Re: [IceHorses] Evaluations
>> As an owner new to Icelandics, one of the things I really love is that a nice trot is encouraged. Hi Nancy...great to see ya here! Riding an IcePony is the best of both worlds. You have a trot and a easy...smooth gait. Trotting a horse is a great way to keep their backs healthy. Raven Lucy & Molly, the Girl Doggies Huginn, the American Ice Pony Dixie Chick, the Mini Barn Goddess Western WI, USA, Planet Earth Please be a responsible pet owner! http://tinyurl.com/yw3ak6 Unseen they suffer, Unheard they cry, In agony they linger, in loneliness they die.
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
On 2/10/07, Karen Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I don't think I see your point here...? I should know better than to take the laptop to bed and post when I can't sleep. ;) Way back when I was a dealer for an endurance tack company what I was told is that you needed the plastic pipe (the ones I have left are 1/2" inside diameter) to protect the stirrup leathers. The plastic pipe I have is identical to what came on the 'old' EZ Rides, that way I could change the sizes for people if they wanted me to. Something about the leathers being stressed too much if they rest on just the bolt, that it has to be covered. I doubt if you or I would have a problem with it since we're both small, but it's always been my opinion that EZ Rides were designed for a giant. Steph -- "Brutality begins where skill ends." "Correctly understood, work at the lunge line is indispensable for rider and horse from the very beginning through the highest levels." Von Niendorff
Re: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
> I should clarify that. I got to see Bragur be ridden. I didn't ask to ride > him myself, because I was still awfully stiff and awkward from my injury - I > don't know if they would let most owners ride him - he didn't seem to be a > handful or anything. I got to spend a little time with him in his pasture. > So, compared to how much access many mare owners have to various stallions, I > guess I got to know Bragur pretty well. But, on the other hand, I owned > Melnir for two years before I decided to breed him to any of my mares. I > feel like I REALLY know Melnir. An owner of a stallion SHOULD know their stallion inside outso that's a good thing. An owner should be able to fill in the subtle points regarding his personality. Things a stranger looking him over would never see. Seeing how he moves with a rider he's accustomed to is a good thing. So not riding Bragur in the short time you had to look at him, was probably a prudent move and probably wouldn't have revealed much. But the little personality quirks he (or any stallion) might not show to a stranger are what I'm interested in hearing about. I know my horses are different when there are strangers around. I would expect other Icelandics are the same. Wanda
RE: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
>>> That's the odd thing about Ima - I just barely got to meet her dad before >>> he bred Bjola, so I don't know him nearly as well as I know Melnir and my >>> mares. I should clarify that. I got to see Bragur be ridden. I didn't ask to ride him myself, because I was still awfully stiff and awkward from my injury - I don't know if they would let most owners ride him - he didn't seem to be a handful or anything. I got to spend a little time with him in his pasture. So, compared to how much access many mare owners have to various stallions, I guess I got to know Bragur pretty well. But, on the other hand, I owned Melnir for two years before I decided to breed him to any of my mares. I feel like I REALLY know Melnir. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [IceHorses] Evaluations
If the evaluations were working, wouldn't we see more good legs on Icelandic Horses, and not what we are seeing now? I think I see a good number of good legs on Icelandic's...but most of the Icelandic's I see aren't evaluated. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] Evaluations
On 10/02/07, Karen Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In the riding section, tolt has a weight factor of 15, pace: 9, trot: > 7.5, and gallop: 4.5. Walk is only given a 1.5, and slow tolt and canter are > given 0. > > I don't know of a single pleasure rider who shares the priorities > represented in that weighting. But slow tolt (saddle rack) is the gait that's done naturally by most naturally gaited horses. If a horse is gaiteds/he is going to saddle rack (three foot support). It seems to me that the evaluation of the gait the horse does naturally...would be a vital indicator of how 'well-gaited' that horse is. If I was to do it all over againI think I'd want to study an animal moving freely in the pasture. I would take tons of pics and videos and go home and study the range of gaits I'd seen. If I happened to see a clean trot in there too...I think that would hit the jackpot for me. I would want it all. I want a horse with all the range of gaits. if I was to buy a youngster. I'd have it shown to me in halter much like the video of me trotting beside Dagur the other day. If you see a youngster slip in and out of a form of soft gait, you know it won't be hard to find under saddle. As an owner of a gaited horse I am absolutely compelled to determine all the soft gaits I can. I want to identify them and recognize them when I see them. As I work through the pics and videos that are sent I begin to see a common head set with the various gaitsthe videos are wonderful for determining the whole movement of the horse, but I still have to stop them to study where the feet are at any given moment. My eyes aren't quick enough to catch that yet. For some of you, noticing gait has become an inherent thing. I'm not quite there yet. Wanda
