I’ve learned to drive recently and instructor has gypsies. Love the one I’ve been driving for over a year, but no desire to own all that hair. The one’s I’ve met have all been
very sweet and docile, a little on lazy side if anything. He seems to enjoy being driven, much more so than ridden.
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Had one at a barn I rode at once… That “never had a My Little Pony” thing is dead on, I remember the tangles in my Barbie horse’s mane…!
Anyway, pony was a good egg with decent foundations, extremely fancy in the looks department, but prone to high spirits and actually a pretty small thing under the hair. Owner was just not suited to him, in size or experience. And when she gave up and sold him on, he went to an inexperienced kid who looked like she was about to hit a growth spurt. I hope they figured out things quickly and he somehow ended up in the hands of someone who could appreciate him, or at least afford to keep him as a pet.
He was on a dry gravel lot when I knew him, so mud was never a problem…also it helped with his air fern tendency (definitely bred to do heavy work on no feed). But dust was a nuisance (I feel like you would have to have a blower for grooming or you’d go insane). Farrier wanted his legs wrapped to keep the feather out of the way. And he had a crowded mouth…rows of teeth piled up, like a shark, haha.
I would definitely have taken the clippers to him if he were mine, but not much to do about the tail… Even if you banged it short, it was so wide and curly.
My current Morgan is the first that I have allowed to keep “big hair”. He is a palomino and just too cute with the long mane. I did spend time this hot morning putting some braids in to keep him cooler, but I dont do that very often. Mane and tail I can work with - but hairy legs? No thank you!
Many years ago I went to a dressage clinic at a beautiful, very fancy place. Sprinkled in with lovely WBs and TBs were some hairy spotted horses. This was when Gypsy Vanners and the like were first gaining popularity here. The Irish owner was importing some “Coloured Cobs” and selling for a pretty profit!
For a few minutes entertainment, have a scroll through www.dragondriving.co.uk at the cobs for sale and stallions at stud. Some are quite magnificent but it most definitely isn’t Horse & Hound! There are a lot more riding horses and Welsh ponies than last time I looked but still lots of “big steppers with loads of feather”.
References such as “will do 5 or 30” refer to the speed mph when road racing and there are references to famous sires known by the owners name “John Smith’s Big Black”. Appleby remains the biggest traditional horse fair in England. Contact details such as “Ron in Loughton” are a sign saying buyer be careful - but in reality many travellers have an excellent eye and really know bloodlines and produce some lovely ponies. On the other hand, hairy coloured cobs suffer from indiscriminate breeding, turned out on waste ground with no concern for welfare, because for many owners it is number rather than quality that counts.
