>>> You know, some Icelandics bite, I've been bitten by a mare, my Snorri bit me when he first came to me.
I took the c/t out of this subject line, because I agree, this is an issue on its own. Kim, I refuse to buy that "some Icelandics bite." My horses don't bite. None of them, not of any breed. I won't go so far as to say they NEVER did or NEVER will, but they know it's not tolerated, and that we're in a zero-tolerance, no-bite zone. Not that we don't make some mistakes - we do, but when we do, we address them ASAP when our blunderings involve safety. I do feed treats and I let my horses mouth my hands sometimes, but they know the boundaries, and they respect them. My horses are no more perfect than anyone's horses. I allow my horses plenty of room to show their personalities, but I draw the line at anything that involves someone getting hurt, and it's one of the first things the babies learn - and we still manage to spoil them without making them particularly rude or unsafe. If "some Icelandic's bite," it's not the breed. It's something they've not been stopped from doing. Icelandic's can control their behavior just as well as horses of any breed. Those are basic rules here at our farm: no biting, no kicking, no striking, no rearing, no running people over. Beyond the concern for human safety, they can have fun, be themselves, and express their feelings and we'll listen. But, we don't tolerate an unsafe horse. There's no reason to - that's selling this breed WAY short. Horses are like kids in that they tend to rise to the expectations of their parents. When you say that "some Icelandic's bite" you've set an expectation. I expect better from my horses. Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.11/721 - Release Date: 3/13/2007 4:51 PM
