Gypsy Horses

Gypsy Horse is a type or breed of domestic horse. It is a small, solidly-built horse of cob conformation and is often, but not always, piebald or skewbald. There are many breed societies for the Gypsy horse, with mostly minor variations in their respective breed standards. The range of desired heights is generally from 13 to 16 hands (52 to 64 inches, 132 to 163 cm). The cob type is approximately 14.3 to 15.1 hands (59 to 61 inches, 150 to 155 cm), and the vanner 15.1 to 16.2 hands (61 to 66 inches, 155 to 168 cm). The more refined “grai” may be of any size but is typically within the 14.3- to 16.2-hand range. A Gypsy Horse’s facial profile is straight, neither overly dished nor roman nosed. A “sweet” head, more refined than that of most draught horses, is desired. The neck is strong, muscular, and of medium length “with a throat latch slightly deeper than lighter breeds”. Bone in the legs are heavy, clean, and flat. The hind legs of the Gypsy Horse should display proper angulation for a pulling horse, although not to the degree found in larger feathered draught breeds such as the modern Shire and Clydesdale. Unlike the equine conformational flaw of cow-hockedness, where only the lower leg is turned outward, a Gypsy Horse’s entire hind leg is set so as to angle outward. As a result, when the hind legs of a horse set up squarely are viewed from the rear, their cannon bones appear paralle.