Drum Horses: What are they?
The Drum Horse is a type of horse that is gaining much
popularity in the US thanks to the Gypsy Horse. People
love the color and flash of the Gypsy but want something
larger, which is where the Drum Horse comes in. Drum
Horses are extremely rare around the world and few are
breeding them (even though more and more breeders are
starting to breed for them here). The only true ways to
get a Drum are by breeding: 2 gypsies over 16 hands, or
a large Gypsy to a Drum Horse resulting in the offspring
being at least 16 hands, or breeding a Gypsy/Drum to a
Shire or Clydesdale. If you go with any other cross than
a Shire or Clyde you lose one of the most valuable parts
of a Drum Horse, the feather.
Essentially the Drum Horse should be a colored Shire.
Shires, Clydes, and Drums are all pretty closely related
so the Drum should be similar to a Shire or Clyde in
conformation. Warrior is the perfect example as he
SCREAMS Shire, but is a Gypsy Drum (he is in fact
75% Shire). Color wise, they can be just about any color
but most common is Black/White, Bay/White, Bay, and
Black. The only way to get a guarenteed Black/White or
Bay/White when breeding with a Shire or Clyde is to
breed to a homozygous mare or stallion.
Here at Shiredale, we are breeding Drum Horses for the
first time in 2006. Belle (Clydesdale) will be carrying
the first baby for us by Galway Warrior to start the Drum
Horse breeding program. When she foals in 2007 it
doesn't matter whether it is colored or not as what makes
a good horse is temperment and conformation and if the
genetics of the babies parents plays out, it will be a great
horse. In time I hope to be able to breed Buckskin and
Buckskin and White Drums, of course without losing
what makes a Drum a Drum. Heidi may also contribute
at some point to making drum horses but at the moment
she is too busy making her mark in the Shire world! The
Drum is still very much an up and coming breed and I
really look forward to being able to work and breed these
horses! Stay tuned for Belle's baby which is due to hit
the ground on March 22nd 2009!
popularity in the US thanks to the Gypsy Horse. People
love the color and flash of the Gypsy but want something
larger, which is where the Drum Horse comes in. Drum
Horses are extremely rare around the world and few are
breeding them (even though more and more breeders are
starting to breed for them here). The only true ways to
get a Drum are by breeding: 2 gypsies over 16 hands, or
a large Gypsy to a Drum Horse resulting in the offspring
being at least 16 hands, or breeding a Gypsy/Drum to a
Shire or Clydesdale. If you go with any other cross than
a Shire or Clyde you lose one of the most valuable parts
of a Drum Horse, the feather.
Essentially the Drum Horse should be a colored Shire.
Shires, Clydes, and Drums are all pretty closely related
so the Drum should be similar to a Shire or Clyde in
conformation. Warrior is the perfect example as he
SCREAMS Shire, but is a Gypsy Drum (he is in fact
75% Shire). Color wise, they can be just about any color
but most common is Black/White, Bay/White, Bay, and
Black. The only way to get a guarenteed Black/White or
Bay/White when breeding with a Shire or Clyde is to
breed to a homozygous mare or stallion.
Here at Shiredale, we are breeding Drum Horses for the
first time in 2006. Belle (Clydesdale) will be carrying
the first baby for us by Galway Warrior to start the Drum
Horse breeding program. When she foals in 2007 it
doesn't matter whether it is colored or not as what makes
a good horse is temperment and conformation and if the
genetics of the babies parents plays out, it will be a great
horse. In time I hope to be able to breed Buckskin and
Buckskin and White Drums, of course without losing
what makes a Drum a Drum. Heidi may also contribute
at some point to making drum horses but at the moment
she is too busy making her mark in the Shire world! The
Drum is still very much an up and coming breed and I
really look forward to being able to work and breed these
horses! Stay tuned for Belle's baby which is due to hit
the ground on March 22nd 2009!
www.gypsyhorses.com
British Import, Galway Warrior, a Gypsy Drum stallion, Bianca's sire
Special Run Breyer Porcelain of Galway Warrior, Breyerfest 2003
Breyer Model of the Drum Horse. Showing a typical Drum Horse in their assemblage of large silver kettle drums. Each drum weighs well
over 100 lbs! So the drum must be quiet, confident, and gentle enough to be guided just by the riders legs since the arms will be drumming.
over 100 lbs! So the drum must be quiet, confident, and gentle enough to be guided just by the riders legs since the arms will be drumming.
Shiredale's first Drum filly, Bianca. Out of Belle and Galway Warrior
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