Gypsy Vanner Horse Society Conformation and...

© Gypsy Vanner Horse Society, 2018

Gypsy Vanner Horse Society

Conformation and Performance

Evaluation Program


P.O. Box 219

Morriston, FL 32668

www.vanners.org

[email protected]

http://www.vanners.org/

mailto:[email protected]



Conformation and Performance

Evaluation Program

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction to the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society

II. Introduction to the Evaluation Program

III. Gypsy Vanner Breed Standard

IV. Evaluation Rules

V. Conformation- Movement Evaluation

VI. Performance Evaluations

VII. Awards & Recognition


I. Introduction to the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society - The history, goals and beliefs of the GVHS -

Founded November 24, 1996, the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society is the world’s first

Registry to recognize a breed of horse developed by the Gypsies of Great Britain

and the only such Registry founded on an in-depth study of British and their horses.

Soon after World War II, a vision was born by the Gypsies of Great Britain to create

the perfect caravan horse; “a small Shire, with more feather, more color and a

sweeter head” was the goal. Selective breeding by the Gypsies continued virtually

unknown to the outside world for over half a century until two Americans, Dennis

and Cindy Thompson, noticed a magical looking horse standing in a field while

traveling through the English countryside. That very horse became #GV000001F in

the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society. His name is Cushti Bok, a name that means “good

luck” in Romany, a language of the Gypsies. The logo of the Gypsy Vanner Horse

Society is an image of Cushti Bok, the letters GVHS with an emphasized “V” for

Vanner.

The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society’s mission begins with ‘a commitment to bring

honor, recognition and a better understanding to one of the world’s most colorful,

least understood societies and the horses they so dearly love’ and ends with ‘a

commitment to remain quality based, culturally sensitive and socially responsible’.

This Registry was established to protect a vision that was born over half a century

ago to create the perfect caravan horse to pull the Gypsies’ colorful caravans.

Specific goals will enable the GVHS to achieve the mission. Those goals are:

To preserve and protect the breed with

The look and temperament envisioned by select Gypsy families, as defined in

the breed standard.

The genetics that created the look, by documenting and verifying pedigrees

within the registry.

The feeling of the status, pride and values, that Gypsy families felt for the

selectively bred horse.


THE NAME “GYPSY VANNER” HORSE

The name GYPSY VANNER HORSE is the first name in the world to identify a

selectively-bred horse raised by the Gypsies of Great Britain as a breed. The name

was painstakingly chosen and has three components- the people, their vision and

the species. To shorten the breed’s name one would use the breed’s vision word,

“Vanner” or “Vanner Horse”. Compare this to the American Quarter Horse or

Quarter Horse- a people, their vision and the species. Vanner, in the English

Chambers Dictionary is defined as “a horse suitable to pull a caravan”. A Gypsy’s

caravan horse is a “Vanner”.

WHAT THE GVHS BELIEVES

All breeds result from a crossing of breeds by someone or some culture focused on

creating a specific looking horse from their dreamed image or vision. Once the

vision horse is achieved and recognized, the basic function of a breed society is to

protect, perpetuate, promote and educate others about that breed. Therefore,

cross bred horses are not accepted for registration into the GVHS Studbooks.

The GVHS has the distinction of being the first breed society established in the age

of the Internet. Due to this communication phenomenon, people seeking

information may quickly become confused by multiple names and mixed messages

on the Internet. Confusion is counterproductive to a breed, our Society’s goals and

to a breeder’s ability to achieve success. Registering qualified horses solely with

the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society is an important step toward eliminating that

confusion.

The GVHS offers useful website guidelines designed to help our membership send

the message of the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society. Members’ websites, which

showcase their farm’s individuality, accompanied by a sense of unity, breed clarity,

and the pursuit of like-minded goals, will ensure the success of the breed, the

Society and its members in this unique age in which we live.

IN CONCLUSION

Every ingredient described in this introduction- the look, the genetics, the feelings

and the value- existed the day Cushti Bok was discovered. The heartbeat of our

Society and the inspiration for its mission is founded on a desire to preserve and

share those special ingredients with others. Through achieving our goals, Gypsies-

one of the most colorful, least understood societies on earth- will take and

extraordinary place in the annals of equine history.


II. Gypsy Vanner Horse Evaluation Program

INTRODUCTION

The Gypsy Vanner Horse Evaluation Program has been developed as an

educational tool for the horse breeder, to promote thoughtful breeding of Gypsy

Vanner Horses of the type as detailed in the breed standard, and for the public to

educate them about the breed. The program’s purpose is to help breeders and

owners to educate themselves about the strengths and weaknesses of their horses

so they can use this knowledge in making educated breeding and purchasing

decisions. This system should be looked upon as an important tool to help preserve

the wonderful characteristics of the Gypsy Vanner Horse.

The conformation-movement evaluation is also an integral part of the GVHS

Registration process. Horses lacking DNA verification of both sire and dam require

a certain minimum conformation-movement evaluation score to be registered or to

move from the GVHS Pre-Studbook into the Regular Studbook.

