Buyer question
Is a Gypsy Vanner horse good for beginners?
Yes: our Animal Library rates the Gypsy Vanner horse 5 out of 5 for beginners (calm and forgiving).
Source: the Gypsy Vanner horse page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Gypsy Vanner horse in the Animal Library
The detail
A compact, heavily feathered cob bred by Romani travellers in Britain and Ireland to pull caravans. Vanners are calm, strong and people-friendly, and all that hair, flesh and bone brings real grooming and health work.
- Temperament
- Calm, gentle, sociable
- Best fit
- Driving, pleasure, families
- Trainability
- 4 out of 5 (Willing and kind)
- Upkeep
- 4 out of 5 (Feather care, diet control)
- Energy
- 2 out of 5 (Steady and quiet)
What to weigh
Heavy feathering hides skin disease and mites and takes regular care. Vanners are easy keepers prone to obesity, insulin resistance and laminitis, and the feather brings chronic lymphedema risk.