Re: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
> So, is it fair to say that those are your criteria: level headedness, brains, > bravery, and gaits? Do I assume correctly? All equally important to you? Yes, brains and temperament come first. And yes, even though the thinkers are a challenge to train...they bring a lot to the table. Level headedness is a must. >Since you own his mom, how much of her do you see in him? (In other words, do you think this apple fell close to the tree?) What's she like? She has brains and temperament. She's a big girl and I thought she might be a good mount for Kevin some day. She has a fairly long back which is not the greatest, but Solon's back must be like his Dad's because's it's fairly short. Which is a good thing. He's got a lot of filling out to do yet though, but I imagine he'll need a treeless saddle. After Solon got out of his gangly stage, and came into his own - I began to see that he moves quite differently from Elska. Where she can look pacey at times, he has a cleaner trot, but can also do a lovely gait at the walk (running walk perhaps). I should actually get someone to video tape us and analyze what it is that he's doing. I've never met his father (Kalman)...but I'm told that Kalman's temperament is outstanding (solid citizen type). Where Elska is the top banana here (and can be bossy)...Solon is willing to give you ground without an argument. He'd follow me anywhere without a fuss. Does anyone remember him trailer training himself? That's just the kind of guy he is. There is nothing scary in his world. > Can I ask any more questions...? Hope I'm not being too nosy. Sureit's time to begin thinking about stallions. I imagine everyone is thinking about what they want in their offspring... Wanda
Re: [IceHorses] Evaluations
On 2/10/07, Judy Ryder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > All of these things can and *do* mask the raw baseline data that we *should* > be looking for in evaluations! > The way they do evaluations doesn't tell me anything about the horse that I really want to know. It is impossible to look at the scores alone and know what I would want to know, as a consumer. I want a solid minded horse with natural gait. I think it's really hard to figure out if an evaluated horse has a solid temperament or not from evaluations. Certain types of training can make a good horse seem crazy and fast, because they want speed. Riding, tack and weights can also make a horse perform better than they would be able to without all of that. > > What's the problem that the riders can not get gait on these ponies > *naturally*? without heavier shoes, without bell boots, without the Dig & > Pinch saddles, without the tight nosebands, without their weight on the > horse's mouth, without sitting on the horse's loins, without whips? The ponies may not be naturally gaited, maybe, maybe not. There might be highly evaluated horse who would do fine without all of these aids, but there also might be a good percentage who would totally fall apart without these things, the problem is, it's really hard to tell without testing that, therefore the evaluations do nothing for me right now, if they started to show the horses in a more natural way, then it might mean something for breeding and/or offspring you might get from them. > > The value (weight, score) of traits: > > In the riding section, tolt has a weight factor of 15, pace: 9, trot: 7.5, > and gallop: 4.5. Walk is only given a 1.5, and slow tolt and canter are > given 0. > > Walk only 1.5? Right off the bat those different numbers seem pretty arbitrary, they want the horses to have all the gaits, but they assign really different values to each gait, and 0? I want a horse with a good canter, maybe not so much of a full gallop. It just seems that the system is geared toward showing. > The conformation guidelines call for straight legs but the resultant > conformation of the horse does not indicate that evaluations are having a > positive impact on good leg conformation. > > If the evaluations were working, wouldn't we see more good legs on Icelandic > Horses, and not what we are seeing now? > I guess...didn't someone mention that there was money held out as a prize for the first person who could come up with a 1st prize roan? So people can figure out how to breed for a goal, I'm sure they could come up with straighter legs if they were actually penalized for really crooked legs. In my mind the system is uneven in some way if ponies with pretty low scores on legs can still attain 1st prize, it just seems wierd to me. It's like a beautiful house without a proper foundation, it's not going to turn out good. Kim
RE: [IceHorses] Evaluations
In the riding section, tolt has a weight factor of 15, pace: 9, trot: 7.5, and gallop: 4.5. Walk is only given a 1.5, and slow tolt and canter are given 0. I don't know of a single pleasure rider who shares the priorities represented in that weighting. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] EZ-rides with upside-down webbers
>your pics help a whole bunch<<< Karen, If my saddle doesn't fit Lukka I am gonna have to ask these questions all again!!! I actually did print the pics. I love my easy ride stirrups so they will go on any saddle I end up using!!.
