Gypsy Cob Horse

A gypsy cob horse in a field between Lubenham and Market Harborough. The horses are grazing the land illegally, but in the UK it is difficult for land owners to have the animals moved on without facing prosecution themselves.

From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gypsy_Vanner_horse):

The Gypsy Horse (USA), also known as an Irish cob (Ireland/UK), Gypsy Cob, Gypsy Vanner (USA), Coloured Cob (UK/Ireland) or Tinker horse (Europe), is a horse breed. The breed originates from the UK and Ireland. Members of the breed come in a variety of colours but predominantly are of piebald colouring and have many draft characteristics, including heavy bone and abundant feathering on the lower legs.

There is no exact known history of the Gypsy Cob. It is believed by some that the Gypsy Cobs are descended from a combination of Shires, Clydesdales, Friesians, and Dales Ponies with their origins in the Romani gypsy community of the United Kingdom.

The Gypsy Cob was bred to be a wagon horse. These horses were bred by the Romany, and pulled wagons or "caravans" known as Vardos, which is a type of covered wagon that people sometimes lived in. They were also used as riding horses for children. Today, the Gypsy Cob is rarely used for pulling Vardos, but it is still looked upon as a symbol of power and strength among the Romany.

• Biota
• Life
• Vitae
• Eukaryota
• Animalia
• Animals
• Chordata
• Chordates
• Mammalia
• Mammals
• Horses
• Perissodactyla
• Odd-toed ungulates
• Equidae
• Horse family
• Equus
• Equus ferus
• Wild Horse
• Equus ferus caballus
• Domestic Horse
• Gypsy Horse
• Irish cob
• Gypsy Cob
• Gypsy Vanner
• Coloured Cob
• Tinker horse

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