Description, pros and cons of Tinker breed horses, maintenance rules and cost

Tinkers, or Irish cobs, are spotted horses, also called gypsy draft horses. They are descended from medieval Gypsy workhorses. A distinctive feature of the breed is long manes and tails, thick hair on the legs. Outwardly, Kobs resemble Dutch Friesians, but their piebald coloration reveals their nomadic past. Tinkers are versatile horses for work and pleasure.

Historical data about Tinker

The origin of the Irish breed is an integral part of the history of the nomadic gypsies. In the mid-15th century, the Romals arrived in Britain and settled across the islands. In Ireland they supplanted the Tinker tribes. The old-timers received the settlers with hostility, and wars broke out between them. The nomadic lifestyle gradually reconciled the Tinkers and the Gypsies. They became related and united into one nation.

The newcomers and local gypsies kept horses. After the union, the horses grazed together and interbred. This is how the gypsy draft breed or Irish Cob naturally arose. They adopted their strength and rough appearance from the Tinker horses, and their long manes from the Gypsy horses.

The typical piebald color is also due to the gypsy lifestyle. The color was considered ignoble, so piebald horses were low in value. They were not accepted into military units because of their unpresentable village appearance. The gypsies were not interested in the appearance, but in the excellent working qualities of the animals. Therefore, they got strong and hardy horses for next to nothing.

The gypsies did not engage in targeted breeding work, did not monitor the purity of the breed and did not keep count of the livestock. American horse breeders began compiling pedigrees and selective breeding after 1945, when Irish cobs became popular in the United States.

Since 1996, the Irish Cob Association has been operating and stud books are maintained. The Tinker population is limited, so future buyers will become owners of a rare breed of horses.

Features and description

Irish Kobs combine the strength of heavy trucks and the beauty of Frisians, but are inferior in speed to Akhal-Teke horses.

Dimensions and weight

Tinkers can be large and short - from 1.3 meters at the withers to 1.6 meters. For riding, you can choose a horse that is suitable for the height of the rider.

In the United States, there is a classification of cobs based on height:

• up to 142 centimeters - mini;
• 142-155 centimeters - classic;
• above 155 centimeters - grand.

The weight of Irish Cobs varies with their height. Low-growing individuals weigh from 240 kilograms. The maximum weight of a tall tinker is 700 kilograms.

Exterior

External features of Irish Cobs:

• dense wide body;
• strong shoulders;
• strong straight neck;
• head with a sloping, rounded profile and a beard;
• long straight ears;
• legs with prominent knee joints;
• the lower legs are covered with long hair flowing down to the hooves;
• thick, finely wavy mane and tail.

The Tinker is short and angular compared to the thin-legged Arabian horse. The color of cobs resembles that of a cow. Their hind legs are sometimes placed in an “X” shape, like those of cows. The hooves are completely hidden by hair. Tinkers seem to be dressed in natural bell-bottoms, so they are associated with hippies, nature and the nomadic gypsy life.

In general, Tinkers look like country mares, but their full manes and tails give them a festive, fairground appearance. Kobs look authentic harnessed to a cart, a painted wagon, and like riding horses.

Animal suit

A distinctive feature of cobs of all colors is white spots of irregular shape. Piebald tinkers are distinguished by types:

• overo - spots are located on the sides, dark color on all or several legs, plain tail;
• tobiano - light legs, spots on the chest and neck, the tail consists of light and dark strands, the dark forehead is sometimes decorated with a white “star”;
• tovero - a mixture of previous species.

There are tinkers of black, brown, and roan colors.

Character and disposition of the Irish Cob

Phlegmatic horses are patient with their rider. Kobs are easy and convenient for learning to ride, but in harness they can seem lazy. The presence of tinkers has a calming effect on nervous riding horses, so they are led together to the start line at competitions.

Heavy-duty tinkers do not participate in races because they get tired of galloping so quickly. Their speed needs to be developed through hard training. But kobs naturally have high jumping ability. They move with a wide, free, but soft gait.

Regions of distribution and areas of use of this breed

Areas of application of tinkers:

• sports - driving, horse riding, training;
• entertainment - participation in shows, exhibitions, city festivals;
• hobby - home breeding and keeping;
• medicine - hippotherapy;
• Agriculture is a draft force.

The natural habitat of the breed is Ireland. The Gypsy draft horse spread throughout Europe and is very popular in North America. The harsh climate of their homeland hardened the Kobs. They adapt well to warm and cold countries.

Pros and cons of content

The ancestors of the Tinkers lived in the open air. The Gypsy breed is unpretentious to the conditions of its detention. The undeniable advantages of cobs include:

• beautiful exterior;
• exclusivity;
• soft move;
• calm disposition.

Gypsy mares give a lot of milk. In multi-breed stables, they are used as wet nurses for other foals. With milk, the docile nature of Kobs is passed on to newborns. Children of restive riding parents, fed on the milk of an Irish mare, grow up more obedient.

The disadvantages are:

• unsportsmanlike;
• high price.

Breeders are concerned about horses' hooves and manes. The appearance of cobs needs to be carefully looked after.

