NEW PARIS, Ohio —A playful colt caught on video has helped an Ohio woman see a huge spike in her farm’s Facebook feed and has splashed light on a horse breed that may be unfamiliar to some people.  

“Jingles,” a Gypsy Cob Vanner colt, was born in December. Owner Michele Shepherd started posting videos of him soon after he was born to the Facebook page of GS Farm. Her page now has 15,000 followers and more than eight million hits. 

Shepherd said she wanted the Gypsy Cob Vanner breed for about 20 years after first laying eyes on images of the horse native to Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The breed is known for hair long enough to nearly touch the ground from the top of the neck, a very hairy tail and hair at the ankles covering the feet.

Shepherd, who grew up with ponies on a 55-acre farm raising things like soybeans and chickens, said her horses are also playful similar to a dog and warm up to humans quicker than some other horse breeds.

“I just think they’re beautiful.  They have a temperament like a puppy,” she said.

She also described the breed as “personable,” “sweet,” “very laid back” and “people pleasers.”

“That’s what made me fall in love with them,” she said.

In 2015, Shepherd said she acted on her dream when a five-acre farm became available at New Paris in the far western part of the state near the Indiana border. Currently, she has six Gypsy Cob Vanner horses and two horses that are part Gypsy and Clydesdale.

Her daughter, Arianna Collins, began showing the animals in 4-H when she joined the youth program at 5. She and her mother now do a lot of traveling from April to November to shows for Arianna to compete. They also ride the horses together in parades.

Collins, who also competes in areas like jumping and dressage, has won enough awards with the unique breed to make the cover of GQuine Magazine last year. Her successes include being champion and reserve champion at shows hosted by the Gypsy Vanner Horse Society.

Collins, who’s goal is to become a horse trainer as an adult, is also an ambassador for the breed with the Gypsy Horse Registry of America.

She called showing horses and the work involved something that seems to come naturally for her regardless of the breed, but the Gypsy Cob Vanner version is her favorite. 

Collins said she especially enjoys braiding the long hair on the horses and doesn’t mind the extra combing required to get them ready for show and make sure their hair is free of any knots or mites.

Most of all, though, she likes their dog-like behavior.

“Those horses are so sweet and, my gray one, she would follow me anywhere.  The baby does it, too,” she said.

Currently, over 11,000 of the horses are estimated to be in the country.

Shepherd said Jingles, resulted from her first breeding attempt. She was pleased enough with the outcome that she might become more actively involved in breeding and selling. Although she said 

she has no plans to ever sell the eight horses currently at her farm. “These horses are family to me.  I love them,” she said. 

Shepherd said she will likely continue posting videos along with pictures of her horses especially Jingles, who seems to have won the hearts of many viewers. She said viewers judging by their posted comments seem to find happiness, even during trying times, with the videos.Shepherd said she began posting the videos simply to bring smiles to people’s faces.

“The world is such a wacked out place that I just thought maybe this will bring people joy,” she said.

To watch the videos of Jingles look for GS Farm on Facebook.