RE: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
I bear none of the risk, none of the expense, none of the gamble. I just wait until they're four+ years old or so and buy exactly what I want ... well, not always, but I think for me, the chance of getting the horse I dream of is much higher when I have all of horsedom to shop in and am not limited to the foals of one mare. That was my reasoning pre-Icelandic's too, and that's why neither of my other mares ever had a baby - although I did breed Holly once, and she lost the baby. There is always some risk to the mare...and I can't forget that especially as foaling time rolls around. And while we can try our best to breed the best mares to the best stallions (for the intended purposes), there's always some element of chance in the breeding. Usually, "the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree", but not always. >>> Of course, I don't have the fun of having babies or the opportunity to start them as I would want them handled. The babies ARE fun, and I love them, but there's a lot of responsibility to go with the fun. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [IceHorses] Evaluations
Are Icelandic Horse Evaluations useful? correct? informative? valuable? valid? Funny that you bring this up the same day I thought to ask about breeding 2008 foals. But, as I said then, I guess 'tis the season... No, they are not useful to me. Not one bit. They don't measure any traits I see as valuable. They encourage training in ways that I don't want my horses encumbered with. They give scores to horses who have had varying degrees of training, and training is not heritable. They give scores regardless of how the saddle fits or where the saddle is placed. A tight saddle, placed very far back will make a horse hollow his back, and thus, make him more likely to do a gait more towards the lateral end of the spectrum. Loin-sitting riders aren't heritable either. They allow toes to be a lot longer than good farriers in my area leave, and long toes can make a pacey horse go more four-beat - but not without wear and tear on his skeleton. They allow bell boots "for protection" - but if a horse interferes so badly as to need protection, shouldn't that be noted on an evaluation score? Bell boots aren't heritable either, but unfortunately, the tendency towards interference often is, so it shouldn't be hidden. After all, they are nominally "breeding evaluations." I wouldn't breed a horse that interferes. On the evaluation tapes I have where I can hear the judges comment, the most common comment was "needs more speed" - when I thought the horses mostly looked too rushed. I don't know anyone who wants that much speed in a trail horse - and I wouldn't want to sell a baby to a yeehaw rider anyway. So, no, the evaluations mean nothing to me as a breeder. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
That's fine within reason (Solon will be 4 on Aug 30, 2007) OMG! I thought I just joined the list. Wow, Solon was born about a week or so after I first signed on to this group. He was the first "list baby' I remember. I can't believe he's that old. The mounting looked really traumatic to him. :) Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
Cara (who owns Elska) has talked about breeding her again simply because we are so pleased with Solon. The reason we are pleased with Solon (now that he's through his ugly duck stage) is his personality and temperment are absolutely outstanding. I've yet to run into anything that scares him. He's not a dead head by any meanshe's a thinkerhe's just not afraid. ... Plus he shows gait in the pasture.I'm fairly certain it will be easy to find once he's under saddle. So, is it fair to say that those are your criteria: level headedness, brains, bravery, and gaits? Do I assume correctly? All equally important to you? Since you own his mom, how much of her do you see in him? (In other words, do you think this apple fell close to the tree?) What's she like? Have you spent a lot of time with his dad? That's the odd thing about Ima - I just barely got to meet her dad before he bred Bjola, so I don't know him nearly as well as I know Melnir and my mares. Can I ask any more questions...? Hope I'm not being too nosy. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
On 2/10/07, Karen Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > 6. If you don't breed, why not? Do you feel like your mare has weaknesses > that you'd rather not pass on? No interest? Scared of the health risks to > your mare? Don't feel like you have the right facilities? Don't want the > responsibility? Other? > > The more I think about this, the more I'd like to hear from the non-breeders > too. > I don't breed. I have one mare now who could be bred. I think I would be scared to death of something happening to her. I have plenty of horses, I certainly don't need another right now, or anytime soon. I think she is nice, the breeders actually offered to buy her back from me because they were thinking about breeding her. I didn't buy her to breed her, I bought her to be a nice trail horse and I like mares. I just can't get past the idea that something could happen to her, or the baby, or both. I've heard enough stories, it does happen, I don't think I want to take that risk. I would feel awful if something like that happened. I will probably just enjoy my mare. I am sure there are people who are better suited to deal with this than I am, I'm definitely not saying nobody should do it, then where would I get my horses? Kim
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
On 2/9/07, pippa258 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Finally got to try this saddle today...I love it! Great photo!!! V
Re: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
> Here's a video of of Cara climbing up on him about a month ago. This > was the first time we even attempted something like this with him. He > took it in stride. Cara is only 100 lbs (if that)BTW > > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdN6bg66qzw Love it! Nice and easy. Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
