News from Gypsy Vanner Horse Society

This is an interview with Linda Tweedie of Gypsy Vanner Ranch, which is located in Redmond, Washington and she also has a farm in Florida.
Vanner Banner: Can you tell us how your farm name came about?
GVR: We use the ranch name, Gypsy Vanner Ranch. Gypsy Vanners are all we do and we wanted to make it as simple as possible for people to find us!
VB: Did you own horses before the Vanners:
GVR: We did not own horses before we bought our herd of Vanners but we had plenty to fill the farm with kids growing up, family, dogs, cats and even gold fish to keep up with. I grew up loving horses but the usual things in life drew me away until a trail ride with a friend awakened the dreams I had of horses when I was younger.  There was no holding back once we discovered the breed. It was perfection!
VB: How many years have you owned Gypsy Vanners:
GVR: I first saw the Vanners in 2004. After a trail ride my trail riding buddy was supposed to help me find a Clydesdale as I thought that was what I wanted.   I really like a substantial horse.  She wouldn't help until I promised to look at the Vanners online. I said, "the WHAT?" and she said, "Trust me, go online and look at this new breed of horse." Thank you Kim Later!!!!  Two weeks after pouring over the websites late that night, I was on a nation wide trip to select my herd!
VB: How many Gypsy Vanners do you own?
GVR: The number of horses that we own varies when new foals arrive and depart to their new homes but currently we have a premier stallion, Starbuck, and five beautiful mares that we use for show, expo and breeding.  AND, yes, Starbuck is available for breeding this year!!! He is magnificent!!! We have had as many as 19 Gypsy Vanners in the past.
VB: How many foals do you normally have each year?
GVR: The number of foals that we have any given year depends on a variety of factors and we make that decision on a year to year basis.  We don't want to flood the market, hold too many horses beyond the time that they need full time training or overload our facilities or our family schedule so we juggle the decision to breed with the numbers that we have at the time breeding season rolls around.
VB: Do you have a favorite stallion?
GVR: We own and stand Starbuck to GVHS registered mares. He is our only stallion. Originally, we did not intend to own a stallion but when we saw this two week old colt running circles (literally!) around his mare Kuchi, one cool spring morning, my husband said, "I would learn to ride if I owned that colt"......SOLD!!!! Starbuck is out of the 2009 Breyer model Kuchi, who is also a multiple Grand Champion Halter mare and the highest level dressage Gypsy Vanner currently trained. She is also the first Gypsy Vanner born in America. Starbuck is her first foal. The first of the first!!!! He is sired by the equally infamous Latcho Drom, a Gold Cup nominated stallion.
Not every colt should be a stallion and that is not a bad thing.  We need geldings out there to demonstrate the delightful ease of the breed for all people not just people who have the experience to manage a stallion.  Stallions should be way above average, stellar, exceptional with a presence and a mind that equals their physical attributes and excellent health. AND, they should be proven, not only with pedigree but with consistent quality in their offspring. With our breed so young and so small in numbers the responsibility of stallions for the breed cannot be overstated if this breed is to continue to grow and improve.   Starbuck is one of those bright and shining stars and he is part of our family with temperament that defines the breed.
Mares are equally important to us and to the development of the breed. With embryo transfer allowing mares to impact the breed pool in more dramatic numbers their contribution to the development of the breed is magnified.   We have exceptional mares with proven pedigree and beauty. With their individual personalities they are each favorites too and include famous names such as ER Gypsy, Rose Petal, 7th Heaven, Caprice and Caitlinn our strawberry roan! Each one brings something a bit different to the foals we produce with them. They vary in size and color but are all above average in temperment and quality overall.
VB: Do you show your horses, or what activities do you do with them?
VBR: We are hands on with our horses but we also use an experienced trainer to work our horses, foals and us.! We can always learn!   One of our goals is to find the time to ride them more ourselves! We have endless trails here and we can't wait to use them more! We have done years of shows and expos from coast to coast since we began this adventure and we have enjoyed it tremendously and hope to do more of this in the future. I think it is important to figure out what makes you happy with your horses and we balance out the schedule so that we aren't just constantly doing any one thing.  That keeps us happy!  We love that our horses are easily trained and take to driving training easily as well as riding.  We do both! Even our miniature donkeys are trained to drive as a pair when they aren't helping wean a foal from it's mom!
VB: Tell us what you look for when purchasing a Vanner:
GVR:  The things I look for when I buy a Gypsy Vanners is all in the standard. I am highly selective as I want the best representation of the breed. Our horses are our pets and are show horses too so personality/temperament is top of the list.  There is not much greater delight than to have a sweet, stand out horse! We represent the breed well even when we go on trail rides!
VB: Do you prefer to buy from importer/trader or from a private breeder?
GVR:   I have two mares that were imported, not born in the US.  They were purchased when there were fewer Gypsy Vanners in the country than there are now. Now that there are a number of good breeders in the US, I, generally, would prefer to purchase from this stock. There are a couple reasons why. If I buy here, I can travel to see the horse more easily than flying internationally, before I buy. I can have a prepurchase exam done by a neutral vet and I can be there for that. I can see the foals mare and stallion.   Also, I can talk to the breeder in person.  Here, the breeder is held accountable both legally and by reputation. With such a large investment of money in the purchase of a horse, this is about as good as it gets.
In Europe horses are a commodity and are managed differently.  They eat them there! Most of the gypsy herds are headed to slaughter. Care for their horses may or may not include what we consider the basics such as worming or inoculations or even regular hoof and teeth care. It would be difficult even here to give shots to a herd of 800 horses! Put those horses out in secret gypsy camps and the challenge increases.
VB: Does it matter if you purchase from a breeder that shows their horses and is DNA parentage verification important to you?
GVR: DNA verified parents are very important to me when I consider buying a horse. As a breeder, I need to know that if I am going to breed that horse, I am not getting the lines too close. I am also looking at homo/heterozygous elements and true colors as well as genetic defects.   I don't necessarily feel like I have to buy from a show breeder, however, it totally depends on the horse I am buying, it's age and pedigree.
VB: Have you attended a GVHS Breeders/Judges Seminar and Evaluation?
GVR: I have attended a GVHS evaluation and judges seminar. It was very interesting and helped me. I learned a lot and would recommend it to anyone that considers breeding one of their mares. Even if they only want to breed once! I think GVHS is a budding organization and I am a proud member.

