Unique and beautiful feathered horses visit
Shelbyville
Friday, April 17, 2009
By Mary Reeves
Trainer Arnold Warmels gives Bullet a pat. The feathered legs
require a little more work, but he said it's worth it. The grooms try
not to 'mess with' with feathers too much before its necessary since
too much brushing can lose the hair and the fullness.
(T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Order this photo]
If you go to Calsonic Arena today and Saturday to see feathered horses, don't expect to see
Pegasus flying around -- they aren't those kinds of feathers.
You may, however, find a unicorn.
"Everyone says he looks just like a unicorn," said Lisa Warmels, who shows the Gypsy cob,
Dalcassian.
Romeo, a palomino Gypsy cob, enjoys his freedom with a gallop.
The feathered hooves give the horse the illusion of gliding across
the ground, a feature that adds elegance to dressage events.
(T-G Photo by Mary Reeves) [Order this photo]
A compact dapple gray, Dalcassian, or "Cash" as he's known, does look like a unicorn, minus the
horn, with a little Percheron thrown in. A little, itsy-bitsy Percheron thrown in. He has an
unbelievably long, rippling mane and tail, with the forelock that completely covers his face,
hiding the fact that this unicorn is hornless. If Veronica Lake were a horse, this would be the
one.
Gypsy cobs, known more often in the Unites States as "vanners," are a scaled-down form of draft
horses that have been used to draw Gypsy caravans, or wagons, across Europe for centuries.
Like their massive cousins, the Shires and Clydesdales, Gypsy cobs have "feathers," long, silky
hair that covers their hooves.
Other horses in the "feathered" category are Friesians, like those owned by Keith and Suzy
Johnson of Shelbyville, and Drum horses.
Feathered horse shows have been taking place in the fall
in Perry, Ga., for some time now. At the last one, the
Warmels enjoyed the experience so much they suggested
a second, spring show, and the event found its way to
Calsonic Arena.
Versatile breed
The Friesians, Gypsy cobs and Drum horses will be in
Shelbyville this weekend for the first Feathered Horse
Spring Classic at Calsonic Arena, giving everyone a
chance to see these versatile breeds at their best. Despite
their draft horse heritage, there's not much they can't
Dalcassian is the resident 'unicorn' at the farm
do.
now owned by the Warmels and June Villa.
(Submitted photo) [Click to enlarge]
"There will be dressage, hunt seat, Western, in-hand,
driving, driving in-hand," said Lisa. "There are also trial obstacle classes and costume classes."
While most of the costumes in the Friesian class reflect the culture and clothing of the
Netherlands, that breed's place of origin, the costume classes for the Gypsy cobs can be
anything.
"But, yes," said Lisa, laughing. "Mostly we do Gypsy."
In fact, she and her husband Arnold Warmels, with the help of their staff, will be presenting
several Gypsy Cob stallions in costume as part of the exhibition and entertainment tonight after
the exhibitors' dinner.
Arnold, a native of the Netherlands himself, is well known for his work with Friesians. He works
with the Johnsons' horses, including the champion Rince, who has finally arrived in the states.
Rince won't be competing this weekend, however, since he just got here and Arnold hasn't had
the chance to work with the young gelding yet.
Arnold started out with Friesians but has been thoroughly drawn into the world of the Gypsy cob
as well.
Moving in
He's also been drawn to Shelbyville -- permanently. The Warmels leased a barn in Lieper's Fork,
near Franklin, but had to winter their horses in Bedford County this year because of work being
done on the stables. Liking what they found here, they decided to buy a farm and set up business
on Fairfield Pike.
"We met June Villa of Villa's Vanners," said Arnold. "The whole farm is a partnership with
Villa's Vanners and my wife and me."
Villa breeds and owns and the Warmels train and show, but they have a few horses of their own,
even a Tennessee walking horse that Lisa rides on the show jumping circuit. One of the things
they like about walking horses is one of the things they like about the Gypsy cobs -- versatility.
The cob's diversity -- and steady, gentle nature -- come from its colorful background.