RE: [IceHorses] EZ-rides with upside-down webbers
Oh, Karen! You are so sweet! I was kidding about the step-by-step pics...but yes, your pics help a whole bunch. No problem. I had to bring the Webbers inside today anyway. These are my new leather ones (I splurged) and the shortest hole wasn't quite short enough for my legs. I didn't take the bolt out of the EZ-rides to make these pictures truly step-by step, but I thought about you while I had them off the saddle. One disappointment with the leather Webbers. I bought them thinking it would be easier to make new holes than the synthetic leathers. Wrong. They are only leather on the outside, and are lined with the same hard-as-diamonds plastic-y materal that the synthetics ones are made of. I'm one of the few women you probably know who has her very own drill press in the garage - for the sole purpose of being a serious leather punch. (I can't remember the last time I used my food processor, but the drill press gets used about every week.) That Webbers material is tough to make new holes in - even with the drill press. Cary ended up using the Dremel tool to make the elongated holes needed for the t-buckles - so much for my independence. My recommendation - no need to pay extra for the leather Webbers that I can see. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
Cherie Mascis wrote: > Occaisionally, one of my horses will get a small spot that looks a little > scurffy. The hair will pull loose and there'll be a dry crust at the base. > I think it is a precursor to rain rot. Their hair is so thick, when it gets > wet at the base it makes a cozy spot for bacteria/fungus. I make sure to > give them a really deep, down brushing to stimulate the skin, especially > after a few days of rain. Starri really seems to dislike brushing and I'm thinking the rubber curries I have pull more than glide through the hair...I'm thinking of a Mars Coat King. Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
Interesting questions Karen. Cara (who owns Elska) has talked about breeding her again simply because we are so pleased with Solon. The reason we are pleased with Solon (now that he's through his ugly duck stage) is his personality and temperment are absolutely outstanding. I've yet to run into anything that scares him. He's not a dead head by any meanshe's a thinkerhe's just not afraid. We're in the process of starting Dagur and Solon is absolutely convinced that whatever we do to Dagur...we do to him as well. That's fine within reason (Solon will be 4 on Aug 30, 2007) Here's a video of of Cara climbing up on him about a month ago. This was the first time we even attempted something like this with him. He took it in stride. Cara is only 100 lbs (if that)BTW http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdN6bg66qzw Plus he shows gait in the pasture.I'm fairly certain it will be easy to find once he's under saddle. Wanda sorry about the dark video
Re: [IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
Hi Karen, I do not breed. As a rule, I prefer a nice gelding, but I do own two Icelandic mares and have ridden and shown a few very nice mares over the last 43 years. Frankly, I do not breed because I would rather buy the results of your efforts. I bear none of the risk, none of the expense, none of the gamble. I just wait until they're four+ years old or so and buy exactly what I want ... well, not always, but I think for me, the chance of getting the horse I dream of is much higher when I have all of horsedom to shop in and am not limited to the foals of one mare. Of course, I don't have the fun of having babies or the opportunity to start them as I would want them handled. Nancy Sturm
Re: [IceHorses] EZ-rides with upside-down webbers
Karen Thomas wrote: > > Trish, > > Do these pictures help? Oh, Karen! You are so sweet! I was kidding about the step-by-step pics...but yes, your pics help a whole bunch. Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Barefoot Comparison, Right front
kim morton wrote: > Wow, they look much better. > I'm amazed at how far he's come...and glad it was possible...thank goodness for boots! Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
Janice McDonald wrote: > oh wow. The perfect roundness in the first pic makes me think > RINGWORM. Eeek! I didn't even think of that and I've been treating it with my bare hands...great thinking nurse I turned out to be! Their whole paddock is sand and there aren't any damp areas. A few weeks back when it rained quite a bit, I left the stall doors open and they could go in and out as they pleased. Mostly they stood out in the rain which is why I was thinking rainrot. Does it take a few weeks before rainrot shows up? > Rainrot here begins by you pet the horse and feel these little scabby > bumps that easily come off when you scratch them. And the hair comes > out with the little spot. And it gets bigger and bigger. til a bald > patch forms. It seems dry and scaley. > It feels dry and scaley but there is nothing to peel off as the spot is already bare. > I would bathe and then spray with betadine for a couple of months til > you make sure whatever it is is gone. Ringworm will spread little > spores that attach to the hair and will stay there a long long time > and then appear again. > Straight betadine or do you dilute it? My neighbor recommended Gold Bond powder. Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Christine's book, Sleipnir's Story
> Anyone read Christine's book, Sleipnir's Story, yet? I just finished it. Yes; wonderful read! Great insight. I made a page on the website to link to the book: http://iceryder.net/sleipnirsstory.html and also a link to a sample chapter. If you haven't ordered one yet, please do! Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
Karen Thomas wrote: > > Sheesh, I did it again. That should read, "Regular stirrup LEATHERS work > fine without any modifications." Sorry. I know! When I read your first post, I was gonna have to ask you again to clarify :-) ...but you caught it! Trish
[IceHorses] Planning on 2008 babies?
