The two ingredients to make a TOP gypsy horse are wonderful conformation AND tons of hair.
The general appearance of the Gypsy Cob is powerful and compact with an overall impression of intelligence, kindness, strength and agility. They are medium to heavy boned, well proportioned and balanced with ample muscle and abundant feathering. There should be no question that this is a DRAFT horse.

The head should be in proportion to the body with a broad forehead and generous jaw. Ears should be well set on, in proportion and not too small. The eyes should be large, kind and set well apart. The mouth should have a level bite. Roman nose is traditional.

The neck should be slightly arched and compact, without being too short, generously muscled and tied in well at the shoulder.

The chest should be broad and powerful with ample muscle.

The shoulders should be deep, powerful and well sloped.

The withers should be of medium height and well muscled.

The back should be short with ample muscle sloping slightly upwards towards the croup.

The barrel should be short and compact with well sprung ribs and ample muscle. These horses should have a nice, big draft horse barrel. If you can feel ribs, your horse is not in top condition.

The legs should be set well under the body, generously boned and muscled with well shaped hooves capable of carrying the frame without stress. Hind legs need to have some angle to the bend of them.

The hindquarters should be very generous, smooth, broad and rounded across the croup with a long hip well coupled to powerful, straight hocks. Hind legs should have a bit of “set” (outward angle, but straight) to them, as any horse bred for pulling should. He should have a nice, rounded behind, with the bone down from the roundness of the behind. If the bone is the highest point on the horse’s back or behind, he’s way too thin.

The mane and tail should be thick and luxuriant. Leg feathering should start at the knee and hock and run down the front and back of the leg. Abundance of feathering may vary with the medium weight cobs. In order to be a traditional gypsy cob, you have to have at least as much hair as in a modern day Clydesdale or Shire horse. In order to be a good one, you have to have LOTS more hair than either of these. The hair should cover the front of the hoof. On a traditional gypsy cob, the more hair (feather) the better. There is no such thing as too much hair.

Any color is permissible, solid or colored.

High front action with a slight outward flick, the general movement should be level with a good length of stride.

The disposition should be one of quiet intelligence and docile temperament.