Re: [IceHorses] an awful pic
Let's all visualize the Icelandic Horse barefoot, treeless, bitless, getting the high scores at evaluations and shows; and natural gaits being valued. Judy I'm with you there! And we can also help by only buying sensible animals to encourage responsible breeding. Rachel from E KY
Re: [IceHorses] an awful pic
And this is why I squawk about ice tolts and tight nosebands, too small saddles, harsh bits, weighted shoes or shoeing to balance a gait Strong arming, cantle sitting, water skiing Oh and my favorite.tolt training. We ain't very clean either... i think Wanda, at the very very core essence of why there is some dissension among traditional type icelandic trainers / owners and natural horsemanship type trainers / owners, is because we NH people have watched and observed and just sit in horror at the abuse in the walking horse industry and see and know how it crept on so incidiously subtle. A heavier shoe here, a set of chains there--- all those old pics of horses like Midnight Sun and Merry Go Boy showing them practically barefoot with normal action, they are considered the greatest walking horse studs of all time, of the breed, producing sound natural gait in their offspring, wonderful mild and calm temperament. Then we watch the progression through time. You can pull up pics on the net of each years WGC and just see the shoes stack up, the bit shanks lengthen, the wonderful natural lift morphing into something obscene, a spider crawl with bunched haunches and the head thrown back so far in agony that the actual neck muscles overdevelop and bulge. and the temperament. I own old foundation walking horses and one that is HALF modern bloodlines. He is my only maniac horse, my only hyper horse, my only horse that isnt sensible. So its like we are saying watch out that the same doesnt creep up in our breed with the show people mentality, winning at all costs, then breeding the winners and producing offspring that are less and less like the old foundation types. It happens in every breed. Its almost a catch phrase. You see sale ads of appaloosas, quarter horses, walkers, etc stating old foundation lines! what does that mean? It means not a result of show breeding, to me. I know everyone knows I am anti-showing but I am not really! I have a very competitive nature but I want to show and compete in ways that are good for horses. In ways that doesnt ruin an entire breed. And its like they are saying how dare you accuse us our horses are nothing like that. And we are saying not YET and they are saying how ridiculous is that and we are saying i know it seems impossible but look what happened with walking horses and they are saying oh my god walking horses have been turned into monsters all we do is have a tiny little weight in the boots and a dropped noseband and we are saying thats how it all began with walking horses, just a tiny little bit of weight in the front shoes and a little more shank on the bit and they are saying so whats the solution? I dont know. Janice-- yipie tie yie yo
RE: [IceHorses] an awful pic
But the reality isthis is NOT traditional training. You can't tell me that the Icelandic farmers rode like this. This kind of training is some kind of noveau bastardized version that was created somewhere other than Iceland. ... There aren't any nosebands in the old pictures of Icelanders riding. Both horse and rider look quite pleased with themselves. To continue the parallel, the old plantation owners of the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries darned sure didn't ride Big Lick horses in the cotton fields, but they did keep gaited alive and thriving in the USA. Neither kind of abuse really cropped up to any serious level until people had plenty of leisure time to pursue horses as ego-boosters. Workhorses of past centuries might not have been coddled as we coddle our horse (but, then, life has never been so easy for humans either...) but economic realities kept a sort of balance in how they were treated. A lame, crippled horse wasn't useful, and so these older sport pursuits had some natural checks and balances. It all goes back to the show ring. I don't think all showing is horrible, and I think SOME good comes of it sometimes, but the desire to win does seem to put human egos ahead of animal welfare in way too many cases. Karen Thomas, NC No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.2/781 - Release Date: 4/30/2007 9:14 AM
Re: [IceHorses] an awful pic
thats how it all began with walking horses, just a tiny little bit of weight in the front shoes and a little more shank on the bit and they are saying so whats the solution? I dont know. Janice-- I heartily concur with you Rachel Jenkins
RE: [IceHorses] an awful pic
It all goes back to the show ring. I don't think all showing is horrible, and I think SOME good comes of it sometimes, but the desire to win does seem to put human egos ahead of animal welfare in way too many cases. Karen Thomas, NC Hear, hear! I concur. Also, any showing for looks alone seems to doom the breed; i.e., dogs. Many popular purebreds have already been reduced to ninnies. It's been hard to even get a decent Blue Heeler anymore-a dog bred for its wits and instincts to herd cattle. Rachel Jenkins
Re: [IceHorses] an awful pic
OMGAWD This brings tears to my eyes. Just look at that UNNATURAL hoof, how it's flipping UP! That poor horse. Janice...how could you sit there without beating the hell of those riders/trainers? I would have gotten myself into deep crap. I can not beleive this is still allowed. How very sad. Raven
Re: [IceHorses] an awful pic
On 30/04/07, Raven [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: OMGAWD This brings tears to my eyes. Just look at that UNNATURAL hoof, how it's flipping UP! That poor horse. And this is why I squawk about ice tolts and tight nosebands, too small saddles, harsh bits, weighted shoes or shoeing to balance a gait Strong arming, cantle sitting, water skiing Oh and my favorite.tolt training. We ain't very clean either... Wanda
