Much like in my ancestry (Lumbee Indian) the gypsy people did not write down the history of the bred and the breeding. This was due to the fact that many did not know how to read or write. So, as it is said by the mouth of the gypsy people the gypsy horse breed is believed to have started in England and Ireland. They were bred by the gypsy people to pull the vardos (living wagons). The gypsy horse was  bred for there strength and ability to consistently pull heavy loads without risk of lameness or injury to the horse, docile, sane, and sweet personality. With the breed coming from a draft horse history and some obvious sense of good taste for style and flare the breed developed into  the head turning stop you dead in your tracks looks. The flowing feather, long thick mane and tail with the heavy  build due to carefully bred conformation is just breathtaking. The gypsy horse comes in all colors and patterns. And are easily  being trained all over the world to do many different disciplines. The gypsy horse is also called gypsy cob, gypsy vanner, Irish tinker, romany horse to name a few. You should not  judge this horse by  just its name. You will need to look at its conformation, temperament , and feather to competently decide what type of "gypsy horse" you are looking at. Just like in any breed there are some "gypsy horses" that do not meet the breed standard . So it is buyer beware. There are many different registry all over the world. If you have choosen a horse that meets the breed standard you can apply to register with which ever one/s you wish. A gypsy horse is not of better quality just because it is called a certain name or is registered with a certain association. You must  look beyond the words spoken and written about the horse and look at the horse itself. 

Rebel and the babies checking each other out.

This is a vardo or living wagon "Bowtop" style one type of wagon  the gypsy horse was bred to pull. The wagon could became very heavy with all of the family belongings, so only the very young and old were allowed to roll. The rest got there cardio in for the day. The vardos are painted different colors depending on the part of the country you are from. The intricate detail is amazing! This vardo is truely a work of art. The wheels if done well should last about 20 yrs. The wagon photos here are of Jeff  Bartko's vardo. They were taken when we visited his farm in Colorado a few years ago. I believe this wagon is for sale. His new farm is Colorado River Gypsy Horses and he has a very nice page dedicated to it on his site.

The inside of the vardo. A top bed and a pull out bed below it. Not much room so if you had a large family living out of it most slept under the stars or tents. Lots of drawers and the  seats pull up with storage inside.

The iron stove in the vardo. The back of the vardo also has little rack tucked under it. This is where poultry or other outdoor stuff can be carried along.

Last Modified March 2010