>>>I decided to take my soon to be 2 year old to the young horse evaluations >>>just to see >>>what it was all about. I could not believe that he was just about the only >>>young- >>>horse (less than 4) that knew how to lead, get on a horse trailer, tie, >>>pick up his >>>feet, etc. ... I was told that Stormur was too calm and did not have >>>enough lift to >>>his feet. I have played/worked since he was born to desensitize him. He >>>does the >>>Parelli seven games and targets well with a clicker to anything he is >>>afraid of. He >>>would not run when they tried to chase him (HaHa).
Well, good for you. "Too calm"...? It's what I've seen with my horses. I haven't seen a home-bred here yet that ISN'T calm - VERY calm. I don't know anyone over 50 in my area that doesn't want calm. I wonder why NH has had such a boost in popularity in the USA (and the world) over the past 20 years? I think it's because people WANT calm horses. People are spending boatloads of money to try to figure out how to make their wild or excitable horses calmer. VERY few people go to Parelli clinics (or those of other NH) to make their calm horses into unhandled wild horses. If you treat this breed like you treat other young riding horses of other breeds, they are the calmest breed I know. That is their strong suit, and we should be PROUD of it, not trying to make them into something they weren't born to be, just to satisfy some macho egos! >>> The young horses were herded from a pasture onto a trailer with great >>> difficulty as >>> the young horse evaluations were in an indoor arena down the road. The >>> young ones >>> were falling getting on and off the trailer. They were made to load in >>> and out the >>> side door (which I always thought was a NO! NO!) In the arena they were >>> chased around >>> to watch them move. Several of them got lose trying to get them back on >>> the trailer >>> and had to be chased to be caught. I was appalled. Of course most of >>> these young >>> horses had only been handled once or twice ever. I just can't see this >>> makes any >>> sense. That IS appalling but sadly, not surprising. I'd even call it barbaric. They just threw all the young horses into one trailer, and owners didn't load their own horses individually? I can't imagine putting one of my babies into the "cattle car." Remember that old "turnip foal" passage in that book that Nancy Marie Brown wrote? I know I've been reprimanded for witnessing my mare's births, but I KNOW it's what I should do. It makes no sense to me to treat my horses like cattle headed for meat. It's a totally different mindset than anything I care to be a part of. >>>The positive comments were that he had a lot of good natural tolt and trot. >>> He showed >>>all 5 gaits naturally and they were all clear. He just did not have enough >>>"lift" to >>>his gaits. They remarked that his conformation would be first prize. >>>Strong broad >>>back, good hooves, good joints, good tendons, nice withers, nice shoulder >>>and croup. >>>He had a "coarse" head (whatever that means) I didn't go to the evaluation, but I've seen enough in the videos I've watched that I believe you. You can read the FEIF conformation guidelines, and even though they are vague, you can see that there's nothing in them of any substance to reward the old-style, strong Icelandic horses. I don't see any reason to take my horses to be evaluated - I know how to evaluate soundness-related conformation, and there are sources in my area that I trust to give me unbiased assessments of the conformation of my horses - people who don't herd horses around like cattle! BTW, I think Icelandic's generally DO have fairly coarse heads...and I've learned to find them beautiful. It's what Icelandic's ARE, or at least what they have been in the past. Why shouldn't we amend our definition of beauty rather than try to change the breed? I'm sure that Stormur's head is beautiful! I find Arab heads odd looking now that I've morphed my standard of beauty. :) We don't ride heads. We DO ride horses, and we hope they are strong - of mind AND of body! >>> I did learn a lot about conformation and what they perceive as good. I do >>> not >>> believe that is what is best for me and my horse. Renee, he sounds very nice and it sounds like you've done a great job with him. Please don't change what you're doing. I suspect you'll want to keep Stormur for his entire life, but should the unexpected happen, you KNOW a horse like him would have a choice of good homes. That thought gives me the confidence to do what I do with my young ones. Thanks for the report, Renee. Karen Thomas, NC
