>>> you can breed whatever Icelandic you like, as there are a lot of breeders >>> in Iceland >>> who have their own imagination of what would be a perfect horse for them. >>> And if you >>> have a look at the confirmation marks, you can well see, that also heavier >>> built >>> horses get good marks, if the overall package is ok.
Here's what the standard says about proportions: >>The horse should be full of splendour and presence. The legs should be long and the body light and cylindrical in shape with front, middle and hind sections approximately equal. The highest point at the withers should be higher than the highest point of the croup.<< It specifically says that the breed should be "long legged" and "light-bodied, " And, we know that leg joints (cow-hocks, sickle-hocks, toed-in, toed-out, etc.) aren't weighted very heavily. This specifically says we are to breed a more refined horse, and we shouldn't worry with the legs. I don't like that at all. These horses are supposed to be capable of carrying weight in the saddle. A light-bodied horse with bad legs isn't suitable for that but the math favors a light-bodied horse with a pretty head, mane and tail, with a long neck. Proportions are counted 10%, so a heavy horse would be hard-pressed to compete with a light-bodied horse in overall score. He can't make it up by having correct leg jointss, since that's only weighted 3%. Here are the scoring designations for proportions, which are still somewhat vague, but I have to admit are more specific than most of the categories : >>9.5-10: - The horse should be full of splendour and presence. The legs should >>be long >>and the body light and cylindrical in shape with front, middle and hind >>sections >>approximately equal. The highest point at the withers should be higher than >>the highest >>point of the croup. >>9.0: - Generally very beautiful. The legs are long and the body light and >>cylindrical in >>shape with good height at the withers. Only minor faults in proportions. >>8.5: - A beautiful overall appearance. The legs are long and the body light >>and >>cylindrical in shape. Mares should not be croup high, and stallions should >>stand higher >>at the withers than at the croup. Only minor faults in proportions. >>8.0: - A nice looking horse. - Good attributes can cancel out a few faults. >>7.5: - Average proportions and harmony. - Good attributes can cancel out a >>few faults. >>7.0: See description for the mark 6.5 and lower, but here the faults are less >>serious. >>6.5 and lower: - The horse is low at the withers and therefore croup high.- >>The horse is >>heavy-set; with a deep chest, a heavy body (very round or flat-sided). - The >>legs are >>short. - The horse is short and stocky and/or very disproportionate in >>length, front, >>middle and hind sections. - The horse is disproportionate in the front and >>the back >>sections (width, depth) including the chest being too narrow (collapsed). Karen Thomas, NC
