Icelandic Horse Rollkur

My gosh... what ARE they thinking?!?!?!

Why should an adult male *NEED* to put a huge piece of metal in his pony's mouth, and then strap the metal down as tight as possible with a huge, severe noseband, and then put all his muscle on the reins?!?!?

Why should any Icelandic Horse have to endure this practice?

I thought people loved the Icelandic Horse? I thought people respected the Icelandic Horse?

Is this love? Is this respect?

Who is teaching these people to ride? to train????

Why is there a need to put the horse into a master / slave position? complete domination?

Why does FEIF allow this horrific type of riding and training? Why do they endorse it?

Why does the USIHC support FEIF, in all ways, including financial?

This means YOUR money is going to pay for competitions and evaluations that use this type of riding / training practice on the Icelandic Horse.

The Icelandic Horse is known by different names, such as: hest, hestur, hestar, cheval islandais, icelandic horse, island hast, islandske hest, island pferde, islenskir hestar, ijslands paard, islanninhevonen, islenskihesturinn, islandisches pferd, islandpony, icelandic pony.

Please help to free the Icelandic Horse from poor riding and training methods!

Drameur, Icelandic Horse Needs New Home

Drameur is a 19 year old black Icelandic pony.

He has lived and worked in a handicapped riding program in Northern California for the past six years.

He has been a sweet and dependable mount for our clients on a lead line. However, he has developed a bad habit of bolting on lead and under saddle with less experienced volunteers.

We have decided that Draemur would be a happier and safer pony if he had one experienced, consistent handler to be his person.

Previously, he has had some unbalanced movement in his gaits. Our regular vet has not been able to diagnose/treat this problem.

Last August Draemur was seen by a veterinarian/chiropractor from out of the area. She determined that Draemur was somewhat "locked up" in his neck/withers. Her treatment helped his gaits considerably.

About a month ago, he broke free from his handler (bolted) on a trail near the stable and proceeded to run home.

It appears Draemur has re-injured himself during this escapade, as he is now "locked up" in his neck/withers again, favoring his right front leg.

The vet/chiropractor that helped him in August will not be available to see him again until June. We need to find a home for Draemur as soon as possible. Please contact Sally Friedley (or: iceryder at gmail.com)

Icelandic Horse Slow Motion

It is interesting to view the legs of the Icelandic Horse in slow motion. Conformation problems may cause the transverse legs to cross over each other (rope walking), and the style of riding with mechanical aids, or the pounding of the feet on the ground may cause the joints to hyperextend (such as seeing the bottom of the front feet from the front, as in the above picture, not a good thing).

Take a look at the picture and figure out which leg is which and what the flight pattern is of each leg. Do the legs looks like they are tracking up? travelling on one, two, or three tracks? or cross-tracking?

Gerd Heuschmann Interview

Interviews with Gerd Heuschmann:

http://www.jonibentley.co.uk/articles/less.htm

http://www.jonibentley.co.uk/articles/edited/simple.htm

This article describes some of the poor riding practices and therefore let's us know why Icelandic Horses should not be ridden icelandic-style.

Icelandic Horse and Natural Horsemanship

From the owner:

It's been one year since I have purchased my icelandic ponies. Things started off rough. Stjarni was green and so was I. The saying is green on green equals black and blue. Thanks to a great trainer and natural horsemanship, I have learned a whole new way of being around horses. I've not only gained new skills, but gained confidence. I've learned never to give up, be patient, and respect my horse. I've got a lot more to learn, but I welcome the journey.

Icelandic Horses Looking for Homes

Information from the owner about the two geldings, Trausti (chestnut) and Dreki (palomino), located in northern Colorado:

Trausti -626-:

Gelding, born April 10, 1992.
Sorrel chestnut. No white markings.
13h
Out of Logi fra Icelandic Horse Farm -309- and Loa -312-
Has Canadian Icelandic Horse Federation papers.

4-gaited though very rusty in tolt.

He is very smart. Likes to think of ways to get food and not do much work for it. Unafraid of almost anything. Good on trails. Loves people and is quite the socialite. He ties, trailers, and is wonderful as long as he has a firm hand that demands respect from him.

He has been deemed "sound" by my veterinarian. However, he foundered in May of 2001. He was grass hay fed on dry-lot when it happened, and my vet could not find any reason why he should have foundered, but he did. So, although he is "sound," my vet cautioned that we should be careful not to "over do it" with him. It took about 4 years to get him back to trail worthy condition again.

He has been somewhat heavy on the forehand since the founder. This is partially why his tolt is rusty. We haven't really asked him to.


Dreki fra Lone Rock US94100566:

Gelding born June 12, 1994.
Palomino
About 13h
Out of Logi fra Icelandic Horse Farm M8400326 and Sunna fra Fitjamyri
US88200361
I have his US United Icelandic Horse Congress Certificate of Registration.

5-gaited with tendency towards pace.

Dreki was very frightened when we got him. We made some progress and he halters nicely where as when we got him he would run away. He was terribly head shy when we got him, but now he comes to me for scratching. And, that is about as far as we have gotten with him.

He likes to be groomed, but is still very cautions even after all these years.

About 1.5 years after we got him, my husband sustained a devastating spinal injury. It took 4.5 years before I was able to turn my attention back to Dreki. I tried working with him, but each day was as though we were starting from the beginning again.

I contacted a trainer and he was in training for about 6 weeks with the assurances that he would be a wonderful riding horse when we got him back "no problem." Well... Dreki came back and was in some ways a little better and in some ways a little worse. The trainer told me that he would need at least 3 more months to be able to get anywhere with him, because it was "like starting over with him every day!" I didn't have the funds for it, so we did what we could here at home.

One day, I got an offer from a woman who has "rescued" a "problem icey" with a reputation for being "dangerous." She has done an amazing job with this little horse and is even able to give local kids pony rides on him. She has also had good success with mustangs, and she offered to take Dreki and train him. I told her to take him for as long as she wanted and train him. She called me 3 weeks later and said he had to be returned because "he would not progress". He would be longing nicely one day, and the next he would be in a complete panic at the sight of the longe line. She did not feel that she would be able to get anywhere with him. So, he came back and we have worked with him as best we could, but never really gotten past his seemingly
illogical "panic" outbursts.

That said, he has never tried to deliberately hurt anyone. He is a sweet guy who really needs someone who understands how he thinks and who can help him through whatever it is he fears.

Please email me at iceryder at gmail.com for owner's contact information.

Legend of God and Pegasus

Icelandic Horses

A book by Elisabeth Haug: The Legend of God and Pegasus.