Follow-up video to my post on "Is my Icelandic horse overweight"
Follow-up video to my post on "Is my Icelandic horse overweight"
Askinf for advice if my horse is overweightt based on how pronounced his crest is.
April 2009 . Hello I will write about our new life in France. I will tell a little about riding in Sweden as well. We have been here in France with the horses more then a year now.
We live in the French countryside near Lyon. Here is lovely we like it but its colder and more windy then expected but lovely. Its peaceful and people are very nice. Many speak English and I speak a little French so we are ok. Food is nice lots of vegetables and fruits.
The trees are blossoming now the cherry trees, plums, apricots and peaches in the orchids fields its very pretty.
We have the horses in the hills on ca 800 m level if it will be hot in the summer the horses have a good woodland for protection for cool and shade. We also ride in the forest for shade and cool in the summer and for good protection in the winter. Its very beautiful here but hilly so rather tuff I think. Lots of paths every where. France has many marked paths. Its very popular to go on really long rides here. There where more families with horses in Sweden though.
In Sweden its more of a family thing having horses many families have horses in the Swedish countryside. Perhaps there is more land available in Sweden so its easy to have a horse. So there are many small horse pensions you can have your horse with a family in the country in Sweden. Here in France we are lucky I think to find a good place a good pension. As there are fewer places here. Its much farm land in this part of France yes but also much farming and much cows. So finding a place for the horses close to home was tricky. We hope to have the horses closer to home soon.
The horses are in a pension its best for now as we are leasing a house. We hope to get our own place soon enough. We hope to move closer to the lakes it would be so good in the summer. So hopefully we will find a place closer to the Alps where the lakes are.
Add your input to this blog post:
http://shameinthehorseshowring.blogspot.com/2008/09/ponies-on-ice.html
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-ic elandichorses2007-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/1196245 279-3284-1667373440.jpg
Other pictures from the WC can be seen here:
http://flickr.com/photos/islandpferde/1206135297/i n/set-72157601569036835
http://flickr.com/photos/islandpferde/sets/7215760 1569036835/
http://gallery.mac.com/jtfreeman#100035/DPP_0225
http://gallery.mac.com/jtfreeman#100035
http://www.fotoagentur-dk.de/de/pics.php?gal=%2FPf erde-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.