Anybody brought? Gypsy cob.

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jacksmum

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Has anybody brought a cob that has been bred/brought up/broken in by gypsys?
Pony is nervous which is getting better daily but has a very muscular under neck and high head carriage which we think has come from being trotted fast in carts.
Am going back to basics and realise this will take time but just wondered if anybody has any hints or tips which have worked for them.
Thankyou :)
 
im not 100% or even 50%! but i have a feeling the pony i ride has been trotted by gypsies she has knees that hit her chin in trot! what ive been doing is flatwork lessons trying to get her working long and low, she picked it up fairly quickly and is a lot calmer and quieter now :) basically lots of work, maybe lunging in a pessoa or similar :) good luck
 
My friend had a pony from the gypsy's... She was nervous and a lot older than they said. Lovely looking pony though. Friend put a lot of time and patience into her but every time she felt they were getting over one issue another came up... In the end she decided it was just too dangerous.

I hope your pony comes good for you...
 
We have only just got a gypsy and have had a flying start! you should start from the basics, back to lunging and ground work before getting on the horses back, we used natural horsemanship on our gypsy worked great! were breaking him soon, i recommend going back to the basics! hope this helps!
 
I have - well not a cob but a trotter, quite alot of blood in him too! He had a ewe neck and high head carriage, I have taken him to basics, with lots of lunging, calm and quiet and he's now hacking out nicely.
 
My cob came from gypsys he is also worrys about things and is a little nervous but he just turns away from you and runs off lol he also has a massive chest and under neck whick i assume is from pulling a cart he also has a turns from his shoulder very sharply which i have been led to believe he learnt from being tethered
 
As others have said - back to basics.
Long & low, gentle & slow.

Also, try a few bits of feed or carrot etc fed twice a day in a hook bucket - where the bucket rim is at centre of chest height. Try also gentle exercises to lower the head so muzzle is almost to knees & then draw head in a little each time (again, a carrot/snack can help)
 
I think my mare was probably owned by gypsies at some stage. She was extremely respectful of my space..I've spoilt her :( stupid me! She would hold her head long and low though (no longer ridden).
 
We think mine was bred by gypsies, he was nervous of everything you did, couldn't go near him in the stable or field. Petrified of anything whip-like, and we think he was made to jump glass, brick ect as he jumped so high over any jump and has a couple of scars on his legs.
It may take you a while, it's taken us 2 years to get gypsy right, and he still has his moments and probably always will do, but we started at basics as if he were wild. I would spend ages in the field with treats getting closer and closer to him we built a bond. We had to get him used to a whip because of his napping so I would rub it up and down his neck, always rewarding for good behaviour until he trusted me with it. We had to send him away for his napping as he was way too much for us
 
We think mine was bred by gypsies, he was nervous of everything you did, couldn't go near him in the stable or field. Petrified of anything whip-like, and we think he was made to jump glass, brick ect as he jumped so high over any jump and has a couple of scars on his legs.
It may take you a while, it's taken us 2 years to get gypsy right, and he still has his moments and probably always will do, but we started at basics as if he were wild. I would spend ages in the field with treats getting closer and closer to him we built a bond. We had to get him used to a whip because of his napping so I would rub it up and down his neck, always rewarding for good behaviour until he trusted me with it. We had to send him away for his napping as he was way too much for us.
It's taken alot of hard work and PATIENCE is the key.
He is now a cracking little pony who everyone gave up hope on but us, he's even going to pony club camp this year :eek: :D
So don't give up hope even if it goes a bit wrong, it will come good in the end!

Oh, and even if he is nervous- still show him your boss, the last thing you want is him walking all over you, like cobs like to do!
Xx
 
my long term loan horse was owned by a gypsy family, he had a few issues in arena as obviously wasnt used to being in one but he was the best horse i have ever had, genuine, bombproof on the roads, very quiet in stable as used to having gypsy kids climb all over him! could do anything i even did xc on him!
 
Yes mine had been driven BUT was fabulous and is on the roads in ALL traffic...when we meet supersized tractors/combines nothing! BUT he is useless in a stable bargey but an absolute delight to handle anywhere else. Fortunately he lives out very happily 24/7 but when he went off to the vets he broke any headcollar they put on him as he ended up in a stable! Sedated etc etc. That his downside, I always know if he got really ill and needed box rest I would find it hard to manage him. He isnt a nasty boy at all just not use to stable.

