>>>> I think it would be great if they offered a bridleless competition for Icelandics. That is really a T2 competition...
Absolutely. What I've seen about the loose rein competitions has NOT been impressive - it all seems to be about macho bravado, sort of like the Icelandic drill team demo I linked to recently where there was much ado over laser lights, but the horses were breaking gait, the riders couldn't even keep their spacing even with a very simple pattern. When I've seen videos of the loose-rein tolt competitions, the riders drop their reins for a few seconds, make a huge hoop-de-doo of raising their hands like it's some never-before-seen feat, then a few strides later, they frantically grab reins as the horse breaks gait. Whoopee. In fact, in the WC pictures this year, it had dropped to an all-time low if you ask me. Now tell me: WHY should riders be allowed to go into a LOOSE-REIN TOLT class with a shanked bit and dropped noseband? If you look at riding skills on any international level, Cary and I are a couple of bumbling buffoons. Yet we can ride either Skjoni or Eitill on a very loose rein at tolt for much further (barefoot, and snaffle bit, no noseband) and we're nobody. On the far extreme, that mounted police drill on YouTube had some glitz and flash to it - but those folks can RIDE. I'm not opposed to some glitz - if there's some skill behind it, I love to see it. No way can I claim to ride like those people, and my hat is off to them. But, it's only sad to me to watch people who think they are showing off when they really aren't doing anything much special. In fact, it's a little embarrassing to watch. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.484 / Virus Database: 269.13.2/985 - Release Date: 9/2/2007 4:32 PM IceHorses Community for Photos and Videos: http://kickapps.com/icehorses "The greatest enemy of the truth very often is not the lie- deliberate, contrived and dishonest -- but the myth -- persistent, persuasive and unrealistic." "All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." ~ Arthur Schopenhauer [] Lee Ziegler http://leeziegler.com [] Liz Graves http://lizgraves.com [] Lee's Book Easy Gaited Horses http://tinyurl.com/7vyjo [] IceHorses Map http://www.frappr.com/IceHorses Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
