>>> Maybe the big ones cost more on the plane to the USA? ; )) Yeah, sure, right, must be. Uh huh.
It's not like "height inflation" is unique to Icelandic's. I can't count the number of "16+ H hunter prospects" we went to see that were barely 15H - if that. It's just when we're talking about a breed that is obviously pony, the bragging seems sadly "short man syndrome," sort of like the balding men who comb their fringe up and over their bald spot in the "Dairy Queen swirl" to lamely attempt to hide their baldness. Nothing wrong with bald men - at least ones who don't try to hide it - and there's no reason to be apologetic about our ponies. :) I've seen several Icelandic's in the USA who were touted to be 14.2-15H - I even got a chance to measure a couple of them. I feel sure that one is legitimately 14.1H - a genuinely big Icelandic, probably the biggest I've ever seen, but not close to the 15H he was touted to be. The other "14.2" Icelandic's I've had a chance to measure were not even fully 14H, typically 13.2H-13.3. Remember, I had to travel all over the continent to find the Icelandic's I have, so I have some here from many blood lines. Robyn had a couple at her place that wouldn't surprise me were legitimately over 14H - but she has had over 100 Icelandic's both times I visited, so that's not a big percentage at all. I don't argue that there are a FEW Icelandic's who are over 14H - but not many. I also chuckle at some of the pictures of the supposedly "14.2H" Icelandics - where their 6-foot-ish rider's legs dangled many inches below the barrel of the horse. I have a 6'2" husband, and have owned three16-ish H (15.3-16.1) horses, as well as many 13-14.2 horses/ponies. No way are so many of these advertised horses over 14H - it's the Dairy Queen Swirl mentality (imagination) at work! Does anyone remember the picture of the supposedly "15.3H" Icelandic that went around a few months ago? There was a woman standing beside him. If that gelding was 15.3H, then that woman must be at least 6'6"! Karen Thomas, NC