This is a voluntary program, therefore its success depends on its acceptance and

use by Gypsy Vanner owners. It is a controlled system based on the Gypsy Vanner

Horse Society breed standards. Each horse is scored against the breed standard,

not against another horse. It is not a horse show and not judged as such. There are

all ages, and the performance testing for horses age three and older in English

pleasure, western pleasure and pleasure driving. A horse can be entered into any

part of the evaluation program in a given year, whether it be

conformation/movement alone, performance alone or any combination.

GVHS APPROVED EVALUATORS

Horses will be evaluated and scored by two GVHS approved Evaluators.

Candidate Evaluators must have verified, relevant equine industry experience and

must complete a training program regarding the Gypsy Vanner Breed Standard.

Training will consist of classroom work, slides and videos, hands on training and

participation as a learner evaluator.

Following completion of a training seminar, potential Evaluator candidates will be

identified by the Evaluation Committee to proceed through the learner Evaluator

process.

As a learner Evaluator, the potential Evaluator candidates must evaluate for twenty

(20) Conformation- Movement and five (5) Performance Evaluations with scores


within five overall points of the average of the two experienced Evaluators.

Additionally, performance of learner Evaluators will be reviewed by the existing

Evaluators for their recommendations to be presented to the Evaluation Committee

for final decision on status as a GVHS Evaluator.

The GVHS will cover $300 in travel expenses to help defray the costs for the potential

Evaluator attending their first learner Evaluation.

Once granted Evaluator status, Evaluators must sign the Evaluator Agreement with

the GVHS indicating that they acknowledge and agree to the following conditions:

• To only evaluate Gypsy Vanners within the GVHS Evaluation program and

will not participate in private evaluations on farms or at horse shows unless

they are part of an approved, organized GVHS Evaluation.

• They must not act as Judges for GVHS recognized breed shows during their

tenure as an Evaluator.

• Evaluators are expected to maintain an up-to-date Membership with the

GVHS during their tenure as an Evaluator.

• Ethical principles must be adhered to by the Evaluators. In every situation the

evaluators should attempt to act and behave with the highest ethical

standards in mind.

Evaluator status will be reviewed on an Annual basis by the Evaluation Committee.

During this time, the GVHS agrees to offer each qualified Evaluator equal

opportunities annually to conduct Evaluations. Evaluators will be offered these

opportunities based upon their proximity to the planned Evaluation location in order

to allow GVHS to minimize travel expenses. Evaluators who have been actively

evaluating at least one session each year may, upon review by Evaluation

Committee can have their Evaluation status automatically renewed on an annual

basis.

Ethical principles must be adhered to by the Evaluators. In every situation the

evaluators should attempt to act and behave with the highest ethical standards in

mind. Evaluators have a compelling responsibility to fairly and independently

evaluate each horse and to provide the horse owner with information and

guidance which is clear and useful. Because some owners are novices, evaluators

should take care that explanations are understandable. Evaluators are expected

to be able to verbally explain their assessments in addition to the written scores and

comments on the Scoresheets. Brief explanations can be given in the ring and


evaluators should be available to make explanations to horse owners outside the

ring and after the evaluation is finished.

The Evaluator must attempt to present a positive and professional image. The

Evaluator should be willing to offer helpful information and suggestions. The verbal

manner of an Evaluator and his/her personal behaviour is very important. The

Evaluator shall be friendly and respectful while evaluating and educating.

Evaluators will dress in an appropriate manner and be prompt and on schedule,

while also taking enough time to sufficiently evaluate each horse. The Evaluator

must never disparage a horse, its breeder or owner in any way.

The Evaluator evaluates a horse only by comparison to the Breed Standard and not

by the pedigree, the bloodline or the breeder/owner/handler. The Evaluator must

judge a horse objectively as it is presented before them on that day. The Evaluator

must ensure that handlers and riders have been given adequate instruction and

opportunity to show the horse to its best potential. Any information previously

received or heard, regarding a particular horse must be rejected, and the

evaluation based on only what is seen at the time of evaluation.

THE EVALUATION MANAGER

- Prepare scoresheets for each Evaluation with complete information for

the horse being Evaluated.

- Collect and tally TOTAL SCORE for each Evaluator. If the total score differs

by more than 5 points, bring this to the attention of the Evaluators so that

they are given the opportunity to review, discuss their scores to ensure

that something was not overlooked by one of the Evaluators. Following

this review, either Evaluator may have the opportunity to adjust their

scores if deemed necessary. The Manager must then re-tally the TOTAL

SCORE for each.

- Discuss any noted concerns with the Evaluation process, the scoring and

written and/or verbal communications with the Evaluators as they arise.

- Ensure Scoresheets are handled and stored securely, allowing only review

by the horse’s owner and the Evaluators.

DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS

In the event it is claimed an evaluator has acted in an unethical manner, the

following procedure should be followed:


1. The incident or complaint should be reported to the on site Evaluation Manager

immediately. It is preferable if the matter is raised at the evaluation site. If not, there

is a 30 day time limit to file the concern.

