> http://www.wickedlocal.com/hanover/fun/x224949997 > > http://youtube.com/watch?v=6C_JM9fOnMk
Here are the comments on the news article: beautiful horses Absolutely devine picture. The reason we moved to the area was to move from the heavy suburban environment to peacefulness. This is peaceful. Love the horses. best part of the Mariner Thank you for taking the time to shoot pictures of our Town. So many memories of Horses in Hanover. In our hustle bustle world, it is relaxing to see such beautiful animals. thank you German My family is from Germany and we had Icelandic Horses in Germany. Incredible animals. The best riding horse I was ever on. I am thrilled to know there is an Icelandic Farm in Hanover. Riding Ice It's not the best thing to do with horses, to ride on ice, especially at speed. It is very hard on their joints. Most people are very careful with riding at speed on hard surfaces. Why would this be done at the horse's expense as a spectator sport? Beautiful Horses It is so nice to see and read an article that showcases what Hanover use to be. The thought that we have these majestic horses in our town brings back memories of days passed, when a lot of horses were in our town. Thank you to Four Winds Farm in bringing to our town such a beautiful horse farm. Horses that are natural on ICE Icelandics are naturals on ICE, Iceland is a Country of Ice and the horses live on Ice 9 months of the year. Joint issues are not present in these type horses. Riding on Ice is a common sport in Iceland, Sweden and Germandy. These smaller, rugged horses that the Vikings rode are a natural to the climate in New England. Sure footed, the Icelandic thrives on snow and Ice. Great horse. JDGArrish We have been to Germany many times and the Icelandic horses are superb! We saw quite a few in the Goetesburg area. When I was growing up un Hanover, no one had heard of these. It is good to see them here. Horses in Hanover Driving into Town Hall area and down 139..incredible. We have loved Briggs and their horses and foals for years. Your a welcome addition and your farm is beautiful. We need to maintain a charm to Hanover and I am thankful to those who can and do. windgait Riding on ice is VERY tough on horses' joints, and doing it at speed, while having to balance a human's weight it just crude. Why? For entertainment? There is no such thing as a horse being bred to run on ice. Icelandic bones, bones, muscles, tendons and ligaments function just as any other breed's do. It's interesting to note that horses born and raised in Iceland where this sport is common seem to have a much higher incidence of bone spavin than their USA born counterparts who are not subjected to this kind of riding/training. Please don't suport this cruel practice. We have plenty of ways to enjoy our horses without risking their long-term soundness. response to windgait So wrong. Being in the Vet world ,there is absolutely no statistical data to support your supposition. The diagnosis of spavin in Icelandics is virtually nonexistant home and abroad . Period . How shallow to think horses breed and breed on Ice for thousands of years would have a problem doing a Ice routine for 15 minutes . One of the major problems with pseudo- horse people is their total uneducation. Don't think any one with an education would buy your theory. Your agenda is not needed in Hanover. Owner of a horse with spavin ...One of the major problems with pseudo- horse people is their total uneducation.... ABSOLUTELY! Isn't anyone doing any research on the problems created by horses working on hard surfaces? Are you a vet? IceRyder You said: "The diagnosis of spavin in Icelandics is virtually nonexistant home and abroad ." Eidfaxi magazine, Issue 4, 1997, had an article entitled "Spavin is a Serious Problem in Icelandic Horses" subsequent to a conference to discuss health issues in the Icelandic Horse of which spavin was a large part. There is also a book which contains several studies about Icelandic Horses and spavin: Bone Diseases of the Saga Horse by S. Bjornsdottir; and from Holar: Culling rate of Icelandic horses due to bone spavin. Thank you ,Lori, for helping to keep the town a good memory for all of us,young and old. Your animals look well fed and well groomed. Your joy in their well-being is obvious. They sure aren't running from you in the picture! Vi ryerson To the undercurrent of Hanover Any one can look on line , regarding any disorder. Those of us who work with such disorders know that the causative reasons for certain disorders in animals is unknown. But one factor is certain in "spavin" it has a genetic component. As such with this genetic component, horses exported to this country undergo testing and are not exported if they have certain conditions. And Spavin has "no correlation with an animal on Ice" nor has there been a study that makes this correlation.. All horse breeds can acquire this " osteoarthrosis" just like humans do. Hanover has a undercurrent on the "blogs" that has nothing more to do than try to denigrate the " good in this town" and this unfortunate person who may have her own horse with "arthritis" seems to think everyone elses does to. Osteoarthrosis in animals is mutlifactoral and is as much to do with feed as it is with saddles, etc. We evaluate closely disorders in large animals and know of no spavin with Icelandics in Hanover. Again, your issues are not with Beautiful horses in Hanover, it is about some dysfunction personal unbringing where you can't tolerate normality. Could not agree more Lately, on the "blogs" it is not about issues. It is about a few people