Hi Skye >>>I know that of the Icelandics that we have, that were trained in Iceland, or by an Icelandic trainer, that while riding our leg is relaxed, yet we can give cues with our legs, for sidepass and such.
We have always used legs on our Icelandics from Iceland but definitely there is a higher level of sensitivity in some of them than others. I think a big part of the problem is that most of the male riders have such long legs, and ride with long stirrups that their calf cannot easily go around the barrel of most Icelandics. We found that we would get the horses used to legs by riding them bareback. Mandy used to ride the horses in from the pasture bareback, she would kind of 'test' them to see how they would be. >>>Now with some western trained horses, like barrel racers etc...well there is a lot of leg contact, a lot of go go go.....kick kick kick. I have certainly seen people do this - get on and think they have to kick to get the horse to go forward. The other thing is that many people, especially trainers, ride with spurs because horses are so insensitive from being kicked and not really learning a light leg aid. If any of you have ridden reining horses you will have experienced the most leg quick trigger than I have ever felt on a horse. Robyn Icelandic Horse Farm Robyn Hood & Phil Pretty Vernon BC Canada www.icefarm.com