2. The Evaluation Manager will make every effort to protect the privacy and dignity

of all concerned.

3. If the matter cannot be resolved on site it will be taken to the Evaluation

Committee which is overseen by the Board of Directors of the GVHS.

4. The GVHS BOD will make final decisions in all disputes after hearing

recommendation of the Evaluation Committee.

CONDUCT OF OWNERS AND BREEDERS

Owners and breeders are expected to present their horse in a professional manner.

Breeders and owners will be respectful of the Evaluators, the other breeders and

owners, and show management. Breeders and owners have an obligation to

respect the view of the Evaluator. Care must be taken not to misquote evaluators,

take them out of context, or disparage an Evaluator. Any issues or complaints are to

be taken to the Evaluation Manager.


III. Gypsy Vanner Horse Breed Standard

The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society’s role in the preservation of the traditions and

legacy of the breed can only be accomplished through officially recording the

generally accepted characteristics and traits that make this breed unique from

all other breeds of horses.

A breed standard is a document created by a breed society which carefully

describes the genetically acceptable inheritable characteristics and traits of the

animals representative of the breed. The breed standard establishes a visual and

written ‘target’ for breeders to continuously replicate their horses for future

generations, while placing a strong emphasis on the characteristics and traits

that make the breed unique.


GENERAL APPEARANCE AND IMPRESSION

IMAGE

The first glance, impression of the breed is its stature as a small draft horse. The

image is enhanced with feathering, muscular development and size. The

presence and quality of the breed reflect in its personality of being gentle,

cooperative and willing, yet powerful. The head is characteristically pleasant

reflecting gender, with an intelligent eye. The neck comes up high and forward

off the shoulder, yielding a positive set and arch to the neck. The topline is level

from wither to tail head, with a slight turn to the croup to enhance the powerful

abilities of the hindquarters. The muscling is balanced throughout the body with

the harmonious blending of all anatomical regions. The limbs are straight and

correct, of such size and definition to be proportional to height and muscular

development of the animal.

COAT COLOR

The acceptable descriptive terms for the coat colors of the Gypsy Vanner horse

are:

Piebald – Black and White Tobiano

Skewbald - Combinations of Brown, Red and White including tri-colored Tobiano

Blagdon* – Solid color with white splashed up from underneath

Odd Colored – All other colors

* Descriptive phrases used to define the coat colors of the Gypsy Vanner breed, although

another term may be used by other equine organizations to describe these colors and

patterns.

It is important to note, the Gypsy Vanner is not a breed based on color, although

the easily recognizable coat colors set the breed apart from others.

MARKINGS

The facial and leg markings follow the traditional descriptive terminology when it

is applicable in defining identifiable true white markings. All true white markings

have underlying white or „pink‟ skin pigmentation. The color of the hooves may

be solid or vertically striped, depending upon the leg marking and coloration of

the skin immediately about the eruption of the coronary band. White hooves or

partially white hooves will have a white leg marking immediately above it.


HEIGHT

The height as measured at the withers will normally be between 13.2 hands to

15.2 hands although there may be individuals outside this range. Simply stated,

larger or smaller versions of the identical conformation profile and standards are

all equally acceptable.

UNIQUE CHARACTERISTIC

The body, mane and tail hair coat of the Gypsy Vanner may vary from smooth

straight and silky to slight waves and curl yet fine. One of the unique

characteristics of the breed is the abundance of feathering found on the rear of

the fore and hind legs, starting from the knee and hock and extending down

and over the hooves. The natural feathering is the term to describe the excessive

amounts of long hairs on the lower legs, hence the term horse feathers. The leg

feathering provides natural protection to the legs from the weather and working

conditions. The profound hair covering the hooves is referred to in the singular

“feather”.

The horses should have long natural flowing manes and tails, only trimmed or

braided for neatness of appearance when being shown. The forelock should be

full and long covering the eyes, as a natural sort of protection.

The natural Gypsy Vanner may have a beard, whiskers and muzzle hairs. These

are often trimmed or removed in preparation for competition in the show ring.

TEMPERAMENT

The temperament of the breed is reflected in its personality and willingness to

cooperate with man when given tasks. Coming from a cold blooded

background, the breed should be relaxed, mannerly, and respectful of its

environment. Their willingness should be expressed in their innate attitude of

being capable of serving as a riding and driving animal. When evaluating

temperament, gender must be considered.

Granted, from time to time individual horses will not display exemplary behavior,

the reason needs to be determined, and if this behavior is innate, with the horse

having a propensity for vicious and unmannerly behavior making it unsuitable for

practical use, the individual could be considered a poor representative of the

breed.

GENDER

The gender characteristics of the Gypsy Vanner Horse are of vital importance to

maintain quality within the breed. Stallions must resemble the male, masculine

characteristics within the breed, having presence [“a look at me attitude”],


curiosity, muscling, and pride, yet always controllable and willing. Mares must

reflect the quality and highly feminine qualities. The attitude of the mare is

critical in the raising of her foal, as the foal will learn by example; the mare

should be easy-going, sensible, and willing.

