I think you're right in that the average gypsy didn't get rich on this one. But I'm not sure of the rest of it.
I'm told the situation is diverse even where they come from - with gypsy and non gypsy owners. But that regardless, they were selling for equal a few hundred dollars each for quite some time there. To say some Brits looked on them with 'scorn' would be putting it lightly...gypsies are not viewed as handsome, romantic children of the wind by all....
If I just look at some of the earlier importers, and the facilities they built, I'd say they either started out with a lot of capital or they made an awful lot of profit.
I'm thinking earlier on near the start, it was a mad market to import very low and sell very high, but not sure it goes exactly like that now. There's a lot of people selling Vanners now and their facilities vary from posh to average. I'm guessing a lot of Vanner sellers set up now without importing a single horse.
I think it's going to be Andalusians next, or already is. They've had a small cult following for a long time, but I think it's going up.
The trouble with them, is especially in some lines, they can be very hot and sensitive, and that just isn't good for the average person. I've seen some that try so hard to please their rider, they are having a nervous breakdown trying to figure out what the rider wants, or are so frisky and up the rider is...remounting a lot. From what little I can tell, the amount of spunk and hot varies both in lines and individuals....also from what I've seen, I think the solution is to offer a lot of in hand classes.
'Hair breeds', as they're called. With the Vanner, it's the long mane, tail and leg hair.
There are a lot of 'color breeds'. The Friesian was that way, but I think that real hot growing tidal wave of interest is dying down. People actually are finding those hairy legs need a lot of care.
The public seems to be getting bored with just black, and Friesians have other specific issues too(heat, etc). But they are getting crossed to anything and everything produce color offspring, much to the horror of some folks in the original registry.
Fact is though, the hot part of the market doesn't have much to do with the down sides of any breed that comes into the limelight. It's just always changing from one breed to another, regardless of that. The hot, kind of media-y part of the new horse market just keeps popping around anyway.
The ideal for marketing is a 'hair and color' breed, such as the Vanner. Especially if a romantic sounding history is available. The Andalusian is suddenly popping up in all sorts of colors, such as Palomino, black, chestnut, which helps with marketing. And it can often have a very long mane and tail. AND a romantic history, and outfits. Romantically Spanish, with bullfighting, fancy clothes, flamenco dancing and red roses and charro clothes getting thrown around. Even better, it offers working horse classes, something 'classicists' can love better than 'modern dressage' and feel real good about.
I was looking at some, and most of the sellers told me the price on the greys was much lower, the hotter market is for the new colors. And the CLAIMS they made about their horses....oh dear....ALL can excel at anything, beat any other specialty breed, can be ridden by anyone, never even get frisky or go too fast, never buck, shy, perfect for any age, born trained, actually, don't even NEED training, EVERYTHING is just 'natural' to them...should be canonized, in fact.
In all the both hair AND color breeds, I think except for price(outrageous compared to what he goes for at home, I think no breed has a higher import markup, maybe even at this point) the Vanner, is the most suitable for the eager public. They appear to be pretty well suited to the average pleasure horse buyer. Hardy, quiet, cute, and not a big gait.
