[IceHorses] Conformation
>>We once had an old cowboy farrier - wonderful guy. He actually self published a book on hoof care and shoeing. He'd worked on some of the big old time Western cattle ranches and he'd spent a lot of time alone with a horse - thinking.<< Must have been Bob Rosser. He cooked really good Mexican food. I used to go help him shoe his old quarter horse. He would make the shoes and I would nail them on for him as he couldn't get under a horse anymore. Then we would go up to his cabin he had built and he would cook us up a great meal and tell me about the days on the ranches in Arizona. I have a copy of his book. It is too bad most breeders don't pay attention to feet and legs. My Icey gelding that came from Brenda Devine has good hard feet and a lot of bone. I picked him because he looked like a horse that would stay sound. He is being conditioned to go on a 4 day pack trip in the Marble Mt wilderness in July. And might even make it to an endurance ride one of these days. Karen Parker
[IceHorses] Indian Shuffle
Just a sidenote here: There is a line of Appaloosas who do a soft gait referred to as the "Indian Shuffle". Has anyone ever seen or ridden one of those? I had an Appaloosa stallion many years ago who did the Indian Shuffle. He was really smooth and could go all day in it. He was out of a Quarterhorse mare and a foundation Appaloosa stallion. His name was Rambling Man. Karen Parker
[IceHorses] Icelandic Peruvian crosses
Tosca, as an individual, is a very nice pony. So is Barbara Evensizer's mare Martha who I believe came from the same breeder. I wish all the horses I get in to train were as nice as Martha. I would love to own one like her even though I love my Icelandic gelding. And Francisco is a Peruvian Arab cross. Karen Parker
[IceHorses] Recovery EQ
Icelandic Horses I had a horse in training the vet prescribed Recovery EQ for. He was a little less sore on it. We used it for a couple of months and then the owner didn't buy any more. Hope this helps. Karen Parker
[IceHorses] Trail Trial Obstacles
Icelandic Horses Hi Judy, some of the obstacles here in Oregon have been: 1. step over a log with front feet, (straddle log) dismount on left walk around behind and mount on right side. Logs are good mounting blocks here in woods. 2. put on rain slicker. 3. back uphill 4. walk in, back out of narrow winding trail. I make these with flagging tape around trees in my woods. 5. Walk between sleeping bags with dummies in them. Give one of the dummies cpr while holding on to your horse. One trail trial had blood all over dummy. This could be really funny. 6. ice chest with squeeky hinges on picnic table next to bowl of grain. Get drink from ice chest without horse grabbing grain (doesn't seem fair to horse) pop top, put can in either metal garbage can with lid or plastic bag hanging from tree or fence. 7. backpacker 8. mountain biker or ATV or dirt bike or tractor 9. pack mule, goat or llama. 10. any kind of junk along trail, paper, tires, appliances, carpet 11. get mail from a mailbox. 12. open gate 13. lost hiker with map flapping needing help 14. flagging trail, take down or put up flagging 15. 3 dog food bags preferably different colors across trail, spaced a couple of feet apart weighted on ends with poles. 16. go by pig or chickens or a barking dog. 17. narrow bridge 2 2x10 or 2x12 laid on ground will be bouncy. 18. Tie to a high line or hobble horse. 19. pull firewood or Christmas tree that is tied to a rope. 20. megaphone with a police siren button 21. walk through loose brush. 22. lots of log walkovers up here as well as stream crossings. I also have 2 blankets hanging from a closeline to walk through, wind chimes to play, bridge with logs on sides, a narrow bridge 18" wide, 1 ft high, with white, green and blue stripes, tire walk throughs, noisy saw, pedestals, white plywood pieces, styrafoam bottle packing hanging from a rope at different levels to weave through (Xango obstacle)about 15' wide, plastic tunnel, teeter totter, trampoline cover stuffed with shavings with tic, tac toe painted on it, old round snow disc hanging from a tree with a stuffed monkey, (spin the monkey), bear on a bed, bear on a swing, kids ball with bells hanging from a tree, steep pile of dirt (Pat's Peak), mylar string curtains ( Oriental Trading Post $4.95), kites, ballons, creaking metal sign, ghost, waterfall, windsock, small creek and pond, old farm equipment, irrigation ditches and so on. Hope this gives you some ideas. Karen Parker Clickin' On Ranch
[IceHorses] clicker training
Icelandic Horses When you train behaviors in any method you need to teach stimulus control. That means the animal does the behavior every time when it is cued to do so, but doesn't do it without the cue. The fun thing about clicker training to me is free shaping a behavior such as laying down then putting a cue on it. Buford does lie down on a verbal cue, lie down. I took him to a sandy spot to roll, said lie down as he went down and repeated it several times until he understood the verbal cue. He lies out flat when I say flat, again taught through free shaping. He doesn't lie down unless I verbally ask him to. Tony, who is on my working with feet video, picks his foot up and holds it up for me if I say foot, but will keep it on the ground when I run my hand down his legs and feel them unless I give him the verbal cue. When horses first start clicker training they are very eager to show off and earn a scratch or a treat. The key to stimulus control is a clear consitent cue and not rewarding the behavior unless you asked for it. Karen Parker
