Icelandic Horse

The Icelandic Horse is a pony from the island of Iceland.

It has been DNA'd by mitochondrial DNA, to other pony breeds of Scandinavia.

More information at http://iceryder.net/pony.html

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Synopsis of the Cavallo Article on the Icelandic Horse World Championship

Cavallo, a German horse magazine, scheduled an article to be written about the Icelandic Horse World Championship held August, 2007, in Holland. They attended the WC, taking notes and pictures.

Videos of the WC are also on-line at:

http://www.notion.net/icelandichorses2007/flash-icelandichorses2007-streaming.html

and: http://www.notion.net/icelandichorses2007/flash-T1.html

The article, written by Anja Burkhart, along with several pictures, appeared in the November, 2007 issue of Cavallo. One of the pictures can be seen here:

http://www.heste-nettet.dk/nyheder/nyhPics/1196245279-3284-1667373440.jpg

Other pictures from the WC can be seen here:

http://flickr.com/photos/islandpferde/1206135297/in/set-72157601569036835

http://flickr.com/photos/islandpferde/sets/72157601569036835/

http://gallery.mac.com/jtfreeman#100035/DPP_0225

http://gallery.mac.com/jtfreeman#100035

http://www.fotoagentur-dk.de/de/pics.php?gal=%2FPferde-Turniere%2FWM-2007

http://www.fotoagentur-dk.de/de/pics.php?pic=46996

The article notes that pictures in the article are the norm, and not the exception, at the WC.

Cavallo also had Dr. Ulrike Thiel, a trainer, judge, and psychologist, join them.

The article has input from Dr. Thiel, as well as Thommy Haag, Gereon Wimmer, Birgit Dresel, and Andrea Jaenisch.

Dr. Thiel compared the rollkur abuse of Warmbloods with the forcefully bowed under-neck of the Icelandic Horses at the WC. She indicates that both types of carriage, making the back and loins stiff, are incorrect and damaging to the horse. She points out the restriction of the respiration in these frames, also indicated by the horses' rolling eyes, tight mouths, and flared nostrils.

She notes "foot flicking" of the Icelandic Horses, similarly seen in Warmbloods, when there is too much contact.

The article explains that any criticism of the Icelandic-style riding is not accepted and anyone who criticizes are put down hard.

It indicates that Bruno Podlech accepts the stress and panic of the Icelandic Horses as normal, and that for pace the horses should be in panic mode with tight backs and close to bolting.

Gereon Wimmer indicates that fear in pace is damaging to the horse; physically damaging for the muscles, but also biochemically due to the rush of stress hormones.

Andrea Jaenisch feels that what is going on between horse and rider is a sign that the horse is not well trained. They should be trained enough to understand the rider's requests.

The sport riders are adamant that what is reflected in the pictures is what is required, special riding, to ride the special gait.

The article indicates that no matter what breed, a Shetland or a Shire, the equine biomechanics are the same. A hollow back and a tight back will hurt the horse.

Thommy Haag, who wishes for stricter rules (and if stricter, only 5% of the riders would be left) volunteers that if the horse is tolting in a tight frame, one needs to stop tolting. Haag is in a lonely position with this opinion, while others are striving to win at any cost, higher, faster, more spectacular; front end action being of immense importance.

This is diametrically opposed to the original intent of Icelandic Horses in Europe, as they were supposed to give people a relaxing ride, with no pressure of shows.

The article explains some of the biomechanics: What is seen now is unnaturally raised necks, which cause sore muscles and joints. This is supposed to stop the horse from galloping when he should pace. Pushing the saddle to the rear of the back, numbing the loins, and hyperacting the front legs, pounding with high mechanical action, while the hind legs are stiff.

Dr. Thiel calls attention to the inability of the WC riders to sit the horse's trot, bracing against the movement, pounding on the horse's back.

Mr. Haag relates that 80% of the riders do not know that they are causing damage as they are uneducated in riding and biomechanics. He refers to different training methods emerging in Europe but not making it to Iceland, as they used trial and error for riding and training; therefore there is no solid foundation of how to train in Iceland.

The stallion Kraftur is used as an example. He is referred to by Icelandic-style riders as having good collection, but what he is doing, as known by those outside the Icelandic-style circle, is not collection. But other riders, equally unknowing, are trying to copy the look of Kraftur.

The article notes the differences in scores for high action horses versus more natural horses, and mentions the manipulated pacey tolters, bemoaning the loss of the true four-beat gait.

It is also mentioned that when artificial gaits are rewarded with medals, and natural gaits are dismissed, it encourages gait manipulation.

Birgit Dresel brings up the training with elastics for the front leg action, and shoes to exaggerate movement.

Bleeding mouths are now the center of attention. Haag indicates that the cause should be addressed, not solely the symptom.

The article states that advocates for the horse, who are fighting for more ethical treatment of the horses and for better riding and training, are threatened and publicly humiliated.

Rules #7 and #8 are mentioned ("training should be harmonious", and "manipulation should be shunned and punished"), and that FEIF has only given out 8 cards in a year and a half, for extreme circumstances such as beating a horse.

The article notes tight nosebands, stress in the horses' faces, heavy pulls, stress on the joints, kissing spines, forced carriage, bit rings causing pain, the whites of the horses' eyes, fear, pain.

Dr. Thiel explains the biomechanics in some of the pictures, i.e. tight backs and necks, receiving too much pressure, the horses being on the forehand, hollow backs, the horses' facial expressions, stress, riders sitting on the loins.

Thommy Haag indicates that a light signal is all that is needed to put a well-trained horse into pace. Over-developed under-neck muscles indicate bad carriage and should be judged critically.

Resource information:

[] http://iceryder.net/flippingtoe.html

[] http://iceryder.net/brachio.html