Here is Tansy, our first Gypsy Vanner mare. She is extremely well known to the Romani horsemen in England and Ireland as a top class broodmare and stallion producer. They know her as "the good Spot Mare" and she is dam of the very highly regarded stallion The Governor and the stunning black Blagdon, Bear (aka Flash).

We just know her as Tansy. Our sweet, much beloved girl. Not a day goes by that I am not grateful that we were able to bring Tansy to Harkaway.

She stands a hair's breadth under 15hh.
Believed to be by The McGynley Stallion ex a mare by The Lob.

Tansy after her bath. August '07
 

In 2008 she had a filly by Lenny's Horse!!!

She has a truly delightful temperament (and a huge appetite for Polo mints  - an English candy - and white bread. Bread is a treat often fed by the Rom themselves). She is also our alpha mare. She strolled in to her paddock of 16.2hh+ pasture mates and has been the queen ever since! She rules not with teeth and heels but with the flick of an ear or a toss of her head.

Tansy takes her alpha mare role very seriously. This evening a deer had the temerity to come inside the field fence and Tansy felt it necessary to keep a close eye on it until the deer finally departed again.

I think there are few creatures on earth more
beautiful than a heavily in-foal mare. Tansy is approximately 1 week off foaling here. This picture shows how we keep the horses braided to resist knotting of all that hair!

"Did I hear someone rattle a feed bucket?!"

"Mmmmm...breakfast. My favorite time of day!"

Another in-foal picture and taken just before I re-braided her mane and tail.

The highly regarded stallion, The Governor

Bear, known as Flash in England.
Likely the most heavily feathered horse in the breed, certainly among those with the correct, straight hair!

Another Tansy son, a sweet gelding now registered as Bravios.