Too tight

Tell me why this horse has to be yarded on to the point taht the bit ring digs into the side of his face? Not only that, the leather from the nose band has left white hairs on the side of his face. Note his feet, he's being hauled on so badly that he can't even land his feet properly. His toe is flipping.

Protection? I don't think so

Would you consider buying this horse for your breeding program? If s/he needs that much assistance in attaining a gait - is this horse truly 'naturally' gaited? Not only that, but if you look carefully, these feet are quite long (which also adds weight)...then you add the shoes, and the boots...and in about 5 years (probably a lot less time) you'll have a horse that has torn all of his tendons and is no longer sound. But man...you had a 'balanced' gait for a while there didn't you?

If you are considering purchasing any horse that needs this much help to gait...back away slowly. If you are considering purchasing a horse that needs you to cantle sit in order to gait...back away slowly. If you are considering purchasing a horse that needs you to yard on the reins with say...25 lbs of pressure constantly...back away slowly.

A gaited horse should be easy to ride, and easy to keep in gait as long has s/he has been brought along carefully and with some consideration to conditioning and appropriate training. DO NOT have your horse trained by a 'traditional' 'certified' Icelandic trainer. Any local trainer can train your horse, just don't have them mess around with gaits...babies simply can't be expected to maintain a gait for very long. That comes with time.

STOP Ice Tolts

I live in Saskatchewan Canada. We deal with ice 6 months (maybe 5 if we're lucky) of the year. What idiot thought that taking a horse out into a skating rink or a lake was a good idea? What kind of idiocy is it to zoom your horse as fast as you can across a sheet of ice? Believe me, when it's icy around here...NO ONE takes their horse out onto it. It's too easy for your horse to suffer a life affecting injury...and it can happen in a moment. Horse people that care about their horses know better...period...there is no debate.

Please start using your brains and don't go riding when it's icy. Pull your horses shoes and give his feet the required time off during the icy winter months....don't put ice calks on him so you can squeeze a few more riding days out of him. Quit being a freaking cheep skate, and stop treating your horse like some kind of machine.

AND yet all of this is sanctioned by FEIF...they have competitions in Ice Tolts! For Gawd's sake, just because someone else jumps off a cliff...doesn't mean we have to.

Check out their news page...they have TWO competitions on ice.. Please...

http://www.feif.org/News/tabid/113/Default.aspx

Write them a letter and tell them to stop being ass hats...(nod to Fugly)...I love that expression.

http://www.feif.org/News/tabid/113/Default.aspx

But use nice language...because apparently bad language offends them. They can use narrow saddles, sit on loins, tie mouths shut, yard on reins, and edge toward big lick practises...but they don't like bad language. And for heavens sake when I brought this up with one european trainer. She was highly insulted, because the people that ride in the european championships...were her friends. Friends that should probably be charged (and probably will be charged some day)...with animal abuse. Believe me. It's coming. If FEI thinks the dressage world is bad...just wait until they focus their attention on the Icelandic competitions.

Too tight

I'm so glad she loves her horse. Oh the beauty of it all.

Maybe she'll get off him and actually LOOK at him and realize he's in distress over that noseband.

Does anyone ever look at their horse's expressions anymore?

What is a cantle..? AND what is a loin?

If you can imagine...the woman depicted in the colour photo was actually teaching a clinic on 'cantle sitting'. I hope her students didn't pay a lot for this advice. I wonder how many horses went home with sore kidneys that day?

This is where a LOIN is. Stay off it.

Teach Your Children Well

Okay, I don't like picking on kids...I'm picking on the adult behind the camera.

Who taught this lovely little girl to manipulate gaits? Who taught her that it was correct to cantle sit and hold a tight grip on those reins? Some adult should be very ashamed.

Children are such talented riders that it's an absolute crime that someone told this impressionable young girl that this was the correct way to ride a gaited horse. It's too bad, I think she might actually be a fairly decent rider if she could unclench her jaw, and relax a bit, and put her behind where it belongs. Just imagine how lovely she would look if she were taught to ride with her seat and legs?

Teach your children well,

Their father's hell did slowly go by.

And feed them on your dreams,

The one they picks, the one you'll know by.

Don't you ever ask them why, if they told you, you will cry,So just look at them and sigh and know they love you.

Let go

Hey! The pony has stopped. You can let go now.