>>>> However, there certainly are strongly gaited horses out there doing >>>> endurance, Including the challenging Tevis Cup ride. Bruce Weary, Sue >>>> Walz, Amber Applegate, Paul Latois (sp) and others all compete in >>>> endurance on strongly gaited horses of various breeds.
Thanks for being specific, Nancy. I do know that there are some gaited horses competing in endurance, but it's still a mostly Arab or Arab/cross sport, right? I have trouble seeing many Arab-like traits in most of my Icelandic's - in size, "hotness", build, etc. Do you have a clue what particular traits makes the specific gaited horses successful? Let's say that someone should approach me about buying an "endurance prospect"? What traits would make, for example, Runa a better (or worse) prospect than, say... Brunka? I'm not just asking for the heck of asking...someone DID ask Penny this. I've taken in enough rehabs that the very last thing I want to do is sell a horse for a job he/she's unlikely to be successful in, be that as a Grand Prix jumper or an endurance horse. I LOVE my babies, all of them. I get the willies just thinking about someone buying one of my horses and pushing him/her to the point she fails...or if they get lucky, he/she succeeds. In my situation, I can't be comfortable with the pat answer, "Icelandic's can do endurance." One huge worry in my mind about Icelandics and distance riding is the old saddle-fit issue. We simply don't have tons of choices for saddles that work for many horses in this breed. The longer the distances they are ridden, the more critical saddle fit becomes... Karen Thomas, NC
