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8 THE MAITLAND MERCURY Thursday, September 26, 2013 www.maitlandmercury.com.au Colourful cobs all the rage The Gypsy Cob originated with the Gypsy (Romani) people who used these horses to pull their wagons. While the Romani have always used a mix of draft (Clydesdale and Shire) and pony breeds (Fells and Dales) to draw their wagons, before the Second World War you were far more likely to see horses very different to today’s typical Gypsy Cob. During WWI the British government requisitioned horses nationwide with their owners given little choice or recom- pense. The only horse not taken were pintos, as their coats made an easy target in a charge. The Romani were not blind to this trend and by the start of the Second World War the vast majority of their horses were pintos, allowing them to maintain their wagon horse. It is this very adaptation to circumstance that brought about the cob as we know it today. Moving into modern times the “travelling” Romani and Gypsy people began to settle, and cara- vans started replacing wagons. When it became obvious that they no longer needed a horse capable of consistent heavy work the Romani realised that it was also no longer necessary to have a horse quite so large. The intro- duction of smaller, pinto cobs began to garner outside interest in the early 1980s and soon there was a market for these quiet, will- ing partners as riding horses and companion ponies. This trend surged through the ’90s and into the 2000s and with the Gypsy Cob’s introduction to the United States, the population in England likewise exploded. Combining the international demand with the lack of need for a wagon horse the smaller cob became the norm – along with the established pinto colouring and the emerging importance placed on abundant feather, mane and tail. The beauty of these horses is surpassed only by their gentle and intelligent nature making them highly sort after. Gypsy Cobs were introduced to Australia in 2004. There are a number of breeders of both pure- bred and part bred Gypsy Cobs in most states. With the Gypsy Cob popula- tion in Australia now at a high enough level, many shows nationwide are holding Gypsy Cob classes, therefore allowing owners the opportunity to show and compete with their cob. People are now discovering the amazing talents of and uses for the Gypsy Cob such as driving, dressage, jumping, western pleasure, showing, pony club and therapy horses. Gypsy Cob cross breeds have been highly sought after as an alternative to the expense of purchasing a purebred, while generally still having many of the desirable traits such as strength, durability and a willing kind temperament. GENTLE AND INTELLIGENT: The popularty of cobs, renowned for their kind temperament, has exploded right across the world. 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