The Gypsy Vanner horse is a beautiful animal.

The Gypsy Vanner is known by several different names including the Gypsy Cob, the Colored Cob, Tinker Horse or Irish Cob. Small and beautiful with its distinctive piebald or pinto coat patterns, luscious mane and tail, leg feathering and powerful high action along with a gentle intelligent nature, they seem easy to work with. They are sturdy, powerful horses, often referred to as a light draft horse. They are generally about 15 hands high.

Along with colorful coat patterns the long silky legs and flowing manes and tails are another distinctive feature. The silky leg hair should descend from the back of the knee down and cover all around the hoof. The flowing mane and tail and leg feathers emphasizes the flowing and powerful gaits.

This is a relatively new breed to North America with centuries long roots in its native Britain. Britain’s Roma, an itinerant group of traveling people whose roots can be traced to northern India, created the breed from the Dales Pony, a thick strong breed and a great puller. The Dales Pony was interbred with the Welsh cob, Fell Pony, the Shire and Clydesdale, and these are the foundations for today’s Gypsy Vanner. It is called a vanner due to its need as a puller of the caravans used by the Roma to live in. The breed was introduced into the United States in 1996 by Dennis and Cindy Thompson.

The Gypsy Horse is a relatively new introduction to North America, and since the early 2000s, there has been groups and registries formed. Among them are: the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society (1996), the Irish Cob Society (1998), the Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse Association (2002), the Gypsy Cob Society of America, later the Gypsy Horse Registry of America (2003), the Australasian Gypsy Horse Society (2007), and the NZ Gypsy Cob Association (2012). Shows specifically for the breed have been organized since the mid-2000s. The breed continues to gather admirers for both riding and driving.

Kathleen Moody is the designer behind the Gypsy Vanner "Don't Fence Me In" which is the second figurine in the Beauty of the Breed Series from Trail of the Painted Ponies. Pictured above are Bangles the Douglas Cuddle Toys Gypsy Vanner plush toy, Breyer's Gypsy Vanner, and some Gypsy Vanner horses from Trail of the Painted Ponies. Also shown at right is a Gypsy Vanner figurine from Safari Ltd.