Gypsy Vanner horses can be many different colors and have a wide variety of markings. They have characteristic “feathered” hooves and long, flowing manes and tails. Bred for strength and intelligence, Gypsy Vanners are often identified as one of the most gentile and docile breeds of horse in the world. Gypsy Vanners developed through the selective breeding practices of European gypsies, who sought to create a beautiful breed which would be suitable for pulling wagons in their caravans. No formal recognition of the breed existed until 1996, when the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society was founded in an effort to establish breed standards and registrations.