Natural Riding Icelandic Horse

This is a good video of bridleless riding of an Icelandic Horse. There is no fighting of the bit. The horse holds his head where he *needs* to, for his freedom, balance, suppleness, as well as function.

Horse Training in Iceland

Perhaps the horses should be started in sidepulls or bosals; at least bitless in the beginning.

Icelandic Horse Responsibility

Whose responsibility is it to protect the Icelandic Horse, to consider his welfare, and to advocate for him?

Heavy Contact on the Reins of the Icelandic Horse

If there is heavy contact on the reins of the ridden Icelandic Horse, it will show in several ways.

The lips will be stretched beyond normal, to an intolerable point, hurting the horse. Try stretching your own lips backwards.

The mouthpiece of the bit will be showing so much that we might wonder how much is left in the mouth!

The bridle sidepiece will bend and fall away from the side of the horse's face.

The neck will show wrinkles at the throatlatch and the withers.

Is this right to do to the Icelandic Horse to get him to tolt?

Who encourages riding like this? Who sanctions it?

Is all of this odd, hurtful riding style approved by FEIF?

Fighting the Bit

In the video, the horse has his mouth open at times.

An Icelandic Horse should have no reason to open his mouth while being ridden. Horses are nostril breathers. Opening the mouth can indicate problems / pain from the bit, noseband, heavy contact, etc.

If the horse is fighting the bit, what should be done? whose responsibility is it to be sure that the horse is comfortable in his job?

Natural Gait or Not

If the Icelandic Horse has to be pulled, with heavy contact that stretches his lips to absolute intolerance, trying to get away from the pain by opening his mouth; and being forced into an unnatural inverted, ventroflexed frame, is the gait of "tolt" natural to him?

The use of increasingly severe bits, as well as severe tight nosebands, is shocking.

Click onto the image to see a larger version.

Lee Ziegler, Easy Gaited Horses

Easy Gaited Horses, a book for gaited horse enthusiasts, by Lee Ziegler, which describes the easy gaits.


Lee Ziegler, Easy Gaited Horses