"Tis the season, so I thought maybe some other people are thinking along these lines. Is anyone going to breed this year? I'm thinking about who I'm going to breed, if I do breed anyone. I was wondering if anyone feels they've learned anything from their recent breeding that they'd like to share. Here are some other questions for you. 1. How do you decide whom you want to breed, and to whom? 2. Do you feel qualified to breed? If so, why? If not, why? 3. What would you like to see in your babies? How likely do you think you are you to get what you'd like to see? 4. Who do you talk to for breeding advice? People only within this breed? 5. If you don't breed, but might be looking to buy a young horse in the next few years, what would you like to ask any breeder you'd encounter? 6. If you don't breed, why not? Do you feel like your mare has weaknesses that you'd rather not pass on? No interest? Scared of the health risks to your mare? Don't feel like you have the right facilities? Don't want the responsibility? Other? The more I think about this, the more I'd like to hear from the non-breeders too. Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
Stephanie Caldwell wrote: > > Could they be bite marks from the other horse? Star has a few spots > where Runner has taken her hair off this week. I was thinking it was that or that he rubbed himself on the fence but they are almost perfectly circular. Then again, all these marks are where they would bite each other and they do scrapple quite a bit. Someone wrote me that it might be something called "mane and tail rot"...is that the same as rainrot? Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
Raven wrote: > Your pony is so darn cute!!! <;] Thanks! And the bald spots aren't just on his withers. They are mainly on his shoulder and neck and just the one spot on his withers. Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
Judy Ryder wrote: > > I can't tell from the pictures if it's rainrot. I had only one case of > rainrot in all these years of owning horses and it was on an Icelandic, > right along the spine. > Is this because the picture isn't clear enough or because there is residual Desitin on the area? Or is it just difficult to tell from a pic? Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Barefoot Pics Comparison - left front
Karen Thomas wrote: > BTW, what is the history and state of the new horse's feet? New horse, Kopar, has iron feet. He gaits over gravel like it's cornflakes. Not that I ride him regularly over gravel (!) but when I rode him at his old owner's place, it had been raining for 3 days in a row and the only dry area was their gravel road. I remember asking them if it was okay to ride him barefoot on that and they said they did it all the time. He really has gorgeous feet and I love to look at them (my weird interests!). His old owner said they used to ride for 6-7 hours and would put aluminum shoes on him for those rides and then take them off. When I saw him, though, he was barefoot. Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
> Oh no, we're not back to Conway buckles! That was the whole reason I > changed to Webbers to start with. The conways are just holding the webber to the stirrup ring. Once they're on you don't have to mess with them. The webbers adjust the normal way. Cherie
[IceHorses] Evaluations
Stuff to think about: Are Icelandic Horse Evaluations useful? correct? informative? valuable? valid? Because of the many different outside influences that impact the scores, many of which are not heritable traits, the evaluations may not be that valid to be of benefit breeding programs or picking breeding stock. Here are some of the influences on the horse: [] Heavier shoes (influence the stride and lift, mechanical / artificial gait aid) [] Bell boots (influence the stride and lift, mechanical / artificial gait aid) [] Nosebands (inhibit breathing, influence the tension throughout the horse) [] Heavy contact (force a frame onto the horse) [] Girth placement (compressing