> Would Iowa be considered an SE zone? I am really interested in getting an > icelandic horse or two, But between the saddle fit issues and the SE problem > I am not sure if it will be feasable. > > Thanks. > > Karen Harris > Iowa
Hi Karen: Have you spoken with Doug and Jennifer Hamilton? They are in Iowa (Fairfield, I think, not sure). They used to import a lot of horses from Iceland. I remember Jennifer telling me that ALL the imports get SE sooner or later. They may have had a run of real bad luck but it tells me that at least where they are they have a lot of bugs. But don't let that deter you from buying and Icelandic. Saddle fit issues are not any worse for this breed than with any other horse. It may seem so on this list. But saddle fit is discussed a lot on this list only because we have a good number of member here who are really concerned about saddle fit and care about the wellbeing of their horses. And you don't have to buy an import. There are now a good number of domestically bred Icelandics available. And those don't get SE. So go and see the Hamiltons, they will introduce you to the breed. Anneliese
