Gypsy Horses and the Travelers Way: The Road to Appleby Fair

Through tales told by the light of stick fires to the drumbeat of hooves across foggy moors, Gypsy Horses and the Travelers’ Way reveals the centuries-old but zealously guarded lifestyle of the Romani Gypsies of northern England. With stunning images, lyrical prose and moving poetry, renowned equine photographer John S. Hockensmith invites readers on a unique journey across cultural boundaries to celebrate the rituals of horse trading and spiritual renewal at Appleby Fair. Hockensmith gained rare entrée into this secluded world when he was invited to join a prominent Gypsy family over two summers during the annual horse-drawn pilgrimage through picturesque villages, along busy modern highways and into verdant pastures where time seems to have been suspended. By the time readers reach the Appleby Fair–a boisterous gathering that first took place more than 300 years ago–Hockensmith has shared a penetrating insight into a way of life cherished by the Gypsies with the same fierce pride they maintain for their horses. The striking steeds earn first billing by virtue of their historical role in the Gypsies’ nomadic existence as well as their chiseled beauty and gentle strength. Hockensmith’s lavish photos depict them hauling the Gypsies’ brightly painted wagons, carrying young bareback riders through river currents, and punctuating sun-dappled landscapes with the bold pinto patterns of their muscular bodies.