Icelandic Horses on Equitrekking

[@linoufouine]

I ike these beautiful landscapes. I like watching horses running freely...

[@specterman2000]

I've ridden a Icelandic horse and he was great mount! But I would love to go to Iceland and ride there.

[@LauraLaureen]

The Spirit is the message in this video. The transfer between the Icelandic horse and humans are very important. To feel the horse is one of the goals in our life not only to be a leader...

[@roommateofthekingofi]

@icehorses In the last 10 years, there has been a really BIG change in the horsemanship in Iceland. The horsemanship association in Iceland made a sort of correct riding campaign. It has worked wonders and the public are REALLY educating them self and learning to ride properly! So we are seeing less and less of bad riders but still there are those how don't have any feeling (not emotionally but this touch you need to be a good rider) and they will never completely disappear.

[@roommateofthekingofi]

Well, agree with you there! Many riders are no horsemen! To learn how to be a good and proper horseman and a rider doesn't take years it takes many lifetimes. I think depends on how old your soul is, and I mean it. Well, about some Icelanders not all but some, think they can go abroad a teach because they are so skilled. But it turns out they are actually so bad they would never be able to make a living of horses in Iceland. There are also good teachers, I don't take lessons from just anyone.

[@roommateofthekingofi]

@icehorses Well, you are entitled to your opinion but things have and are really changing! Have you been to Iceland for the past 10 years? Have you ridden a very well trained Icelandic horse in ICELAND (since 1997)? I assure you, when the horse has had proper training you have nothing in your hands, you don't need a heavy contact on the mouth! What I think you are aiming for here is some sort of "passive"riding and I think that is a one way of riding if you have no feeling/ no touch!

[@roommateofthekingofi]

@icehorses I say, come to Iceland! See for yourself! There will always be black sheep among people who are trying to do right. But that is not just among us Icelanders and Icelandic horses.. you can see that with all horse breeds. Do judge everybody because some riders are bad riders.

[@roommateofthekingofi]

@7T9U8R I'm Icelandic and also a rider/horse owner. It sounds like the horses you got on this trek were poorly ridden as the horses for tourists often are. It also sounds like the Icelanders were bad riders! Strong contact on the mouth is something we don't want to see and we DO have our legs close to the horse! For example if you want the horse to stop fighting the bit, you use your legs! Some riders are stuck in old riding styles, have poor knowlegde or just bad riders and lack the touch/feel.

[@roommateofthekingofi]

@icehorses I have been watching people take lessons from one of our finest rider and riding teacher, Reynir Aðalsteinsson. There are some who improve and improve and then there are other that have good horses but can't ride the correctly because the feeling isn't there! These people are in a 2 year program, and on the second year, even taking some extra lessons and should maybe have learned something by now but still they don't improve! It is sad, mostly for the horses! And they are HORSES!

[@Slievenamon]

The word "pony" needs to be scrapped. The Caspian is only 10 hands or 11 hands but is called a horse. The craze for larger horses is connected to British snobbery, hence the old saying "get off your high horse". If an able bodied person is unable to mount a horse from the ground without a ladder then the horse is too big for them, it is as simple as that.

[@roommateofthekingofi]

I agree with you that we are both seeking ways that are better for the horses. I just find it really bad that you look at youtube videos. In my opinion most are BAD. A very badly ridden horses by riders with little or no feeling. I can even say that many professional riders are really awful riders. I may be a bit younger than you but I have been riding since I was 3. I have also been working abroad with Ices and many other breeds so I know a little bit about the world around Iceland.