VB: What made you decide on the GVHS and are you pleased with the direction it is going?
GVR: I am a lifetime member, have been from the beginning of my involvement with the breed. We need an association that has clear rules for the members, and the development of the breed. If we don't the breed will be at the mercy and disappear into the designer breed mania that has overtaken many of the backyard breeders in America. We are not backyard breeders, our stock is pure, we do not crossbreed, we are registered and contribute to the future of this breed. I am pleased that the association is going forward and is not being taken down by factional interests that care more about personal profit and ego than the protection of the breed. I would love to see the association continue to be filled with good minded, dedicated and selfless volunteers as we have now.
VB: Can you explain your Vanner feeding program?
GVR: We have a specific feeding program but it is always changing based on the age of the horse and it's needs. We feed four times a day when not on pasture, grain once. We try (hard) to keep the horses exercised and clean and in good weight.  For our adults we use 50/50 timothy-very stemmy kind--orchard grass--second cut usually but first cut can work too.  We use Purina, Well Solve Weight Control as their grain adding Remission, Farrier Formula and mineralized salt.  The youngsters get a special booster mix and are grained twice a day and are kept in bloom!
VB: How do you feel about crossbreeding?
GVR: We do not crossbreed.
VB: Do you stand your stallion to the public?
GVR:   Currently we offer Starbuck to registered Gypsy Vanner mares. He has a lot to contribute to the breed and if we kept him to ourselves, that would not help the breed.
VB: Do you have any special or funny story that happened with your Vanners?
GVR: I think the funniest, (scariest) thing I would share is that one day Linda Pepple was taking Starbuck from the barn to his pasture. Of course, Starbuck would jump over the moon for Linda and almost did when she decided to first swing by the front porch of the house to remind Bill of something on her way to the pasture. Starbuck thought her efforts to get Bill's attention meant that he was to levitate up onto the porch which he promptly did much to Linda's surprise! This was an old and rickety porch that once up on, could barely hold together. Linda didn't dare move him or herself for fear of the boards breaking and injuring them both! Fortunately, the owner of the ranch saw what had happened and walked over casually to discuss how to extricate Starbuck (and Linda) from their precarious perch, In the meantime, Starbuck  was as happy as a lark to have Linda all to himself on the porch .   After finally getting hay bales all around the structure for Starbuck to use as a floor, he was allowed to step off the tottering porch to safety. Motto: Be careful what you ask your Gypsy Vanner to do, they will do it!
Visit Linda and her Vanners at www.gypsyvannerranch.com

If you would like to feature your farm in the Vanner Banner contact the Vanner Banner Editor