>>>>> Also, note the set of the rider's mouth in two of the pictures. When >>>>> we were running seriously, we tried to remember to relax our face, jaw >>>>> and mouth because when they were relaxed, the tension seemed to go out >>>>> of the rest of the body. This looks as if there might be a lot of >>>>> tenseness there.
There sure does seem to be a lot of tension. Did you happen to notice the title of that photo albumn? That series was taken at a BREEDING EVALUATION held in 2007. The purpose of the BREEDING evaluations is supposed to be to score horses in categories to help owners choose which horses to breed. This is how they are ridden for scoring, and the riding part is 60% of the total score. You can see by the flexed forearm muscles and the tension in the horses neck, how horribly much rein contact is allowed - WITH a broken-mouthed, long-shanked bit, and WITH a dropped noseband. The rider is sitting on the horse's loins. The horses's feet are long, and the rider is using bell boots. Judy quoted something I've said for a long time now: the breeding evaluations are worthless because there are sooo many factors allowed that are, in no way, inheritable. Leather strap goods aren't inheritable. Odd hoof trims and shoes aren't inheritable. Riders who ride with 50-pounds of rein contact...while sitting on the loins...aren't heritable. Long-shanked bits aren't inheritable, and neither are whips. It's just a big joke - this has nothing to do with the honest evalution of horses for breeding suitability. It's all about who can ride hell-bent-for-leather just like in Iceland ...and we saw what kind of review that got for the breed in the last issue of Trail Rider - it was not particularly a flattering picture. It's just bizarre. >>> It's a lovely horse. Don't we have any youngsters who could step into >>> this role? In most disciplines, what wins in the showring is what is >>> emulated, even in conformation classes. You either have to opt out (my >>> choice) or effect change from within. I don't know a kid who would want to get involved with showing Icelandic's at the traditional shows when that is what they see - not when they can see that Icelandic Style Riding is sooo different from the other riding disciplines they see their friends participating in. I see kids jumping because jumping is fun. I see kids involved with the excitement of western riding, especially the games. I see kids who enjoy trail riding or just goofing around with their horses and their friends around the pasture. I see kids getting involved with some of the various Natural Horsemanship programs just so they can play with their horses, and learn to ride bareback, etc. And, most kids can find other kids with similar interests in these other disciplines, so they can enjoy the animals they love and have a positive social outlet. But THIS kind of riding is the only kind that the USIHC promotes. (Oh, they have some "trail riding" award" where you keep track of the number of miles you ride and get a patch or something... now THAT'S going to entice a bunch of kids to the breed...NOT.) Alex and Gat have shown a little bit. Someone (Jeannette I think?) has a son who has done some games with an Icelandic. I think if any kids are going to be pulled into showing Icelandics, they will have to find non-Icelandic venues like these two have. Karen Thomas, NC
