>>>I regret not being able to understand the language. The horse is very >>>resistant for >>>part of this ride. For all I know, he's describing that resistance. I >>>don't think you >>>can fairly judge the way he is moving based on this video. His tail is >>>wringing; his >>>mouth is open and his head and neck are in an awkward position. In other >>>breeds, we >>>get this kind of resistance when youngsters are asked for too much too soon. >>> I have >>>also had short periods of this "stuff" in a training session just before >>>everythig got >>>wonderful, but I wouldn't have filmed it for public consumption.
You're right, it's never fair to judge a horses from a single picture or from a single video. That said, I'm pretty sure that's Walter Feldman, a "noted" trainer of Icelandic's in Germany - probably one of the two best known ones there. In fact, he's the very trainer that the USIHC had come to the USA a few weeks ago to do the "Young Horse Trainer" clinic in Georgia. THAT is disturbing to me. There are several videos of Walter's on YouTube, and he also has a website, usually with a good number of horses for sale at any given time. I think it was the senior Walter who developed that Aeigenburger (sp?) breed - I believe this is Walter Jr. Anyway, most of his for-sale horses have video links on the website, but I haven't looked at it lately. Every one there that I've ever seen moves like this horse - even the Saddlebreds and Aeiginburgers. I even think he has had some Pasos (Peruvian I think) for sale, and guess how they moved...? The same way. So much for breed "type", at least in the way of moving. You're also right: certain behaviors may show at early training stages of a horse and not be particularly worrysome. Horses aren't instantly trained. And, some of us, me particularly, aren't shy about posting the tiny-degrees-of-paint-drying videos of our young horses going through those early phases, where the videos are generally either very boring or will show some faux pas...or both. However, I see problems in the riders of these horses - obviously using hands that are too heavy much of the time. I think the key here is that this sort of riding/horse resistance shows up on his for-sale videos. That's troubling, because I think it's safe to assume that most people wouldn't want to show the horse's past faux pas when he's ready for sale. I believe it's not a stretch to assume he finds this normal and acceptable, and probably doesn't even worry about the resistance. Maybe he doesn't even see it. Anyway, I appreciate your attempt to be fair and non-judgemental when you see some bad Icelandic riding. I think it speaks well for you that you just naturally assume this could be a "Don't" video example. Believe it or not, I had that attitude for the first couple of years I was in this breed...I'm afraid I'm jaded from finding so many "don't" videos are actually considered good examples. It just makes me sad that Icelandic riding is so isolated from the good horsemanship of the world that this - from a "top" trainer - is considered acceptable. Thus...I sometimes rant. I love this breed too much not to. Karen Thomas, NC