A stallion three years of age and older must have two fully descended, normally

shaped testicles. The ability to observe the descended testicles may be

dependent upon environmental temperatures. Stallions under the age of three

may be difficult to observe due to development and maturation of the

individual.

HEAD

The overall impression of the head conveys an image of intelligence. It’s size,

shape and structure is proportional with the remainder of the anatomical

regions. The refinement and delineation of facial features as well as the

definition and shape to the lower jaw all contribute to the image of the head.

The forehead must be flat and broad. The frontal facial bone should be flat to

slightly convex, as it blends into a muzzle with sufficiently large nostril openings for

the free exchange of air. The lips should be tightly closed.

A pleasant, intelligent head must be the trademark of the breed.

EARS

The size, shape and position of the ears reflect the horse’s personality as well as

desirable characteristics of the breed. The length and width of the ear should be

proportional to the head. The shape should be moderately wide at its middle,

providing adequate space for collection of noises and sounds. The originating

placement of the ear should be with a slight forward slant, with the ability to

rotate from a forward alert position to a backward defensive maneuver, such as

pinning the ears. A mare’s ears tend to be a bit longer then the stallion, whose

ears are short and shapely. The ears contribute to the overall image of the horse,

EYES

The expression and placement of the eye convey alertness, intelligence and

kindness.

The eyes must be prominent, placed on the outer edge of the head to maximize

the ability of the horse to see peripherally as well as with forward binocular vision.

The eye should be large in its external structure and appearance. The distance

between the eyes should be wider than the base of the ears, and located

about 60-65% of the distance between the poll and the muzzle.


The color of the eyes will vary according to the color and color pattern of the

horse. Partial white and dark color combinations are acceptable, along with a

white sclera.

BITE

The point where the central incisors meet must be equal and even as viewed

from the side. A slight deviation is possible without fault if the teeth vary no more

than one half the width of the tooth’s surface. The slight deviation could occur

with either the upper or the lower jaw. The accuracy of the bite may vary

according to age, and the dental maturation due to the growth and

development of the pre-molars and molars. As the pre-molars and molars move

into location, the alignment of the jaw could vary during this process.

NECK

The set, length and arch of the horse’s neck are very important to its use and

athletic ability. The neck serves many vital functions all associated with its ability

for lifting, elevation, flexion, and lateral movement. The length of the neck needs

to be sufficiently long for the horse to graze without shifting foreleg positions or

standing with an offset foreleg position to enable the ability to reach the ground.

Conversely, the neck should be sufficiently long enough to elevate the head for

the horse to survey its surroundings, as a defensive posture. The neck should be

sufficiently long enough for the horse to shift the horse’s body weight into a

balanced frame, thereby placing more body weight proportionally on the hind

legs than normal, enabling the ability for impulsion from the hindquarters.

The neck should rise upward from a well sloped shoulder, departing sufficiently

above the point of the shoulder. The underline of the neck should be inwardly

rounded, following a parallel line created by the arch of the upper neckline

[crest] from wither to poll, while the underline tapers into the throatlatch. The

definition of the jugular groove should be prominent.

The upper neckline [crest] should be arched and well-muscled in both the mare

and stallion, with more prominence desired and expected in the stallion. When

standing at the rear of the horse, the neckline from the top of the withers to the

poll must be a straight line, with only slight deviations. The upper neckline must

demonstrate power, strength and flexibility.

The length, shape and ability for the horse to use the neck determine its natural

athletic ability. It must be remembered, the Gypsy Vanner necks tend to be

shorter with more powerful muscling than many breeds, due to the genetic


selection for these horses to be used in draft related activities, strong necks that

easily fit the philosophy of form to function.

BODY

The overall impression of the Gypsy Vanner’s body is one of harmony and

muscular proportionality with all of its collective anatomical regions. The balance

and proportions go from the point of the shoulder to the buttock, point of the hip

to stifle, wither to elbow, and fore-flank to rear-flank, and length of the back in

relationship to the coupling and croup to tail head. All from the profile view

provide a balance and proportionality, with the blending of the anatomical

regions.

From the front and rear views, the width of the point of the shoulders, the spring

and shape to the ribs, width and development of the chest, width of the hips,

width of the stifles, definition of muscling in the rear quarters and stifle region and

shape to the hip and croup, contribute to the balance and harmony, and more

importantly the powerful athletic ability of the horse.

In viewing the body of the Gypsy Vanner, the muscle structure must convey the

image of an athletically muscled horse, with smooth round muscles. Short,

bunchy, bulky muscles are not desired. Likewise, the amount and size of bone

should be substantial and yet, refined. The substantial bone must reflect the

workmanlike image of a draft animal, to sustain loading and stress. The limbs of

the horse should clearly exemplify defined joints in the leg, in proportion to the

diameter of cannon and pastern bones. The knee, hock and fetlock should be

very obvious junctures of the leg structure, all proportional to the substance and

muscle of the body.

