A traditional Gypsy Cob should be heavy, powerful with dense, flat bone. Their body should be comparatively short and well muscled. They should have a thick, slightly arched neck and a sloping shoulder, which should tie in well at the shoulder and wither. Their chest should be broad, powerful and have ample muscle. A Gypsy's hindquarters should be smooth and round across the croup with well muscled buttocks. The mane and tail should be long and thick and there should be abundant feather starting at the knee and hock, running down the back and front of the leg. Feather may be either straight or curly and it should cover the hoof. 

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Size

The Gypsy Cob will be of any size and may be of the pony, cob or horse variety.

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General Appearance

The Traditional Gypsy Cob should be a strong, sturdy, and powerful cob coupled with an abundance of luxuriant flowing mane, forelock, tail, and leg hair known as feather.

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​Traditional Gypsy Cobs should always have plenty of heart room, and a deep girth to match. They should display ample bone and be well-muscled with a broad compact body and powerful hindquarters.

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Traditional Gypsy Cobs should have a kind, willing, intelligent, and gentle disposition. They are renowned for their patient, kind, and sensible nature. Traditional Gypsy Cobs are extremely versatile, suited to both driving and riding they are ideal family horses.

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Head

The head should be:

• neat, small, sweet, noble and in proportion to the body.

• broad between the eyes which should be bright and alert, displaying a large kind eye. Blue eyes are acceptable.

 

EARS

Small, neat ears slightly incurving.

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​Neck

The neck should be:

• strong and slightly arched and of a medium length. The neck is to be well muscled and well set onto a good sloping shoulder. Stallions should display a bold outlook with a well-arched crest.

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Shoulders and Withers​

The shoulders should be:

• well laid, long, sloping shoulders.

The withers should be:

• should not be fine.

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​Chest and Body​

The chest should:

• hort coupled and a strong back of good outline, muscular loins, good deep well-sprung ribs, which are round from the shoulders to the flank. Plenty of depth from the wither to the girth. The chest must be good and wide.

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HINDQUARTERS

Deep, lengthy, and powerful and displays an apple shape. The second thighs are well-muscled and let down.

The tail should be well set on – not too high, nor too low.

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FEET, LEGS AND JOINTS

Feet of good size, round and well-formed, open at heels and well concaved. Pasterns are nicely sloping and of good length. Forelegs should be very well-defined and muscular. Well-defined flat broad knees. Plenty of bone below the knee (eight inches at least). Hocks should be well-defined and not coarse. Canons should be short with clearly defined clean flat bone.

 

MANE TAIL AND LEG HAIR (FEATHER)

A NATURAL abundance of long flowing mane, forelock, and tail hair. Feather (leg hair) should start from the back of the knee and hock joints and cover the entire hoof. Hair should be straight and silky, curly hair is less desirable and course hair is not desirable.

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MOVEMENT

 Clean, active, straight, and true. Going forward on ―all fours with tremendous energy. The knee and hock should be powerful with a workmanlike action with hind legs flexed well under the body for powerful drive.

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Colour​

• Gypsy Cobs come in a large variety of colours

• All Colours and Markings are permitted, some common colours include:

  • Tobiano – Broken coat (pinto)

  • Solid – Solid colored coat 

  • Sabino (Splash) – Solid or Broken coat with white hairs splashed or spread over base colour, usually high white legs and facial markings

  • Blagdon* - Solid color with white splashed up from underneath

  • Odd coloured* – All other colours and patterns   

• all eye colours are accepted. The colour of the eyes will vary from solid to party-colour regardless of coat colour. Partial and solid colours of blues and browns are acceptable, along with a white sclera

• ​it is important to note, the Gypsy is not a breed based on colour, although the easily recognisable coat colours, and patterns set the breed apart from others. 

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Gender

Stallions must portray the male characteristics of the breed including:

• presents, a "look at me" attitude

• masculine characteristics with a sense of pride while being controllable and willing

• an arched, well crested neck

• two fully descended, normally shaped testicles from 3 years of age.

Mares must reflect the feminine qualities of the breed, being:

• easy going, sensible and willing. The attitude of the mare is critical as it assists in raising her foal

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Disposition

The Gypsy Cob should be:

• a strong, kind and willing partner

• display an intelligent character with docile temperament

• relaxed, mannerly and respectful of its environment

• alert, confident and courageous.

Unacceptable Characteristics and Traits 

• clean legged horses (no feather)

• aggressive behavior.

• definable malocclusions

• stallions, 3 years of age and older without 2 fully descended, normal testicles.

• broken crests

• overly slopped croup (goose rump).