Gypsy horse
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| Country of origin | Ireland, United Kingdom |
| Traits | |
| Distinguishing features | Cob conformation, often piebald or skewbald, feathered heels |
| Breed standards | |
The Irish Cob or Coloured Cob, known as the Gypsy Horse or Gypsy Vanner in the United States, is a type or breed of domestic horse from the British Isles. It's a small, solidly-built horse of cob conformation and is often, but not always, piebald or skewbald. It is the only broken-coloured horse breed of the British Isles, and is particularly associated with the Pavee and Roma travelling peoples of Britain and Ireland. There was no stud-book or breed association for horses of this type until 1996. It is now considered a breed and can be registered with a number of breed associations. Other names for this breed include Gypsy Cob and Tinker Horse. The Drum Horse is similar in appearance, but larger.
From about 1850 travelling people in the British Isles began to use a distinct type of horse to pull their vardos, the caravans in which they had just begun to live and travel. The colour and look of the breed were refined in the years after the Second World War. Horses of this type were first exported to the United States in 1996.
The Gypsy horse is usually, but not always, piebald. It may also be skewbald or any solid colour; a solid-coloured horse with white splashing on the underbelly is called "blagdon" or "splashed". There is no coat colour requirement in the breed standard of the Irish Cob Society, Gypsy Cob Register, Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, Gypsy Horse Registry of America, or Australasian Gypsy Horse Society. Since the horse originates in the British Isles, British colour names may be used in registration in the United States.
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Wikipedia