--- On Sat, 4/26/08, Judy Ryder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> That's one thing I just don't get. Icelandics have NEVER been
> advertised in that way over here
Mic, did you get the "it's not a pony" thing? or "you need icelandic
saddles" or "you need an icelandic-style trainer", etc?
Judy
Well I know that my experience over here is different and that on the mainland
some of you might have been told that. We were not. We were told that saddle
fit can be difficult, especially if you are a larger rider and wanting a
western saddle...becuase of the Icelandics size, of bigger shoulders and
shorter back. That I will say is true in my experience. We use Icelandic
style saddles as well as Dressage saddles and an old wintec synthectic stock.
And Sally rides bareback a lot.
As far as the training the icelandic style training has not been an issue.
What has is this:
Most trainers in our area can be very harsh, even ones that write books on NH.
They seem to use the NH as a cover for Controll.
2 adult Icelandics were sold years ago and trained by the usual style trainers
here. Well they went up for sale and Sally and I purchased them, not becuase
we needed more horses, but becuase these horses were a mess. Neither one of
them tolted, they had Terrible manners from being babied in a big paddock and
hand fed through a fence. We did not want them going out to the general public
in the shape that they were in. So we bought them, Sally retrained the
mare....when we bought her, she could not tolt under saddle. She pulled her
head back and tucked her head and did this weird thing (she was trained for
arena work, dressage, jumping) Sally finally after 1 month was able to finally
get her to relax under saddle. She had to use a sidepull or a french link
snaffel....well the nare finally relaxed and now is a tolting fend.
The son, however was only ridden by 1 guy, and he needed more experienced help.
We hired our friend and trainer Eloise to train him for me. She was so great
with him....she retrained him and now he is a wonderful responsive light and
happy horse out on the trail.....I ended up selling him becuase I had gotton
Baldur. But Trausti is an awesome horse now.
Because of the way people here usually do their training, we are no longer
selling babies. We are keeping them and training them ourselves, and then
selling them if we choose to. People here push the horses so hard, so fast
that it just is not what works for our horses.
As far as the pony thing, whatever. We were told that in Iceland they call
them horses....we call them ponies here, but as far as marketing to adults, I
use the term horse, becuase in America most adults think of ponies as for kids,
a kids pony then you graduate to a horse when you are big enough.
Mosty ponies can not carry me on a trail ride.
Skye
