Gypsy Vanner horses??

[James]

I was looking at A few websites for this breed, Quite A bit of money for one, They are colored like a paint horse but are anywhere from 16-19 hands ,With the feathering on the feet. I wonder how they would hold up under REAL work, From what I saw they are A flashy horse. But $25,000 for A mare??? And thats NOT even bred. The colts as weanlings were $10K

[Gabe Ayers]

James,

I wonder how those gypsy’s kept up with anything while living in a wagon and moving all the time. Maybe they are modern gypsies and live in houses will wheels on them but are up on a few blocks too. I have lots of neighbors and friends that live in those lovely dwellings in Appalachia. Lived in one myself when I bought this old clear cut about 30 years ago. I have a daughter and her family living in one today…. a mobile home! That sounds like an oxymoron.

I am afraid it is another fad that will fade in due time as there is nothing about the color alone that would help a horse pay for itself in the collar.

I have seen some of those prices, particularly in DHJ about show horses and spotted horses that are unbelievable. I often wonder if they are just selling them back and forth to each other as a tax write off of something?

I am selling and paying about the same for Suffolk Mares today as I did in the early eighties ($2500-3500). And they are a breed, a breed that needs good owners – that will work them.

Jason Rutledge
http://healingharvestforestfoundation.org

[simon lenihan]

There are thousands of gypsy vanner horses in ireland, it is probably the original home of these very flashy horses. Personally i would not be interested in owning one and over the years have only seen a couple in the woods. The horses i have seen over here have been out on loan for the winter from a local company where you can hire out a coloured horse and gypsy wagon for a week or two. The said company were always looking to offload the horses for the winter. I have yet to hear a good report about these horses when it comes to doing a days work. I think its all about image and i suppose thats what alot of folk like to see. However when you move into the cities in ireland you can see them tethered at roundabouts, football fields really anywhere you can find a bit of grass you will find a vanner. Here though you will find a different type of vanner, lighter, smaller but still with alot of feather, these are trotting horses and i often pulled up at the traffic lights in our local city when one would pull up along side, lights green, gone like a flash. In the capital dublin they are known as the urban cowboys and they will ride through the city center at any time of the day or night. I have met some of these guys over the years and have had a chance to get to know some of them, alot of them come from the poorer parts of the city and its there only means of transport, they are passionate about their horses and really look after them. I always remember when my best friend went to dublin to study art, money was in short supply and the only accomadation he could afford was in one of the poorer parts of the city [ home to the urban cowboys ] he lived in a tall block of flats which was fitted with a lift, one evening as the lift was closing someone shouted him to keep it open, along comes a teenager with a young vanner into the lift. when he asked him what he was doing, he replied that he was not going to leave it out in such incrimant weather. This was not a one off this was widespread at one time and prior to i coming over to the uk 7 years ago alot of government officals were trying to stop them keeping horses. must find out what has happned back at home and report back.
simon lenihan

[Seosamh]

I’m from Ireland and so are many gypsy vanners. When they were worked to pull the caravans (when I was much younger), they were thought of amongst farmers as “soft” and lacking “depth” in comparison with our Connemara ponies or Irish Draughts.The piebald or skewbald colours were not liked at all then! Can’t help thinking that all that reflected prejudice against gypsies. Nowadays the are known as quiet workhorses, when they are worked, and their “depth” is not normally tested (except in foxhunting or the like).

[vthorseshoe]

I see quite a few Gypsy Vanners here in New England and they range from 14 hands to 15.2 and are used for driving and riding.

A few years back someone saw them in the UK and started to import them to the US.

Like anything new over here there are more folks willing to part with their money if they think they are getting a special breed of horse. A super horse, and the pie balds and pinto’s sell for big bucks over here.

So over here it is a marketing thing. Big money and folks who will pay for an imported breed that is not heard of yet.

Like the Halflingers and Fjords and a few otherimported breeds they have a place and are a good animal.

They appear to be a quiet well put together cob type suited for driving, but nothing special in my book that warrants $25,000.00 more or less.

Bruce Matthews
http://www.nedrafthorseshoeing.com

[Author]

Posts