On Mon, Jun 18, 2007 at 10:24:38AM -0700, Judy Ryder wrote: > The icelandic training method has lacked the ability and knowledge to teach > a horse what a bit is for (communication), and basically the bit is used to > inflict discomfort or pain with the horse reacting to that, not > communication.
er. i have to object to this. i have a bona fide, fully-accent-endowed icelandic trainer. she learned to ride as an ordinary kid in iceland. she has NEVER inflicted, or suggested i inflict, discomfort or pain on my pony. she does like to see me ride with contact, but i find that contact helps me and stjarni "keep in touch"; when i ride on the buckle he is more "on his own" (as in difficult terrain when picking the footfall spots is up to him) than when i take contact (as to say, "yes, i do want you to go to the rail there, and i take responsibility that it will not harm you"). (we're using a full-cheek french-link snaffle bit, recommended to me for my horse by another native ethnic icelandir.) honestly, i understand the purpose of the bit, but i don't see the reason to get down on an entire country about it. i'm sure there are gobs of americans who use bits in crappy ways too; don't we talk about that from time to time? how would you feel about being lumped in with twh trainers who sore their horses b/c you're "north american"? --vicka