who "hate" everything about life and venting. I'm not a horse person but I can clearly see that someone has an agenda. How ludicrous to think that an animal born and raised on Ice and snow should not ride in this Country on Ice and Snow. Another Icelandic owner Icelandic horses are no more suited to moving on ice and snow than any other equine. Their hoof structure is just like that of any other horse. The "ice nails" or caulks used for these icetolts are what makes it possible for them to go at speed, as they would any other horse. When my unshod Icelandic horses move about on icey footing in their paddock in the winter, they do so very carefully and gingerly -- like any other horse. And sometimes, they even slip a bit if they aren't careful. These indoor, American icetolts are on par with the old Donkey basketball games IMO -- an exploitive circus event done with no thought for the horses themselves and only for the amusement of the ignorant spectators. In Iceland, icetolts are held on frozen lakes and the horses are run in a straight line, not around and around in a hockey arena. The whole "sport" evolved to give the Icelanders a break after the cold, dark, hard winter and they used what flat surfaces were available to them -- frozen lakes. This is not something we have to do here with the horses. There are plenty of indoor arenas with horse-friendly footing available to us year round for an exhibition. These horses are wonderful on their own merit and do not need to be showcased in this very exploitive, silly way. Shame on everyone who participated and supported this event. You are no friend of the Icelandic horse. To the same person blogging who pretends to be an icelandic owner Don't know the Hanover Icelander in the story but seems like a wonderful farm from the picture. The blogger is full of horse crap. You don't fool any one. Ist, you don't own an Icelandic . All Icelandics are pure breed and registered. I found only one Icelandic Farm within an Hour of Hanover. Your clearly a "liar". Being from Sweden myself, my parents own Icelandics and I grew up with them. They live on the Ice and Snow unlike American horses. Their shorter structure and leg length is well adapted to sure footedness and they are uniquely made to be in the Ice and Snow. I don't think anyone would disagree that Morgans and Thoroughbreeds don't belong on the ICe because they are long legged. There are many differences in the horses. For example, it is difficult to Barn an Icelandic as they are double coated and get warm too fast. While we stable allAmerican horses in the Winter. Any experienced traveler who flys to Europe sees many horses on the tunda in Greenland on solid Ice. They are Icelandic horses. They have adapted to the Ice over thousands of years unlike their horse peer in America. Any way, people with hidden agendas can't understand rational thought. Fortunately, few people read the blogs. Because like myself reading this blog for the first time, it is clear your an "idiot" bored with your life . Us Europeans think it is wonderful that Hanover has a farm of such beautiful animals. Maybe your next diatribe will be the caging of Elephants at the zoo. Get a life. Icelandics on Ice I am a Vet very familiar with large animals and was called yesterday regarding a question of "is there harm to riding Icelandic horses on Ice". Never was asked this question before so I contacted another Vet in WESTERN MASSACUSETTS who owns an Icelandic and works alot with them. She is a Cornell researcher and she was clear to me" there is no problem with riding Icelandics on Ice". She is experienced and authoritative. I hope this clears up the question. Icelandics are a natural on the Ice. Another Vet with a Different Opinion Rather than conjecture or anecdotal experience, how about studies on the subject as to Icelandics on ice and whether it does or does not negatively affect them. Ego or horse ... horse or ego ... which one is more important? Nice try but no vet would make such a stupid statement Icelandics on Ice. Hundreds of Thousands of Horses over Centuries. With Agricultural Colleges and Horse Colleges in Iceland, don't you think if it was a problem, it would have been studied. No one on this earth sees it as a problem except some "phony in Hanover". IceRyder You said, "don't you think if it was a problem, it would have been studied." Not necessarily. It may not be considered in places where horses are easily disposable. You said, "Icelandics on Ice. Hundreds of Thousands of Horses over Centuries." And a very high rate of slaughter. But, let's take a look at the situation by looking at different points. Someone mentioned the horses being raised on ice... is that true? Really, is it true? Think about it. Do the horses run on ice at liberty? How many of the horses in the show were imported, how many domestic? If domestic, were they raised on ice? If imported, how long had it been since they'd been on ice? If only for 15 minutes, were they conditioned on ice prior to the show? Moving at speed on hard surfaces is a method of soring horses which is called concussive practices. It is a method to make the horses have more animation in front. Watching one of the videos of icetolt on youtube, it can be seen that the horse is snapping his front feet at the walk, which would not be normal movement (also notice fighting the bit on several horses): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYKjXzUpde4 What was the reason for this exhibition? was it for the horse's benefit? or the benefit of the show promoters? Judy http://iceryder.net http://clickryder.com
