why do gypsies have horses?

Answer 1

because they cant eat a car when its knackered ...

Answer 2

Gypsies were to horses as crooked used car salesmen are to automobiles.

Because Gypsies relied on horses to pull their caravans and were a mobile culture, they had both a reverence for horses and a great knowledge of horses and horsemanship. This enabled them to do some scamming when trading horses with the less knowledgeable.

One common Gypsy scam: they would offer a riding horse for sale. To demonstrate its gentleness to the would-be buyer, they would have a small child hop on the horse and ride it about bareback. Convinced, the buyer would pay for the horse and lead it away to his stable, only to find that the horse was so "cinchy" (shy of having the saddle's cinch or girth tightened) that it couldn't be saddled. Either the buyer would then be stuck with the horse, which was practically useless, or he would hunt up the gypsy that he bought the horse from and demand they take the horse back and return the money. The gypsy might give him a small part of the purchase price back, but never the whole price. Gypsy would move on and then sell the horse again to some unlucky rube.

But Gypsies were very knowledgeable about horses. There's an apocryphal story about the great Hungarian Thoroughbred racemare Kincsem, winner of 54 races without defeat.

Kincsem was not a conventionally good-looking filly as a yearling, being described as weedy and common (thin, scrawny and plain to ugly), and not much was expected of her. As a yearling, she was stolen by Gypsies. Her owner tracked the Gypsies down and demanded the return of the filly. He also asked the Gypsies why, when they could have stolen many finer-looking horses, they had chosen to take the scrawny plain filly.

"Gypsy gold doesn't jingle in the pocket, it gleams in the sun and whinnies in the dark," the Gypsy told Kincsem's owner. "Of all your horses, this one is the best."

Kincsem's owner took her back, and gave her the name "Kincsem," which is Hungarian for "my treasure." Kincsem went on to be unbeaten in 5 countries and was considered a great champion of her time. Looks like the Gypsies were right.

http://www.bloodlines.net/TB/Bios/Kincsem.htm

Answer 3

Wow, an amazing amount of racist comments have been made in response to this question. Perhaps those making these statements should do a little bit of research on Gypsy (or Roma) history and realize that it has traditionally been Gypsies who have been on the receiving end of injustice since they arrived in Europe. They continue to be treated very poorly there to this day . Perhaps they might want to check out the Holocaust as it pertains to Gypsies to learn that they went to the gas chambers in the same manner that Jews did and in relative terms the rates of extermination were at least equal.

Answer 4

I would guess for the same reasons other people own them.

Here's a tidbit I once read in a book:

The gypsies were very good at hiding fugitives. Sometimes, interlopers caught sight of them burying a dead horse. But they didn't know that there was a living person inside the carcass with only his wits and a breathing tube. A few days would pass and the gypsies would return to exhume the animal corpse and its contents. He'd be half alive, but he'd be free.

Answer 5

The only gypsies I know of personally live in New York City. They don't have horses. Traditional traveling gypsies had horses that pulled their wagons but I don't know if there are any of them left outside of the movies.

Answer 6

It is part of the traditional way of life. True Gypsies love and respect their horses and treat them well. Even those who have decided to give up their travelling and settle in one place retain the love of horses and dogs. Another name for a lurcher is Gypsy dog!
Most of the people called Gypsy are not true Romany people, and most people would not recognise a Gypsy if they met one. The beliefs people have of them is mainly folklore and based on misunderstanding!

Answer 7

not all the gypsies have horses..only a few and that's because of their traditional past...but the majority of the gypsies around the world don't have horses.

Answer 8

Why does anyone have horses? What a silly question

Answer 9

Cause when there doing someone over the police find it hard to go where a Horse can go.

Answer 10

They like horse racing. Simple but true.

Answer 11

So they can get to the tip before the seagulls!