Gypsy Vanner Horse Owners I need your knowledge

[ultasol]

There are so many grade horses that go to slaughter every week, and so many purebred. I have two purebred, registered, gorgeous, well-broke horses that I outbid the kill buyer for. My arab is especially nice, he's my $150 wonder horse, lovely 12 year old gelding, I can put my husband on him who hardly knows the front from the back. Unfortunately, no matter how much your mustang may get false pregnancies, the horse market is very poor. There is a hormone available that eases the mare's cycles. It's really cheap and I bet it would be of great aid to your mare. Ask your vet.

 

[chickenzoo]

Quote:
Well I want another horse, I love the Gypsys and I love my Mustangs temperament and build, and I have the opportunity to get it at a very low stud fee. She doesn't get false pregnancys, she adopted my then 3.5 month mini and produced milk for him. I always wanted a baby from her, and my animals are here to stay... so no flooding the horse market. I'm not a breeder..... I love Mustangs too. I just want a baby from her, so I will have a part of her when she passes, she is special. Yes there are many horses out there that need homes, but the OP was asking about Vanners and I was just putting in my experience and excitement.

 

[patandchickens]

I have not owned or worked with a Vanner specifically (they are of very recent origin as a commercial breed) but I have worked quite a lot with horses of all descriptions in many places for most of 45 years, and I would say this:

Whoa, what a great marketing scheme this Gypsy Vanner thing is

Take "mutt" horses from across an ocean, import some here and invent a registry, price them up to the point where people think they MUST be special and valuable, and you've got 10+ years of economic security in front of ya

Look, they are perfectly nice horses and all that, assuming you like draft types (I do, a lot); but you don't RIDE hair or paint-job, and they are nothing really different or more special than bazillions of other similar draft type horses, papered or un-. So unless you have a large amount of money that is troubling you and really need to find a way of conveniently disposing of it, I honestly do not see what the big deal is, other than they are paint and long-hair-y.

I know "mutt" draft crosses, domestically produced and bought for less than $2000 (would probably be a lot less in current economy) who are, no foolin', INDISTINGUISHABLE from papered Gypsy Vanners. Heck, the original things in their homeland are just draftX mutts, it is not like they have a long line of pure breeding behind 'em or anything like that.

So if you like that type of horse, I would urge you to consider things more broadmindedly than the currently trendy/spendy breed label. You can find something you like just as much for a whole lot less, if you are smart

As far as your "I was thinking they are not as fragile as other breeds because they are heavier boned"... well. It depends. Drafts and heavier-type draft crosses are NOT actually as sound under fast or jumping work as lighter horses are, because although the bones are larger they are not AS MUCH larger as the extra forces applied by the heavier bodyweight. So although drafts and draftX's typically jump well, and are commonly used as field hunters etc in Britain and Ireland, they do not hold up under that kind of work for long, unfortunately, compared to well-chosen lighter-breed horses.

I am not sure what other kind of "fragile" you are thinking of, as horses are not actually particularly fragile (not even lighter-boned ones)... although I would say that because drafts and draftX's typically have sensible temperaments, except some US-bred lines that have been bred for snorty high-gaited show/hitch performance, they do tend to be a bit less apt to do stupid things to themselves as compared to, say, 2 yr old TBs

They WILL tend to just walk through a fence or sit on a wall and knock it down, though, and as riding or work horses you have to appreciate their temperament. The draft temperament tends to lean more towards "going somewhere fairly slowly but inexorably, no matter what you are trying to do to stop them", and I have been trotted through a lot of briar patches over the years by half-drafts <g>

I would very, very, VERY strongly urge you to choose a horse, or a breed/type of horse to be shopping for, based on considerable personal experience with those types of horse, and not get hung up on breed names or purebred-vs-not at all. Remember you do not ride *hair*, and "a good horse is never a bad color"

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[lorieMN]

Quote:
Well I want another horse, I love the Gypsys and I love my Mustangs temperament and build, and I have the opportunity to get it at a very low stud fee. She doesn't get false pregnancys, she adopted my then 3.5 month mini and produced milk for him. I always wanted a baby from her, and my animals are here to stay... so no flooding the horse market. I'm not a breeder..... I love Mustangs too. I just want a baby from her, so I will have a part of her when she passes, she is special. Yes there are many horses out there that need homes, but the OP was asking about Vanners and I was just putting in my experience and excitement.

I saw a kieger mustang,,I believe is what they called it,,I assume it came from some area called kieger..anyway,she was a dun and stunning! first thing I thought of was she would have crossed exceptionally well with a gypsy,,she had huge main and tail and even had some feathering.

 

[Egg_newton]

Quote:
Thank you Pat for your input. I am definitely not a person to get hung up on names and pedigrees. I actually first saw one in a picture book my seven year old niece had on horses and was just blown away at how beautiful they were. Then after doing research also learned of their even temperament. Pinto/paint/slash coloring has always been my favorite so the their coloring also appealed to me. I do not want one because they cost a bazillion dollars or they are trendy. Not do I want one for jumping competitions. Like I said I am looking for a good work horse that isn't so big and broad that I it would kill me to take him/her trail riding. All of my animals are rescues. Heck I have a dog that I don't even know what breed he is. So a pedigree is the least of my concerns.
I never have had a horse and have very little hands on experience. That is why I asked the question and wanted more information. I'm sure it will be at least a few more years before I am even in the position to be able to buy a horse. I just like to very well informed.

 

[greeneggsandham]

Quote:
Well I want another horse, I love the Gypsys and I love my Mustangs temperament and build, and I have the opportunity to get it at a very low stud fee. She doesn't get false pregnancys, she adopted my then 3.5 month mini and produced milk for him. I always wanted a baby from her, and my animals are here to stay... so no flooding the horse market. I'm not a breeder..... I love Mustangs too. I just want a baby from her, so I will have a part of her when she passes, she is special. Yes there are many horses out there that need homes, but the OP was asking about Vanners and I was just putting in my experience and excitement.

Just a few thoughts, why is the stud fee so cheap? Would you get a breeding soundness exam done on your mare before you decided to go through with the breeding? What would you do if something happened to the foal or your mare?

I would love to breed my Saddlebred to a Freisan, but to think that something might happen I can't bring myself to do. I will wait as the market is getting worse and worse for horses. I know down the road I will be able to get my dream horse for a fraction of the price.

 

[Timmy]

my aunt has 2 them and they are gorgeous. I really don`t know anything about them other than that.

 

[RabbitMage]

Pat shares the opinion of a friend of mine from Scotland. Several years back he was joking about importing a bunch of $300 "Gypsy Vanners" and selling them for $5000 each, then buying up a bunch of $300 Quarter Horses here and importing them to the UK to sell for $5000. Sounded like a good plan to me.

 

[Slinkytoys]

I heartily agree with Pat. While in Ireland I had some hands-on experience with them. The people there think we are nuts for paying the prices we are for these grade animals. The Vanners are small and broad. My friend rode one and said her legs hurt from spreading them so far apart LOL. Get a Spotted Draft for a better price and get the size you want. Some have the heavy feathering as well. Or better yet, I have a Clydesdale who needs a home.

I can offer you a RARE Bay (with a little roaning on his belly) with four high whites with feathers and big white blaze and call him a unmarked Drum. 18 hh broke to ride and drive, but is rusty from being pasture ornament.
Slinky

 

[Whispering Winds]

I think these are the most beautiful horses I have ever seen, and one of the agents in my office is from Texas and has had horses all her life, and she had never heard of them. I told her to google them, because they are absolutely gorgeous. I love those black and white ones the best, and if i remember right, that is the "true" color of them.