the ribs) [] Ill-fitting saddles (impact the frame of the horse) [] Placement of saddles (too far back, onto the loins) [] Poor seat by the rider (too far back, onto the weakest part of the back [] Use of whips (adding tension) All of these things can and *do* mask the raw baseline data that we *should* be looking for in evaluations! Other problem areas: [] Chair seat for gait [] Bouncing on the horse's back in trot [] Behind the vertical [] The "lunge and surge" canter (caused by rider interference) [] Rider balancing his weight on the horse's mouth [] Tight Nosebands; illegal use of nosebands [] Speed valued over finesse [] Rough riding ignored (i.e. yank, yank, yanking on the horse's mouth) The more skilled a rider is, the less equipment he will need. A quote from the FEIF rules: "The following nosebands may be used: With all snaffle bits: English Cavesson, American, combined (flash), Mexican (Grackle), Hannoverian (Drop), Leveller noseband. With Pelham and Icelandic curb bits: English Cavesson or American noseband." Why in the world do they include the most severe nosebands?!?! Heck, it's a PONY! Shouldn't it be able to be ridden without heavier shoes, weighted bell boots, tight and / or severe nosebands (what kind of rider *needs* that type of control on a pony?!?!), saddles that force a horse into a ventroflexed frame, banging on the horse's back in trot (can't sit the trot? can't post?), etc. What's the problem that the riders can not get gait on these ponies *naturally*? without heavier shoes, without bell boots, without the Dig & Pinch saddles, without the tight nosebands, without their weight on the horse's mouth, without sitting on the horse's loins, without whips? The value (weight, score) of traits: In the riding section, tolt has a weight factor of 15, pace: 9, trot: 7.5, and gallop: 4.5. Walk is only given a 1.5, and slow tolt and canter are given 0. Walk only 1.5? About conformation scores: Shouldn't the higher value be placed on conformation as it related to soundness, performance, especially in traits that might be inheritable? Color, manes, nice ears, pretty heads, etc. don't affect the soundness of future generations. It appears, in breeding evaluations, that most of the emphasis is on the performance of individual horses, regardless of their conformation. Breeding evaluations should be first and foremost about breeding for good conformation to protect the future generations. One of our subscribers said: "You often see horses that look like compilations of used body parts." Another subscriber said: "A horse with poor conformation may be able to perform well. But he may a "time bomb" for passing on faults that might not recombine so luckily in next generations." The conformation guidelines call for straight legs but the resultant conformation of the horse does not indicate that evaluations are having a positive impact on good leg conformation. If the evaluations were working, wouldn't we see more good legs on Icelandic Horses, and not what we are seeing now? __ Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
[IceHorses] Body Condition Scoring
Some info on how to evaluate the condition of your horse: http://iceryder.net/bodyconditionscore.html Please feel free to forward. Judy http://iceryder.net/ http://clickryder.com/
Re: [IceHorses] bad time to be born
Hi Denise Where do you live? February is not a good time to be born in the barn. And it seems to be cold everywhere even in places where it is usually warm. Your baby is really cute. Heres wishing him the best of health!!! Have you thought of a name yet? Sherrel (in Ohio where we are having a heat wave, it got to 18 today)
Re: [IceHorses] bad time to be born
cute! good luck and keep that bay warm and dry!! <;] Raven Lucy & Molly, the Girl Doggies Huginn, the American Ice Pony Dixie Chick, the Mini Barn Goddess Western WI, USA, Planet Earth Please be a responsible pet owner! http://tinyurl.com/yw3ak6 Unseen they suffer, Unheard they cry, In agony they linger, in loneliness they die.
