Travelers

The fascinating culture of the traveling or gypsy people has ancient roots. One of the last nomadic horse cultures in the world, they have a unique and indivisible relationship with horses. Their world is an intriguing blend of living history and modern trade.
The horse breeding travelers residing in the UK are known commonly as "gypsies" a kind of catch all term for nomadic peoples. There are two groups particular to the gypsy horse breed. The Romany, who primarily reside in the UK and the Irish travelers.
Historians trace the Irish travelers back as early as 600 BC. Some accounts refer to them as tinkers which was a name given to those who traveled from town to town selling and repairing metal goods. The Irish Travelers have their own endangered language, named by an outsider and now known as Shelta.

Language is only one reflection of the diversity of cultures within the gypsy people. Some languages utilized by gypsy horse breeding travelers include: Shelta (spoken by some Irish travelers), Romani (spoken by Romany travelers), and the painted language of symbols. These symbols are depicted as intricate designs throughout the painting and carving on the vardos or living wagons.
Today there are only a handful of painters who know this "language" and even fewer that can accurately represent it as wagon design. Each symbol is laden with meaning and context is conveyed in the complexity of symbolic visual art. Placement, color and design carry meaning communicating protection, family characteristics, prosperity blessings and more.

The painting of a wagon often takes years and the waiting list of good painters is years long.
These works of art are more than bank on wheels, they are cultural "storykeepers" and treasures.. 24 Karat gold leaf is hand pressed onto the paint gilding the wagons until they virtually gleam like treasures.
But, the wagons mean even more than that to the travelers. Each wagon is a personal expression, the carrier of wealth and tradition and a symbol of all that is lovely and non permanent in the world.
A traveler’s wagon is burned at their death deeply fitting in the ancient tradition of the journeymen; their castle travels on with them…..

The horses are central to traveler culture. One old quote of gypsy people is that "gypsy gold does not clink and glitter, it gleams in the sun and neighs in the dark". The trade and show of horses are the reason for the colorful fairs, drives and gatherings that occur throughout the UK and are the hub of traveler social life. Gypsy Horses are not the only horses that travelers keep. One of the much loved sports amoung the gypsies is trotting. Great pains are taken to produce the fastest trotting horses, bred from the finest standardbred stock occasionally crossed to the gypsy horses for the color gene. This is a sport loved by the young men and they can be seen speeding down the roads of every fair and drive.

Pride in their horses is part of the culture's heart. For generations horses have been the home, wealth and working partners of these extraordinary people. The gypsy horses of today are a testament to their dedication and breeding.