Stocky, affectionate and kid-friendly, with feathered fetlocks and droll moustaches, Irish cobs — the horses that traditionally pulled tinkers’ colorful caravans in Ireland and England — are becoming increasingly popular in Colorado.
Since 1990, the Irish cob’s numbers have grown in the U.S., says Wellington breeder Charlie Cox, whose family operates Parnell’s Irish Cobs near Fort Collins.
As people discover the breed’s intelligence, versatility and charming piebald appearance, they fall in love with the animal some characterize as “a golden retriever with hooves.”
Its temperate personality leaves it unruffled in crowds and parades. You may have seen Nuala, one of Cox’s mares, pulling a restored gypsy caravan during Saturday’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Denver.
“They are not just pack horses,” Cox says. “It’s one of the most versatile horses there are. It’s very family friendly. An old Irish traveler saying says the gypsies wanted a light draft horse that had the stamina to pull their wagon all day long and the patience to babysit their kids at night.”
Many gypsy descendants, even those who have given up their nomadic lifestyle, continue to breed the horses to maintain cultural ties and tradition.
In the United States, Cox and other breeders frequently travel to Ireland to import horses and create a registry.
Confirming an Irish cob’s lineage is tricky, Cox says. The Irish gypsies who began breeding the horses more than 200 years ago kept no written pedigrees. Instead, each horse’s ancestry traditionally was told aloud, from one generation to the next or from sellers to buyers.
In the U.S., Irish cob breeders tend to be baby boomers with disposable income and spare time. Cox says they see the Irish cob, placid — and relatively small at a maximum of 14 hands (4 1/2 feet) high — as an approachable breed.
Cox and his wife fell in love with the breed about three years ago, when he estimates only about 500 Irish cobs, also known as Gypsy Vanners, existed in the U.S., compared with 1,200 today.
The Coxes acquired their stock by buying five brood mares and a yearling in Ireland and transporting them back to Colorado. Along with the horses, they brought back a tinker caravan that they restored.
Tinker caravans are rare because when their owners died, family and friends traditionally burned their possessions, including the caravans that served as home. The Coxes found theirs through an Irish horse trader who acquired a caravan from the family of an urban tinker who died before returning to traveling life.
When Cox bought the Irish cobs, he struck a deal to get the wagon, as well. The wagon is displayed in various horse shows and festivals in Colorado.
Sheba R. Wheeler: 303-954-1283 or swheeler@denverpost.com