RE: [IceHorses] Barefoot Pics Comparison - left front
The second pic (where the walls are falling apart, etc.) was the day after I pulled his shoes back in August 2005 in CA. He was in a sandy paddock and they looked like that the next day after just pulling the shoes...just fell apart. When I owned him, he was trimmed every 6 weeks for shoes. Before that, his owner did him every 8-9 weeks. I'm guessing he was shod ever since he left Iceland. Oh...I somehow read that as being your new horse, not Starri. Sorry! Now that I'm thinking about the right horse, I remember you'd tried him barefoot once before, and that his feet fell apart. I'm glad to see his feet are so much better, without shoes. I don't have an issue with horses wearing shoes if they need them, but gee, I have twenty-five here, and not one wears shoes. Now, none are regularly ridden on really rough rocky trails, but we rarely pull out the EZ-boots either. Those are great pics for comparison sakes. Thanks for sending them. BTW, what is the history and state of the new horse's feet? Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
RE: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
I've also just cut the loop off the end of the webbers, threaded that through the stirrup ring on the saddle and put a hole in the webbers on each side of the stirrup ring and attached the webbers to a large conway buckle. That way you don't run out of holes if you need to make the stirrups really short. Oh no, we're not back to Conway buckles! That was the whole reason I changed to Webbers to start with. Dana's original stirrups all depended on Conway buckles (so did the Freeform saddle stirrup leathers) and for those of us who share saddles with other people, that is a real PITA! I probably never would have tried the Webbers to begin with had it not been for Conway buckles. :) Karen Thomas, NC, hoping Mr. Conway has been severely punished for his horrible little invention! [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
Betadine solution will kill rain rot and ringworm. Just remember ringworm is contagious to humans and other mammals. If that's what he has. Wash your hands in betadine scrub after treating him. If you have a black light, you can check for ringworm, it fluoresces. (Since the 60's don't know many people who have black lights handy)! Cherie
RE: [IceHorses] Iceland's Entire Family Tree is Online
its important to consider. I bet you never thought of that! Oh my gosh what a revelation Karen!! Your whole breeding program could just skyrocket now that I have told you this. Its a little secret apparently not many icelandic breeders ever thought of the way some people talk... sheesh. Oh my gosh! its astonishing! both parents contribute! This new breeding science is gonna shake the whole breeding world... You ain't right. ;) Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: [IceHorses] Barefoot Comparison, Right front
On 2/9/07, pippa258 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Here is Starri's right front hoof... Wow, they look much better. Kim
Re: [IceHorses] Barefoot Comparison, Right front
> Here is Starri's right front hoof... Thanks for the pictures, Trish! Such a difference in his feet! These are great to have for educational purposes. Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
oh wow. The perfect roundness in the first pic makes me think RINGWORM. If it gets where the middle is shiney and dry, like scar tissue. it is ringworm. Easily cured. get some atheletes feet medicine. or jock itch, i get them mixed up :) But then you will have to look for new outbreaks. And if you have cats, they could be pooping in the sand in ther paddock where the horses roll and spread it, but I have even heard flies can spread ringworm. Nasi had ringworm! When his new hair came in it was a different color in that spot until the next shedding! And you can get it so remember that. Those little bald spots can really hurt your image haha. Nasi got ringworm at the boarding barn because he was hot and would lay in his water tank spill over where algae was growing and his little paddock was completely shaded with damp earth. See if you have a spot in the horse's area that is damp... Now that we are in a sandy dry place my horses havent had rainrot but they have had thrush from the washrack. Now I bleach the washrack religiously. Rainrot here begins by you pet the horse and feel these little scabby bumps that easily come off when you scratch them. And the hair comes out with the little spot. And it gets bigger and bigger. til a bald patch forms. It seems dry and scaley. but there is also a fungus that gets wet and yucky. But ringworm is dry and usually a perfect round circle exactly like in the first pic. I would bathe and then spray with betadine for a couple of months til you make sure whatever it is is gone. Ringworm will spread little spores that attach to the hair and will stay there a long long time and then appear again. janice-- yipie tie yie yo
Re: [IceHorses] Is this rainrot?