Raising and caring for animals

Modern gypsy horses are considered an elite breed, so they require a comfortable stable, balanced nutrition and a groom-stylist.

Stable

If Tinkers share housing with other breeds, they will need separate stalls. As the only occupants of the stable, simple stalls will suit them. A stable for Irish cobs should consist of three sections:

• walking room;
• room for water and veterinary procedures;
• compartment with stalls.

Separate space is allocated for storing food, ammunition and cleaning equipment.

The size of the stall depends on the dimensions of the tinker. Standard parameters are 3x2.5 meters.

Requirements for arranging a stable:

• ventilation, hoods - fresh air should enter the room, but not a draft;
• central heating or heaters - horses naturally heat the room up to +8 degrees; in cold winters additional heating is needed;
• bedding - the floor of a stall or stall is covered with straw, sawdust, peat;
• water - water supply in the veterinary compartment and for automatic drinkers.

Bedding is changed every two days. Removable feeders are hung at horse chest level.

Diet

Tinkers' diet includes all types of food:

• green - field grass that animals eat when grazing in the summer;
• coarse - hay, chaff of spring crops;
• concentrated - cereals;
• juicy - root vegetables;
• silage - sunflower, corn.

The daily amount of hay depends on the weight of the animal. Per 100 kilograms of mass give 4 kilograms of product. Hay contains calcium, protein and fiber. The basis of roughage is crushed oats and barley. The share of grains in the daily diet depends on physical activity.If the Tinker walks 2 hours a day and is not involved in heavy work, it is enough to mix whole oats with chopped straw in a ratio of 200 grams per 5 liters. For light loads, horses are given 2 kilograms of mixture per day, for heavy loads - 7 kilograms.

During active exercise and sweating, tinkers need to eat 30 grams of table salt per day to restore water-salt balance. Irish cobs benefit from boiled, steamed and raw potatoes and raw carrots. Beetroot is an additional source of calcium. Silage is mixed with hay.

The daily food allowance for gypsy horses is divided into 5 meals and given out at the same time. Cobs should not be given water immediately after exercise. You need to wait 2 hours and give water in small portions.

Hygiene and horse care

In the summer, after active training, tinkers are rinsed with warm water. In winter, water procedures are not carried out. The fur on the sides is cleaned with a scraper. The mane, tail and hooves are combed with a comb. Before a walk, it is advisable to braid your horses’ hair and undo it while resting. The mane and tail are washed 2 times a week with shampoo, and hair conditioner is used. The hooves of unshod horses are cleaned with a special hook and rinsed after walking in the fresh air. The nostrils of cobs also require special care - you need to wash off the dust from the nose and wipe it dry.

Grazing

In the summer, Irish Cobs can be kept free-grazing. In herd farms, horses themselves forage for food in the fields. For the winter, hay reserves are prepared for them and placed near the grazing area.

It is better for male dogs to spend the winter in a shelter, and in the summer they can be released into the field. Grazing horses need to be taken to water 2-3 times a day, fed with grain and vegetables, and the condition of their hooves monitored.

Horseshoe

The gypsies did not shoe their horses. If the Tinker spends a lot of time in the pasture, he does not need to be shoed. To work in urban conditions, it is better to “shod” the Irish Cob so that the hooves do not hit the asphalt.

Vaccinations and disease prevention

How to keep your tinkers healthy:

• observe the rules of hygiene;
• avoid drafts in the stable;
• make a diet according to the recommendation of a veterinarian;
• examine ears, eyes and teeth every day;
• bring the horse for a medical examination once every six months.

The main diseases against which vaccinations are given:

• anthrax;
• flu;
• rhinopneumonia;
• dermatophytosis;
• brucillosis;
• tetanus;
• rabies.

Once a year, animals need to be examined for glanders, infectious anemia, breeding disease, and leptospirosis.

Prospects for breeding a gypsy horse

Tinkers are in demand as a decorative breed. They are bred for sale in private hands, for horseback riding or harness riding. Gypsy draft horses can be used as heavy draft horses in agricultural work, so there will be buyers among farmers.

average cost

Tinkers are one of the most beautiful and expensive breeds in the world. Their cost in the USA is 10-25 thousand dollars. In European nurseries you can buy cobs for prices starting from 6 thousand euros. The cost of delivery must also be added to the price of a foreign horse.

Purchasing from private owners allows you to save on delivery and not worry about the well-being of the animal after long-term transportation. According to advertisements, you can buy a young stallion for 250 thousand rubles. Also, private owners offer stallions for mating for 10-20 thousand rubles.

Interesting facts about the breed

Irish Cobs have an interesting history, appearance and behavior:

• Tinker is a disparaging nickname for gypsies.In Ireland, horses are called only cob, which means "strong horse";
• There are tinkers with brown and blue eyes. If the white spot on the head falls on the eye, the color of the iris will be light;
• Irish Cobs are phlegmatic even in protest. A stubborn kob cannot be moved from its place.

Not only is the Gypsy draft breed unique, but each dog is unique, thanks to its spot pattern, which is never repeated.