SHOULDER

The shoulder is an important attachment point of the neck and the forelegs.

Therefore, it is one of the most important anatomical regions impacting upon

form to function, providing a natural „home‟ for the collar and hames, as well as

the ability to flex forward for the extension and reach of the movement at the

walk and trot.

As viewed from the side, the shoulder should have an angle of 50 to 55 degrees,

with deviations observed +/-5 degrees. The angle of the shoulder can be viewed

from the most prominent [center] point of the withers with an imaginary line

being drawn to the point of the shoulder. When a base horizontal line is added

to the point of the shoulder, the angle of the shoulder should be apparent. The

shoulder angle of the Gypsy Vanner tends to be more toward the vertical [90


degrees] due to the historical genetic selection of a shoulder to be easily fitted

to a draft collar.

In partnership with the angle of the shoulder is the arm, the bone connecting the

point of the shoulder with the elbow. The length and angle of attachment of the

arm to the elbow joint affects the shoulder’s ability to lift and move the forelimb

forward for all gaits. A long arm is more desirable, resulting with the placement of

the foreleg under the center of the body, closer to its natural center of gravity. It

is undesirable to have legs appearing to attach close to the point of the

shoulder, as this affects stride and support of the body by the forelimb.

The shoulder must be covered with sufficient muscling to protect the shoulder

while allowing the horse to have the full ability to perform as a powerful athlete.

WITHERS

The withers are the departure point of the neck up, and forward, as well as the

jointure of both shoulders [scapulae]. The withers should be prominent with

sufficient muscle cover to protect this jointure. Horses with round withers are not

desirable as this affects the ability to provide the proper position for harness.

BACK AND COUPLING/LOIN

The Gypsy Vanner’s back starts at the withers and goes toward the tail, until it

reaches the last lumbar vertebrae. The topline of the back must be short and

strong, with a slight curvature allowing the horse the ability to become ‘round’,

flexible through the middle upper body.

As the back terminates at the last rib, the coupling/loin area connects the back

with the croup. The coupling/loin area adds to the horse’s strength and lateral

flexibility of the body. The length of the coupling/loin area will vary but must be

proportional and balanced to all other anatomical regions of the horse. The

proportional length of the combined back and coupling/loin of a horse is

important in establishing a strong, athletic topline.

The length of the coupling/loin area is often confused with the observation

about the horse’s “back”. A short, strong coupling/loin is usually associated with

a “short back”, while a longer coupling/loin is associated with a “long back”.

When in actuality, the length of the back remains the same, the true variable is

the length of the coupling/loin, hence, the descriptive terminology is incorrect.

Mares may have longer coupling/loin areas than stallions, which permits greater

capacity for expansion of a pregnancy, giving the mare a “broody look”.


CROUP/HIP

Blending from the coupling/loin region toward the rear, the croup follows the

dorsal topline to the Gypsy Vanner’s tailhead. When the croup is combined with

the back and coupling/loin, the three anatomical regions make-up the region

referred to as the topline. The croup serves as a point for visually measuring the

length of the hip and to define the amount of muscling in the hindquarters.

When viewed from the side, the mid-line of the croup should be rounded, with a

gentle slope and long, with a tail setting high on a powerful hindquarter. From

the rear, the muscles from point of the hip over the top to the other point of the

hip, coming back to the tailhead, must be round, wide and reflect powerful

athletic ability. The strength of the hindquarters defines the breed as being a

small draft horse, a horse designed for strength and power, but with class,

presence and style.

To establish the length and angle of the hip, an imaginary line from the point of

the hip is drawn to the tailhead. The length of this imaginary line should be

slightly longer than the overall length of the topline. The point of the hip and the

tailhead should be on a horizontal line which defines the length of the hip. If the

tailhead is lower than the imaginary horizontal line from the hip, the hip/croup

will be approaching too steep an angle for the Gypsy Vanner.

CHEST

The chest must be viewed from the front, with prominent, well developed

powerful pectoral muscles, providing sufficient separation of the forelegs for

correct movement of the forelimbs at all gaits. The width of the chest is an

important indicator of the muscular strength of the horse and the capacity of

the thoracic cavity, allowing for sufficient space for heart and lungs.

A horse with a narrow chest means the horse’s lower forelegs will have the

increased ability to interfere while in motion. Whereas, the horse with the

excessively wide chest requires outward, forward rotating movement of the

forelimbs, which reduces the ability to provide the continuous powerful forward

movement expected for draft type horses.

BARREL OF THE BODY

The body of the Gypsy Vanner must be deep, and wide, reflecting the capacity

to protect and provide capacity for the vital organs, including the heart and

lungs. The ribs must be curved, not flat as observed from the front view. From the

side view, the line from just behind the elbow to the rear flank should follow a

gentle curve terminating just in front of the stifle. A Gypsy Vanner should not be


‘cut-up’ in the rear flank, giving the appearance of being tucked up, lacking

abdominal capacity.

