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The HArts of AnTir Premier Edition July Coronation 2006 Volume 1 Issue 1 Low Graphics Edition |
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From the Guild Administrator |
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Greetings to the Company of HArts, We've seen a lot of people showing interest in horses at more and more events but we've also seen it somewhat difficult for the non-horse owner to participate. This group was developed as a way to encourage and include anyone interested in horses. Whether you own a horse, rent a horse, or just want to research or make horse related things, we wanted to create a more invent environment for that interest. So, if you're an armorer and always thought it would be fun to build a chamfron or crinet but no horse to put it on? We have riders who would like to talk to you! Want to enter A&S competitions with an equestrian theme? We want to help encourage you and also help you make a good showing. Missing that vital piece of research for your project? Ask the group, maybe someone has done it already! I hope you are as excited about Medieval Equestrian
research as I am! YIS
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From the Editor |
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Welcome to the Premier issue of the Incipient Guild of the Horse Arts of AnTir, fondly called the HArts of AnTir. The name stands for Horse Arts, that is what we are about. We want to encourage the Arts side of the Equestrian community. We are all about research and promoting the arts and beauty of the Horse. As usual, any articles, artwork or anything else printable would be welcome for future issues.
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| HL Khaidu Naranaimorin Premier Kingdom Equestrian Champion for 2005-2006
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The
Gypsy Horse
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The horse was first domesticated approximately 5,000 years ago, much
later than other farm animals and 9,000 years after the dog had become
mans best friend. Originally a prime food source for Stone Age hunters,
the horse was domesticated for its meat and also possibly for its milk.
It later moved up in status to a pack animal and then promoted to a
riding animal, the first hard evidence of such usage indicating that
the horse was not used as a mount until almost 2,000 years after it
had become domesticated. The association of the Rom with horses is almost legendary. By tradition, the gypsy horse is involved in each and every aspect of family life...faithfully pulling the wagon or such by day, yet sufficiently amenable and patient to be the mount of gypsy children when the day is done. Often staked out alongside the road with the family wagon in all types of weather when not "on the move," the gypsy horse lives and thrives n to be growing where it is tethered. The heartiness and exceptional disposition of the gypsy horse is its trademark and such an animal is generally considered to be cold-blooded, incredibly adaptable from the moment of birth. (The gypsy horse.) Though classified as cold-blooded, there is essentially no biological difference between a gypsy horse and its hot-blooded or warm-blooded relatives. The categories refer solely to the three basic horse personalities. The Hot-Blooded Horse: This horse is one which has a highly-strung temperament...excitable and nervous when in an unfamiliar situation or around strangers. The modern hot-blooded horse is a descendant of the lithe desert horse (also known as the Barb), a small and swift horse originally bred by the Arabs with characteristics suitable to hot climates...fine hair, long legs and a tail carried away from the body to facilitate heat loss. The Warm-Blooded Horse: This horse is also descended from the Arabian breed and was the type of horse ridden by the Moors of Spain. Through centuries of careful selection and cross-breeding, today's warm-blooded horse is one with a relatively stable temperament, generally characterized as being "friendly and willing." Although there is a tendency for the warm-blooded horse to become "spooked" or frightened, it is, as a general rule and if treated well, intelligent and of a good personality around people and other animals. First developed in Europe at least 300 years ago, the warm-blooded horse was originally used for war, agriculture and transportation...its characteristics refined to suit tastes of aristocrats. The warm-blooded horse is the most common type of horse found at shows, fairs and most equestrian events. The Hanoverian and Selle Francais are examples of a warm-blooded horse. The Cold-Blooded Horse: This horse (of which the gypsy
horse is an example) is one with an extremely stable personality, not
likely to become "spooked" when encountering an unfamiliar
situation or a stranger. Invariably large in stature, the ancient cold-blooded
horse was the proud mount of Medieval knights, capable of carrying its
rider complete with armor and, more often than not, its own armor as
well. It was specifically bred for size and strength, suited to cold climates and with a physical build of round belly and thick coat which could retain body heat. Although the cold-blooded horse is sometimes considered lacking in intelligence (due to its apparent docility), nothing could be further from the truth. This is an animal of exceptional stability by . nature and one which is unlikely to be skittish in an unfamiliar situation. The cold-blooded horse is thought by some sources to have descended from Equus caballus...the heavy prehistoric horse line of Northern Europe (Gypsy Horses) Note: There is often some confusion as to use of the word "thoroughbred" when applied to horses. Contrary to popular belief, a "thoroughbred" is not the correct term for any purebred horse. A thoroughbred is a distinct breed of running horses whose ancestry is traced through the male line directly back to three Eastern stallions: the Byerly Turk, the Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Barb. The Gypsy Cob was developed by the Romany people, better known as Travelers or Gypsies, of Great Britain and Ireland. To maintain this wandering way of life, they bred to create an extraordinary breed of horse, with enough endurance and strength to pull a heavy wagon all day. The Gypsy people have had horses for as long as their culture has been in existence but the horse we recognize today as the Gypsy Cob has only emerged within the past century. For years, the Gypsy Cob has suffered from a certain lack of appreciation
from within the mainstream equestrian society. Gypsy Cob horses are
known by a number of different names: Gypsy Vanners, Colored Cobs, Gypsy
Horses, Irish Cobs, Tinker Horses, Irish Tinkers, Romany Horses and
Romany Cobs. The term Vanner originally came from horses that pulled
vans or wagons through towns and hence used to refer to a larger or
heavier Gypsy Cob. Gypsy horses do come in a variety of sizes and are used for riding, driving, show, jumping, and other disciplines. In the past, the original breeders of these Gypsy horses generally referred to them as Colored Cobs. |
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Old
Mill Farms Gypsies and Drums The
Gypsy Horse McNamara, Lise Gypsy Horses 2004 Hendricks, Bonnie L. International Encyclopedia of Horse Breeds University of Oklahoma Press 1996 |