The Romany Way - SDFarm Gypsy Horses
Transcription
The Romany Way - SDFarm Gypsy Horses
Gypsy Cobs Photo by Janie Down Photo by Wylleen May Photo by John Hockensmith Like his forefathers, Stevie Down continues to breed Gypsy Cobs the Romany Way. Born of purpose fueled by necessity, the Gypsy Cob should above all be a working animal with a kind dependable temperament. At SD Farms in the UK, Stevie Down is ensuring the qualities that made this horse invaluable to the Gypsy communities through many centuries will remain true. The Romany Way by Wylleen May Stevie Down is part of a vanishing breed. He is a true Romany Gypsy who is proud of his heritage and continues to follow in the traditional footsteps of his forefathers. Those traditional footsteps include the kind of Gypsy Horse he breeds. What is a Gypsy Cob? Photo by John Hockensmith It is fascinating to listen to Stevie Down talk about his horses. There is undisguised pride and real passion in his voice as he explains, “My Grandfather and my Dad were both breeders. I learned everything I know from my Dad. There could not have been a better teacher.“ How well he learned the lessons taught by his father is evidenced by the impressive herd Stevie now owns. His horses number over 1,000. They are a sight to behold. Quality is the buzz word for Stevie and all of his breeding acumen is directed toward that goal. An SD bred horse has a nice short back, a sweet head, good bone, nice flat joints and lots of feather. Stevie is all about conformation. “As a young boy my Dad would send me and my brother Alfie to town with a dray and a load of logs. We would sell the logs and pick up scrap. Then it was back to the wagon. Sometimes it was 20 miles each way. It was just us: 2 boys and a stallion. That is why a proper Gypsy Cob had to be bred to do a day’s work.” While neither Stevie nor his children are hauling a load of logs today, Stevie still believes in breeding the traditional Gypsy Cob. He is concerned that improper breeding will result in a horse which is no longer bred to do a day’s work and lacks the temperament that allowed Stevie’s Dad to entrust his children to the good offices of a stallion. Stevie has a unique perspective on the art of breeding. He does not subscribe to the popular philosophy that it is the stallion alone that determines the quality of any offspring. “It is impossible for a stallion to fix a problem mare. Both sides of the breeding equation have to be top notch if you want to breed the best foals possible.” If you walk in any of Stevie’s pastures it is easy to see that he has put into practice what he preaches. The mares of SD Farm are as traditional in their make and shape as their male counterparts. I asked Stevie what he has planned for the future of SD Farm. “My partner and I would like to see the quality of this horse preserved for the future. In my opinion too many people are losing sight of what this horse was bred to be. Here at SD Farm we will always breed a nice heavy traditional Gypsy Cob. It is the horse my ancestors bred before me, and it is the horse I am teaching my own children and grandchildren to breed.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Wylleen May is Stevie Down’s partner in SD Farms. Wylleen is a television executive who currently oversees several productions including AMERICAN IDOL and SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Visit www.sdfarmgypsyhorses.com for more. Page 14 • HORSES and PEOPLE • Phone: 07 5467 9796 • [email protected] The Gypsy Cob is a much older breed than most people realize. While most Europeans were familiar with the breed, it was not held in high regard due to the prejudice against the Gypsy community. In the late 90’s the equine community in America discovered the breed. As the horse grew in popularity in America, The Gypsy Cob finally began to receive the recognition it deserved. Now horse lovers worldwide really understand what an amazing creature the Gypsy Horse breeders have created. It is a breed born of purpose fueled by necessity. It was not some romantic idyllic lifestyle that drove the Romany Gypsy community to create this horse…it was simply a matter of survival. The Traveller family needed a kind, willing and dependable horse to pull their wagon essentially their home on wheels. The wagon was not necessarily a fancy bowtop, as they were the culmination of a lifetime of hard work, but rather a simple utilitarian wagon that provided shelter for the family as they travelled from place to place. This hardy dependable horse was never idle. When the family was camped, the stallion was put to work to help the family earn their living. Most frequently hauling logs or scrap, the stallion worked all day. At night, if he was lucky, he would be put out to pasture with the broodmares, if not he was put on his tether and left to graze. His tether was an ingenious invention; the chain was hooked to an ibolt that rotated so he could graze in a complete circle. The next night the chain was moved and he had a whole new circle to graze. Never aggressive toward the babies, the stallion is frequently seen in the company of youngsters. It is not uncommon for more than one stallion and his mares to share a pasture with another stallion and his mares. Function dictated form. The proper shoulder set was critical since the horse would frequently have to pull the wagon or dray 20 – 40 miles per day. The neck should tie in well at the shoulder and the withers. A properly bred Gypsy should have a short back and good bone with nice flat joints. A Gypsy Mare may have a slightly longer back to accommodate the foal during pregnancy. The chest is broad with well sprung ribs. A properly bred Gypsy Horse should never have a coarse head but instead should have a “sweet head” in proportion to the body. A Gypsy Cob should have an “apple butt” with a tail set that is not to low. There are a lot of misconceptions regarding this horse, but the most troubling is the idea that most Gypsy Horse’s lineage is unknown. A true Gypsy breeder always knows the back breeding on his horses. All the information regarding which stallion was bred to each mare as well as the resulting offspring has always been documented. It is not only an oral tradition but a written one as well. While it is true that Romany boys did not attend school since they had to work to help support the family, the girls did attend school until they were ten years old, so it fell to the women in the family to keep the book which details all the information on the herd. Typically Gypsy Cobs are between 14h and 15h. This horse comes in all colors but the black and white “pinto” pattern commonly referred to as piebald is most common. The Gypsy Cob is an amazing animal. Well suited for many disciplines you will find Gypsy Horses out on the trail, in the show ring and hitched to a cart. If you are looking for the perfect equine companion you need look no further. The icing on the cake is the feather. It should be silky and extend from the knee and the hocks completely covering the hoof. Curly feather is a fault. The mane, forelock and tail should be abundant. The mane may extend below the shoulder. Last but not least is temperament. A properly bred Gypsy Cob is easy going. The stallions are kept with mares and foals. In America there are four registries; The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, The Gypsy Horse Registry of America, Gypsy Cob and Drum Horse Association and The Gypsy Horse Association. In Australia there is the Gypsy Vanner and Cob Society (contact details are on our directory page 34) www.horsesandpeople.com.au • HORSES and PEOPLE • Page 15
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