FORELEGS

From the elbow to the ground, the forelegs must be structurally, straight, correct

columns of strength to support the weight and movement of the horse. Although

the entire leg is additionally comprised of the shoulder and arm, it is the lower

regions of the foreleg that command attention for assessment of structural

correctness.

When viewed from the front, the legs must be plumb and true, with front view

imaginary lines passing vertically down through the center of the knee, on

through the center of the fetlock joint, continuing down through the pastern to

the center of the hoof. When viewed from the side, the leg follows a similar

alignment, passing down the leg through the center of the knee, down the

cannon through the center of the fetlock, to the heel of the hoof.

Deviations from these imaginary lines are considered defects in structure and

may be the cause for unsoundness of the limbs when stress, strain and

concussion are applied through use. Therefore, the amount and size of bone

should be substantial and yet, refined, and clearly defined. The substance of

bone must reflect the workmanlike image to sustain loading and stress of a draft

animal.

The limbs of the horse should clearly exemplify defined joints in the leg, in

proportion to the diameter of cannon and pastern bones. The knees, hocks and

fetlocks should be very obvious junctures of the leg structure, with heavy to

middle bone.

The forearm to cannon ratio needs to be at least 55% to 45%, respectively, with

the forearm always longer than the cannon. The length of the pastern needs to

be proportional to the remainder of the leg. The fore-pastern and hoof angle

should be equal to provide strength and support to the lower leg.

The hooves of the horse must be of a size and proportion to properly support the

horse in all athletic uses. The hooves must have symmetrical shape, with ample

width and angle at the heels. Flat hooves with low heels are not desirable.

Although the lower legs of the Gypsy Vanner are typically covered with feather,

the pasterns and hooves must not be ignored and need to be correct and

sound.


Historically in some draft breeds it was preferred that the width between the

forelegs at the base should be less than the width at the chest in order to more

efficiently work in furrows. Given the core genetics of the breed there may be a

tendency in this direction. Care must be taken to not exaggerate the

acceptance of the base narrow condition, while maintaining form to function

structure.

HINDLEGS

The hindlegs of the Gypsy Vanner have many of the same characteristics and

traits of the forelegs. Those include the definition of the bone and joints, size and

shape of the hooves, length of the pastern, and the slightly base narrow leg

position.

When viewed from the rear, an imaginary line can be dropped from the

buttock, passing over the point of the hock, down the center of the rear

cannon, passing to the rear of the fetlock onto to the ground terminating in the

center of the heel of the hoof. Upon viewing the hind hooves from the rear, the

placement of hooves and lower leg will be slightly turned toe-out, with the horse

being narrower in the placement of the hindlegs than the forelegs.

When viewing the imaginary plumb line from the profile, the line will touch the

point of the hock, lying parallel to the back of the cannon to the fetlock and

then directly to the ground in the center of the heel. From the profile view, the

leg should be plumb and true.

The muscular composition of the hindleg begins in the hindquarter and buttocks,

and carries downward to the stifle and onto the inner and outer gaskin. The rear

view of the hindleg must reveal heavy smooth muscles in the gaskin, with the

outer gaskin being large and round, whereas the inside gaskin will be less

muscular, appearing flat when comparing the inner and outer gaskins. The

muscular strength of the horse is defined in the area from the gaskin to the stifle

up to the point of the hip and back to the buttock.

The pastern and hoof angles of the hindlegs will be more toward the vertical,

usually over 50 degrees, when compared to the same anatomical region on the

forelegs.

MOVEMENT AT THE WALK

The walk for the Gypsy Vanner is a natural forward flowing four beat gait.

The length of stride reflects the power of impulsion from the muscular

hindquarters, with a slight over step of stride. The shoulder must move forward in


a free, unrestricted reach, with this motion carried down the entire length of the

limb. The knee and hock action must be balanced in elevation and reach as

the horse moves forward with pride. The pride in the breed is expressed in the

head and neck carriage, being elevated in the movement, alert with presence,

naturally shifting the center of gravity toward the hindquarters, keeping the

horse in balance and form.

It must be remembered, the walk is the initial gait for a draft type of horse to

move their load, therefore the Gypsy Vanner must move with deliberate

forward, powerful strides

MOVEMENT AT THE TROT

The trot for the Gypsy Vanner is a natural forward, free-flowing two beat

diagonal gait.

The pride of the breed is best expressed in watching these horses trot, with a

snappy animated style of movement, yet with the natural ability to extend the

gait when requested. The knee and hock are synchronized in their elevated,

flexed and extension movement. The horse will travel with its head up, flexed at

the poll, and neck carried with a natural arch. The shoulders are supple and the

hocks are engaged.

The animated trot of the Gypsy Vanner is a “trademark” of the horse’s powerful

fancy image. The Gypsy Vanner’s conformation allows them to trot willingly and

freely under a load and at liberty.

MOVEMENT AT THE CANTER

The canter for the Gypsy Vanner is a natural flowing three beat gait. The Gypsy

Vanner is very capable of performing a natural three beat canter when the

horse is collected and ridden in a balanced frame. Although the horse can

perform the canter, to many of the horses, the trot is a more comfortable gait.