The traffic thing is probably his best asset. Police car sirens etc nil reaction its as if there was nothing there.Got to say I congratulate the Gypsys for a change ...they did something with him that was good.
The vet thinks his back end has gone(arthritis etc ) due to him being driven in his early days and he is a heavy cob.
But good luck I wish I knew more about my boys past when I first got him and trying to read him.
 
A good friend of mine bought her cob from the gypsies over 12 years ago and has never had any problems with her at all. Used to go hunting on her and she is bombproof in all traffic. We were out on the lanes one afternoon and came across one of those tractors with the over size wheels and she never even looked at it. Last time we were out there was a row of skips that wasn't there last time and she had a bit of a jog and snort at them but went past fine :p :D
 
oh yes mine had a fast trot lifting his fronts lovely and high(my sisters horse couldnt keep up with us). No wonder he has arthritis!He is retired now.

Also I had some unproductive bucking lessons on him (not use to schooling at all) and when I could get him into canter apparently his legs use to scramble in some way! It was a strange feeling like we would do a bit of a scramble thing in the air and then off we go!! But I got use to it as we were hacking in a straight line(plus rumble buck as we went..which was more amusing) but best pony& is happily in retirement and a right character. Dead to leg aids but that suited me as I only wanted a plod. I realised he knew the word Whoa very well which helped if he got strong and being the lazy stubborn type he was happy to oblige!
 
Both my current horses were bought from travellers, I got them at eight months and they were both brilliant, we could do anything with them. They were also very helpful, They were both delivered and i was able to call them if i had any problems. We also bought one recently who was exactly the same, brilliant in all ways. And they delivered him too.
The majority of gypsies/travellers i have met have all been hard working and polite, with a love of their animals. I'm sure there is a small minority that give them all a bad name but just because they have a different life style doesn't mean they are all the same. Every race of people has a minority that lets them down, racism of any kind should not be tolerated. Rant over, lol..
 
Ditto CrackedHalo. See cob in sig. He's nothing but a sweetheart. And really, if it's a gypsy cob, then that much high stepping is news to me...trotters and other stuff yeah, but a proper cob....interesting lol!

I don't normally post on threads like this as I see it pretty pointless most the time to reply but to me, you can't beat a proper gypsy cob! Love them and worth their weight in gold. :)
 
tigerlily12345 said:
maybe lunging in a pessoa or similar :) good luck
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NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO on a lighter note, my little project coloured pony is very nervous and his passport is actually addressed to a travellors caravan park!!!
 
Binky01 said:
I don't normally post on threads like this as I see it pretty pointless most the time to reply but to me, you can't beat a proper gypsy cob! Love them and worth their weight in gold. :)
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This, exactly. Had mine 12 years now. Was a totally git when I got him - stubborn, green, ill-mannered, napped - but generally a good sort. Bit of schooling (not professional, few lessons from an instructor as I was a kid but no expensive "trainers" or re-schooling or anything) and a bit of patience and he turned into the most fabulous horse imaginable. Total go anywhere, do anything horse, still going strong, trust him with anyone, but has enough spark to have fun on and still jumps competitively at 18+... Totally worth putting the work in :) good luck!
 
Binky01 said:
Ditto CrackedHalo. See cob in sig. He's nothing but a sweetheart. And really, if it's a gypsy cob, then that much high stepping is news to me...trotters and other stuff yeah, but a proper cob....interesting lol!

I don't normally post on threads like this as I see it pretty pointless most the time to reply but to me, you can't beat a proper gypsy cob! Love them and worth their weight in gold. :)
Click to expand...

Exactly! They are little stars, i love your cob!! He looks as though he is having fun! lol :p
 
He's not mine I'm afraid! Just got him in for riding from the breeder. That was his first 'day out' bless him. He's a superstar. The other coloured's another 2 year old who quite loved his photoshoot opportunity lol! But thankyou, I'll pass on the compliment! :D
 
Go back to the basics. Get back etc throughly checked out by a physio/chiro person before you start.

Jemima had problems from being driven young and having a lot of foals from young. But a few sessions sorted out the neck, back, pelvis and tail.

Once that was done, I went back to the beginning and a year later we were winning showing, jumping and dressage at shows.

I have Stinky now who is gypsy bred but he has no issues. He was bought off his mum at six months and has always had the best of everything and been a very pampered prince since I bought him as a yearling.

They are very quick to learn and generally fearless - I adore this breed.
 
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