feathering ideally starts at the knee on the front legs and at the hocks on the rear legs and can be so prolific that it covers the front of the hooves. An abundance of mane and tail gives this animal a magical look, true to its heritage. Due to the cold blooded nature of the breeds from which these horses have evolved and the nomadic nature of the Gypsy, the Gypsy Vanner Horse has arguably the kindest disposition of any horse worldwide. They are capable athletes and willing learners suitable for a wide variety of disciplines including Dressage, driving or pleasure riding.
The Gypsy Vanner Horse is not a color breed. They come in all colors but piebald (black and white) and skewbald (brown and white) are the most common. Until recently, the United Kingdom was the only place these beautiful horses could be found.
The name Gypsy Vanner Horse is a registered trademark established with the sole intent to carry on the breed as it was intended and envisioned by the Gypsies themselves, as a source of pride. The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society's mission is to bring recognition to their accomplishment, understand their vision and preserve their pride.
The Gypsy Vanner Horses exhibits a rare combination of intelligence, kindness and sensibility that must be seen to be believed. The Gypsy Vanner Horse is inherently extremely sound and easy to maintain.