UNACCEPTABLE CHARACTERISTICS AND TRAITS

Clean legged horses are undesirable.

Horses with ‘kinky’ hair coats are not desirable.

Horses with broken crests are not desirable.

The stallion 3 years of age and older must have 2 fully descended normal

testicles.

No definable malocclusions are acceptable.


IV. Evaluation Rules

A. Eligibility

The horse (of any age) must be registered or pending registration with

the GVHS.

B. Equine Health and Fitness

1. All Gypsy Vanners must have available a negative Coggins test from

their veterinarian in accordance with state regulation of the state

where the evaluation is being held and in accordance with the

requirements of the facility.

2. Horses traveling across state lines or country borders must comply

with health certificate requirements for the state or country where the

evaluation is being held.

3. Cruelty or abuse of a horse by any person at an evaluation is

forbidden.

4. No horse will be misrepresented by the use of drugs, surgery,

medications or appliances of any type.

5. The GVHS, the committee, the evaluators and the host venue will

not be responsible for any accident, injury, damage, or illness to any

horse, handler, owner, spectator, or other persons or property.

6. All tack, harness and vehicles will be safe, fitted and in good working

condition.

C. Entries

1. A completed entry form and fees must be paid and submitted to

the Registrar by the closing date.

2. Entries will be accepted on first come, first served basis.

3. Number of entries may be limited depending on location, number of

stalls or other criteria.

4. If the evaluation does not go forth as planned, entry fees will be

refunded.

5. Refunds will only be issued for extraordinary circumstances such as

sickness or injury of horse or owner.


D. Other

1. All entrants are responsible to understand and abide by the rules

and regulations of the evaluation process.

2. Handlers under age 18 must be supervised by an adult and are not

allowed to handle stallions.

3. Substitute runners for running conformation/movement patterns are

permitted.

4. If a horse presents a risk to itself, the handler, the evaluators, or the

public it will be removed from the area and may be disqualified from

the evaluation.

5. Once you have shown your horse in conformation or performance

you cannot ask to have the score erased.

Once the score has been written it stands and will be recorded. A

horse can be re-evaluated at another evaluation and each score will

be recorded in the record book. A horse can withdraw part way

through a conformation or performance presentation if the handler

deems the animal not fit to continue and the score will not be

recorded.

6. The owner will be given the owners copy of the score sheet. The

original will be placed in the horses file in the offices of the GVHS

Registrar.


V. Conformation/ Movement Evaluation

A. SCORING

There are eight categories of conformation based on the breed standards, each

worth 1-10 points. Breed type is worth 1-10 points X 2 providing a maximum of 100

points possible. Each horse will be scored by the Evaluators independently and

these scores will then be averaged to compute the official scores.

Numerical values given to each category reflect the following:

10 = Ideal

9 = Excellent

8 = Very Good

7 = Good

6 = Satisfactory

5 = Below Average

4 = Unsatisfactory

2-3 = Poor

1 = Very Poor

Total point scale:

0-49 Unsatisfactory

50-59 Below average

60-69 Acceptable

70-79 Average to Good

80-100 Very Good to Excellent

B. CONFORMATION SCORING CATEGORIES

1. Head

• Length proportional

• Forehead flat and broad

• Frontal facial bone – flat to slightly convex

• Nostrils large

• Ears – proportional size, shape, position

• Eyes – large, expressive, placement

• Bite

2. Neck

• Length appropriate

• Crest arched and well-muscled


• Shoulder Attachment

• Throat latch and neck underline

3. Body

• Shoulder angle

• Withers, defined, not sharp or round

• Back, short, strong

• Coupling/Loin proportional

• Croup round, high tail set

• Hip

• Chest, wide, developed

• Barrel, Girth deep with well sprung ribs

• Flank area deep

4. Forelegs

• Straight, correct

• Defined joints

• Dense flat heavy to medium bone

• Forearm to cannon

• Amount and quality of feather

• Pasterns length and angle

• Hooves

• Base narrow stance

5. Hind legs

• Straight, correct

• Defined joints

• Dense flat heavy to medium bone

• Gaskin

• Hocks, set, angle

• Amount & quality of feather

• Pasterns length and angle

• Hooves

6. Movement at walk

• Free, unrestricted

• Length of stride[Profile]

• Deliberate, forward, straight

• Suspension

• Tracking [Front/Rear]

7. Movement at trot

• Natural, free flowing


• Length of stride [Profile]

• Use of knee and hock

• Tracking [Front/Rear]

• Head and neck carriage

8. Overall Impression

• Image of a small draft horse

• Balance and harmony

9. Breed Type

• Presence- attitude, temperament

• Overall substance and bone

• Abundant feather

• Ample flowing mane and tail

• Gender characteristics

C. CONFORMATION PRESENTATION

1. Grooming

• Horse is to be presented clean and groomed.

• Horse can be clipped or unclipped.