Occaisionally, one of my horses will get a small spot that looks a little scurffy. The hair will pull loose and there'll be a dry crust at the base. I think it is a precursor to rain rot. Their hair is so thick, when it gets wet at the base it makes a cozy spot for bacteria/fungus. I make sure to give them a really deep, down brushing to stimulate the skin, especially after a few days of rain. Cherie
Re: [IceHorses] Iceland's Entire Family Tree is Online
On 2/9/07, Karen Thomas <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Has anyone else noticed that it's hard to find an Icelandic Horse who's NOT > related to one or more of the "famous" stallions? dont forget the mare is important too! You are a breeder so I think its important to consider. I bet you never thought of that! Oh my gosh what a revelation Karen!! Your whole breeding program could just skyrocket now that I have told you this. Its a little secret apparently not many icelandic breeders ever thought of the way some people talk... sheesh. Oh my gosh! its astonishing! both parents contribute! This new breeding science is gonna shake the whole breeding world... Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
[IceHorses] Re: Treating abrasions
I had good luck with vitamin E oil. Also coat the E oil with Vitamim A and D. This will keep it where it belongs not dripping away. Susan Cushing
Re: [IceHorses] Old Icelandic Picture
On 2/9/07, Wanda Lauscher <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi All: > > Here is the picture I spoke about earlier. > > Can anyone translate the text? it is either a small man or a BIG horse!! and appears to be a typically pale icey palomino! Or maybe grey? A beautiful horse. oh my gosh, check out the loose noseband, there's actually airspace! what a cool pic :) Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
> The newer EZ-rides have a fat slightly springy cover over the bolt that is > supposed to add still more shock absorption. The loop of the Webber won't > fit over that. I've also just cut the loop off the end of the webbers, threaded that through the stirrup ring on the saddle and put a hole in the webbers on each side of the stirrup ring and attached the webbers to a large conway buckle. That way you don't run out of holes if you need to make the stirrups really short. Cherie
Re: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
Karen Thomas wrote: > Gee...I've been making saddle pad covers. Now I'm giving helpful hints on > stirrup riggings. I really don't care for Martha Stewart, but darned if > this e-mail didn't sound Marth-ish. And that's not a good thing... Thank you for this very detailed explanation! Oh, it's a very good thing for us newbies and engineer-challenged people...believe me! Now, if you could only add step-by-step pics ;-) ...you could start your own magazine, Karen Thomas Barn & Tack, Etc. (as opposed to Martha Stewart Living)! Trish
Re: [IceHorses] Barefoot Pics Comparison - left front
Karen Thomas wrote: > I pulled Starri's shoes back in August 2005 and thought I would send in > these comparison photos...the farrier doesn't think he even needs boots > anymore. But I have them just in case... > > Was he wearing the boots in the pasture, or just for riding? How long had > it been since his feet had been trimmed in the first pictures? It looked > like they hadn't had good care in a while. How often was he being > trimmed > when he was shod? I had him in old Macs just for riding and just on the front. The first picture looks like the bad hoof?!! Uh, oh...the first pic is the trim he just had 2 days ago. The second pic (where the walls are falling apart, etc.) was the day after I pulled his shoes back in August 2005 in CA. He was in a sandy paddock and they looked like that the next day after just pulling the shoes...just fell apart. When I owned him, he was trimmed every 6 weeks for shoes. Before that, his owner did him every 8-9 weeks. I'm guessing he was shod ever since he left Iceland. Trish
[IceHorses] Re: KY Riders Trail Alert
--- In IceHorses@yahoogroups.com, Raven <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Therefore, without an > outpouring of support from trail riders it is possible that horses > will loose access to these areas. Please attend this meeting to have > your voice heard to ensure horses will continue to be able to access > these trails. > That would be really bad. Those are about the only places to ride besides private property, thanks. Kim
RE: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
Regular stirrups work just fine though, without any modifications. Sheesh, I did it again. That should read, "Regular stirrup LEATHERS work fine without any modifications." Sorry. Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.33/678 - Release Date: 2/9/2007 4:06 PM
RE: [IceHorses] Sensation Hybrid
You should use the grey high pressure outdoor PVC pipe, the other stuff isn't strong enough and could shatter or break. I don't think I see your point here...? The plastic piping is well under $1 per foot (maybe under $.50 - can't remember) and it only took an inch per stirrup. (Two inches if you use the wider, western-neck stirrups - but I don't think the Sensations can use western stirrups.) It's simply a cover over the bolt - it's not even needed. If it breaks I'll splurge another $.04 and replace it. The bolt was, and still is, what carries the burden structurally. I've been using one for over a year, and it's still fine. And, btw, I don't think you can find any PVC pipe that is small enough on the OD, yet big enough on the ID to go over the bolt. And if you did, it wouldn't have any "springiness" of the softer tubing. That's the only reason I tried the tubing - the bolt alone should have been fine. Canadian Trail House sells replacement tops for the EZ Rides. She sold them so you could have one set of EZ Rides and use them for different sized leathers. And none of the tops work with Webbers, unless you take the rubber cover off and just use the bolt - which was the reason I posted this, so people can use Webbers if they prefer. Regular stirrups work just fine though, without any modifications. Karen Thomas, NC -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.441 / Virus Database: 268.17.33/678 - Release Date: 2/9/2007 4:06 PM
