Gypsy Cob

Originally bred by the Romany (or Gypsy) people of Great Britain and Ireland, the Gypsy Cob is known for its beauty, strength and intelligence. A cob is defined as, “a small, heavyset horse.” It has a small sturdy structure, but is powerful with dense bone structure.

As a nomadic people, the Gypsies used their horses for almost every part of their lives.  The horses provided transportation, pulling wagons and carrying riders. Many times the horses were cared for by the children, so their disposition needed to be kind and patient. The Gypsies took great pride in their horses and many of the Gypsy Cobs are spotted pintos with beautiful markings and fine “feathering” on the legs. They have long, thick manes and tails. The average Gypsy Cob stands between 14 and 16 hands high. Once used mainly as driving horses, the Gypsy Cob is now being recognized for its athletic ability as a sound and sane riding horse in all disciplines.

Pedigrees, or bloodlines, of the Gypsy Cob were very rarely recorded; they were usually handed down through generations. With the relatively recent introduction of this breed to North America, several new registries have come into existence to register and document the parentage of these beautiful horses.

For more information visit the American Gypsy Horse Breed Association at www.aghba.org, or Gypsy Horse Registry of America at www.gypsyhorseregistryofamerica.org