• Mane, tail and feather to be free and flowing. Tail can be slightly banged

or natural.

2. Tack

• Mature horses to be shown in halter or bridle, reins, chain shank or lead

rope.

• Young stock (under the age of 3) to be shown in halter, chain shank or

lead rope.

3. Attire

• Attire should be comfortable, clean, neat, appropriate and safe.

4. Presentation

Horse to be presented standing 10 feet in front of the judge. Horse will be asked

to walk a triangle pattern with 40 foot sides. Then they will be asked to trot a

triangle with 60 feet per side. Cones will be placed at the points of the triangles

and the horse/handler will go on the outside of these cones.


VI. Performance Evaluations

There are three disciplines, ridden under English saddle, ridden under western

saddle, and driving. Horses can be entered into any combination of evaluations

and tests, at any time, whether it be conformation and all performance tests, just

performance tests, or any combination thereof. Tests may be retaken another time

if a higher performance test score is desired. A horse cannot take the same

performance test over on the same day.

The purpose of performance testing is to reflect the various ways the Gypsy Vanner

is shown or used. The patterns have been adapted from standard patterns that are

regularly used in the various disciplines of English or Western riding and driving. The

tests are designed to allow the participant to show the horse’s willingness to work,

obedience, quality of the gaits, and level of training. The emphasis of evaluating the

horse’s performance is focused on the horse’s natural ability and execution.

Rider/driver errors made while executing the patterns will not cause the horse to

lose points for its performance. An entry may be asked to repeat parts of the test if

the evaluator believes that a rider/driver error caused the horse not to perform well.

Because it is best to give the horse every opportunity to show himself to the best of

his capability, it is recommended that participants familiarize themselves with the

tests in advance and practice them prior to the evaluation date.

A. GENERAL RULES

1. Performance tests can be taken by any horse age 3 or over

2. Performance participants may be any age, however, no one under the

age of 18 will be allowed to ride or drive a stallion. If the participant is

under the age of 18 the entry form and release must be signed by a

parent or guardian.

3. A reader is allowed for all tests without penalty.

4. Harness, saddles and bridles do not have to be show type. They must be

clean, safe, serviceable and well-fitting of the proper type for the

discipline being tested. In the case of driving, the harness must be

appropriate for the type of vehicle being used.


VII. Awards and Recognition

A. GENERAL RULES

1. Award levels can be noted on the registration certificate. A new certificate

can be ordered by returning the current registration certificate and paying

the current certificate replacement fee.

2. Awards, Recognition and scores will only be published if the owner gives

permission.

B. STAR AWARD

The Star Award is given to horses that attain qualifying scores in the

Conformation/ Movement portion of the evaluation program.

70-79 Score will be given a Four Star recognition

80-100 Score will be given a Five Star recognition

C. GOLD MEDALLION OF QUALITY

Any horse with qualifying scores in the Conformation/Movement portion of

the program and the Performance portion of the program will be awarded a

Gold Medallion of Quality.

Gold Medallion of Quality in Under Saddle-Western requires a score of 70 or

more in the Conformation/Movement Evaluation and a score of 70 or more in

the Western Riding performance test.

Gold Medallion of Quality in Under Saddle-English requires a score of 70 or

more in the Conformation/Movement Evaluation and a score of 70 or more in

the English Riding performance test.

Gold Medallion of Quality in Driving requires a score of 70 or more in the

Conformation/Movement Evaluation and a score of 70 or more in the Driving

test.

D. VERSATILITY MEDALLION OF HONOR

Versatility is a very important attribute of the Gypsy Vanner Horse. Because of

this it is encouraged that Gypsy Vanners be trained in a variety of disciplines.

The ultimate horse has good conformation, movement, and is a willing

partner in multiple riding disciplines and driving. Tests can be taken over a

period of time as training and skill level develop.


When a horse has received a Gold Medallion of Quality in all three

performance tests, that horse will be presented with the Versatility Medallion

of Honor.

E. HALL OF FAME

A Gypsy Vanner stallion or mare can also be qualified for honors, based on

recognition of the quality of its offspring. To be called a GVHS Hall of Fame

Stallion or a GVHS Hall of Fame Mare the horse must meet the following

requirements:

1. The horse must have offspring that are evaluated in the GVHS Evaluation

program. These offspring must be evaluated in Conformation/Movement and

in Performance.

a. A Hall of Fame Stallion must have 5 offspring that have received a Gold

Medallion of Quality.

b. A Hall of Fame Mare must have 3 offspring that have received a Gold

Medallion of Quality.

To be eligible to apply for advancement of registration from the GVHS Pre Studbook

to the Gypsy Vanner Studbook the following minimum requirements must be met:

1. Provide current photographs as requested

2. A score of 70 or above overall (rev 12/2012) AND a score of 7(x2) in breed type,

(rev 1/2017) at an official GVHS conformation/movement evaluation.

3. Submit the proper fee[s]

4. Return the Pre Studbook Certificate

Gypsy Vanner Horse Society Conformation and...

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