Dodging the draft
"The Gypsies needed draft horses, but they wanted the economy size," said Arnold. "They
couldn't afford the big Shires."
Gypsy cobs are between 13 and 16 hands, with most falling in the 14- to 15-hand range, only
slightly larger than the pony classification. In the ring, there are no size classifications and the
Warmels' newest acquisition, a 2-year-old black and white filly that may top out at 16 hands,
would be shown along side the tiny broodmare Sophie, about 14 hands.
Not being able to afford a horse the size of a Shire, which can get as large as 18 or 19 hands
(That's about 6 feet at the horse's withers, or shoulders) and not being able to afford to feed a
horse the size of a Shire were not the only reasons the Gypsies bred for compact size.
"The British cavalry would confiscate horses every time they went to war," said Arnold. "The
Gypsies couldn't afford to lose any more horses."
Breeding smaller animals kept the cavalry from "liberating" their horses -- and so did breeding
for color. Most Gypsy cobs are what Americans would call spotted and what the British would
call piebald or skewbald. The cavalry only wanted solid colored horses; bays, grays, chestnuts
and blacks, said Arnold, so horses with "broken color" were usually disregarded by the
scrounging troops.
Ironically, the Warmels and Villa are focusing on building the largest herd of solid-colored
Gypsy cobs in the country.
"We wanted something unique," said Lisa.
One of those solids is Romeo, a deep, dappled gold palomino, one of the most famous of his
breed and color and now under their care.
"Everybody knows Romeo," said both Warmels.
Member of the family
Centuries of service as family transportation lead to family temperament in the breed.
"They're good around kids and dogs and each other," said Arnold. He stables his stallions side by
side to socialize them and said he hasn't had any trouble with them. In fact, the barn is usually
quiet, with no stallions bugling challenges through the corridor.
"Even my vet thinks I'm crazy," he said.
The stallions all get a few hours to play in the fields as well, usually with a "gelding buddy,"
although they have been put out together without incident.
"They're just calm horses," he said. "We've taken them trail riding and they just don't spook.
They don't shy, they don't blow up, they don't go crazy."
All the cobs are trained to drive and ride, reflecting their versatility, he said. In Europe, 30 to 35
percent of the horse sports involve driving, a much higher percentage than found in the States.
Arnold not only trains his horse, he teaches their owners to drive and ride, all include in the
training fees. He started out working with colts and said he liked to know that the people he was
handing them over to knew what they were doing.
"I want the owners involved," he said.
Of course, not all of them can or want to ride and drive in shows, so he has his wife and his staff,
including college students Jessica Caldwell and Elizabeth Hord, to help in the stalls and in the
ring.
Arnold has gotten many of the horses straight from the source, the Gypsy families who have
bred throughout the ages in England, Ireland, France and other areas in Western Europe.
Like the breed itself, the families go by different names, Gypsy, tinker, and the one usually
preferred, traveler. Each family has put a slightly different stamp on its line of the breed.
But essentially, each line is the same, whether they are called cobs, Irish cobs, tinkers, Irish
tinkers, Romany cobs, Gypsy Cobs, Gypsy vanner, traditional cobs, or colored cobs.
The name most common here, "vanner" is probably the one least acknowledged, in England,
said Arnold.
"You say 'vanner,' and they'll say 'Wot?'" he said, laughing.
Gypsy history
His trips to the breeders have vanquished many myths and misconceptions about the Gypsy
families.
"They're people," he said. "The ones who breed, they've been settled for generations."
They don't have shows like the ones in the United States, but instead, have "drives," where the
wagons and riders will line up and just drive and ride for a day. During the drive, horses are
looked over, negotiations made and trades completed. The end of the day can bring parties and
impromptu races.
"This is how the gypsies do it," said Arnold, swinging up onto Cash's bareback with ease and
galloping him across the field with only a halter and a lead rope. "No bridle, no saddle. Of
course, they fall off sometimes, too."
There may not be any bareback races amongst the Gypsy cobs during the show this weekend,
but there will plenty to see and learn. Information will be available on each breed from different
vendors and breeders, and like the Warmels, there will be fans to tell you all about the magic of
the feathered horse.