> Me too. And, when it comes to gaited pleasure horses, like Icelandics, can > someone tell me what important traits we should look for in a neck, and why? > How important in the neck? What are the biggest neck flaws or warning signs > to look for? And is there such thing as a too-long neck? I have my > thoughts, but I'd like to hear what others say.
I would look for the same, as I would look in a non-gaited horse for the good traits. So reasonable long, smaller at the head-end (sorry, all my description might be not with the right equestrian terms, as I don't know them all, hope you understand anyway). Enough freedom to bent in the pole. High set. Nice topline. As I don't ride only tölt with my horses, this is important for some basic dressage work. A good neck makes a lot of things easier for the horse. It does not mean, that your horse can not bent in the pole, if he/she has a bad neck, but it is for sure more difficult. especially in Icelandic, I would look for a horse who does not have an ewe-neck (might be sign of wrong training, but might also be an inherited trait. So top muscle of the neck should be much more developed than the lower muscles. Jasmin
