What do you like/dislike about Icelandics?

[Trolt]

I'm not sure I could give them much more praise than the praise that they've been given here already.

For me the key thing is how safe I feel on them. If I hadn't discovered Icelandics I would have given up riding with completley shot nerves. I was too scared to even walk round on a horse I knew, now I jump, gallop on the beach, hack out in unknown open spaces, do dressage tests and enjoy my riding.
Whilst I am too heavy to ride say a 13hh NF, I don't feel confident on horses suited for my weight (I'd need a 16hh horse) so icelandics are a fab comprimise.

I love the sense of community within the society as well. It's so friendly and welcoming and accepting. I just wish Icelandics were more popular so more stuff could be done in the year.

I dislike the thickness of their coat when they are moulting, how easily they blunt clipper blades and how muddy they get

I dislike how addictive they are, and know once I get my own (I share a couple of icelandics at the moment) I will never be able to just have one.

 

[EddaHestar]

Kalsi,

I agree, I have made so many lifelong friends through my love of Icelandics... including meeting my husband (in the last photo, on our Stallion Dropi - who I can assure you is no hairy plodding hack about), who sold me my first Icey.

I owe them so much, my life as it is now really.

I went riding in the forest today with some really fantastic horses, rode one and lead one, and they were a complete joy.

... maybe we are a little fanatical, but only because it is so addictive LOL

Mandy

 

[eventergirl87]

Mmmmm how do I suitably describe how I feel about them??

Best friend is RL is trolt, so I see the ponies she shares often.... have ridden them as well as another friends icey.

I do and I don't 'get it' lol! ....... I can't take them seriously .... They are cute but I would never choose to have one, plus they don't appeal to me the ones I've met ...... very aloof and don't show much to humans..... maybe due to the herd dynamic of the ones I know... who knows.

I think the thing that some times...... is puts people off the correct phrase to use??.... is the intensity of some 'icey' people

 

[devonlass]

They're too small to interest me and I don't agree that they should be carrying large weights - I just think they're very tolerant and stoic and put up with it. Just because they can don't mean they should.

They are very prone to sweetitch

And I think they look so odd Tiny spinly little legs, not much body then this mass of mane

And mostly I can't be doing with their owners, some of who genuniely and truely beleive that icelands are 'special' and far superior to other horses because of their breeding. I know everyone secretely thinks their own horses/breed is the best but some icelandic owners take it a step too far

I so totally agree with all of this,especially the bit about weight carrying and size of rider,and the way owners are so 'precious' about them.

Just because some *might* seem able to carry weight,does not mean they should,and yes maybe some of them can carry a 6' 4" bloke,but again should they,and really how ridiculous do they look??!! I appreciate how something looks to others should not be important but IMO there are limits to how foolish one will make oneself look in order to prove a point about how suitable these ponies are for absolutly everyone,and to prove how they are sprinkled with magic fairy dust etc etc

Is a real shame in a sense as I love ponies generally (I own one and ride it so my comments are not because I am one of the 'it's not a proper horse if it's not at least 16.2' brigade),but the attitude of icey people and owners that I have come across has actually put me right off them.
They seem to think they are so very different to other ponies,which baffles me TBH.They are a pony the same as any other pony,and as for their temperament etc,well I don't get that either.Have to say couple of the ones I know of are slightly un-hinged,and about as sane as a serial killer,but hey ho that aside even if we assume they are all bombproof,sensible etc,what's so special about that?? I have had horses and ponies of various breeds that were equally if not more so even tempered,safe etc than any icey I have ever heard of!!

They do come in nice colours I will give them that,and do seem easy and cheap to keep,but then so are many native breeds.
I honestly don't see what you can get from an icey that you can't get from a decent example of a fell or dales pony,highland or newfie etc,and they don't have the inflated price tags that icey's seem to have,and are a lot easier to get hold of.

Apologies for the generalisations I have made in my post.I am aware that not all icey owners are arrogant,pompous and have beliefs in magical fairy dust and mythical creatures,just most of the ones I have come across seem to have these strange attitudes

Can anyone explain to me why they are horses and not ponies?? I always refer to them as ponies as to me that's what they are,and I know that in Iceland thay are always referred to as horses etc etc,but can anyone enlighten me as to why?? How do they qualify as a horse rather than a pony??

 

[Arabelle]

There are a few Icelandics on the Scottish endurance scene and they seem sweet, willing little souls.

However, if I am to be totally honest (eek!) I don't really see the point of the them in Scotland. If you want that native type, I don't see why you wouldn't get a Highland? Native to Scotland and very versatile - I am not a particular Highland fan as such, as personally I prefer a hotblooded arab, but they seem to do well in endurance and be very versatile.

So, nice enough, but why go to the expense in Scotland when you have a breed that fulfils the same purpose on the doorstep

Just my thoughts.

 

[stimpy]

I honestly don't see what you can get from an icey that you can't get from a decent example of a fell or dales pony,highland or newfie etc,and they don't have the inflated price tags that icey's seem to have,and are a lot easier to get hold of.

For many people the answer to that question is tolt. I imagine (hope!) that most people reading this have a passion for horses. So, if you have been riding horses for 10, 20, 30 years and all of a sudden you come across a horse that not only has the walk, trot, and canter gears that you are so familiar with but has another one or maybe two gears (by which of course I mean gaits), is that not a fascinating prospect? It's no surprise to me that the places outside Iceland where Icelandics have become popular is in the dressage nations, the technicality of riding them well is IMO a natural fit with the dressage crowd.

When my friends who are not Icey owners come and ride with me they are always surprised by what they find underneath them, it's never what they expect and the standard response is that they completely get what I see in them. None more so that my friend who rides at Advanced Medium, she thought they were a revelation!

Apologies for the generalisations I have made in my post.I am aware that not all icey owners are arrogant,pompous and have beliefs in magical fairy dust and mythical creatures,just most of the ones I have come across seem to have these strange attitudes

Heheh, I understand where you are coming from, I am an Icey owner and even I can find some owners a bit evangelical at times.

 

[kalsi4654]

I think the reason most Icey folk ARE so annoyingly fanatical is that they are the equestrian equivalent of born again Christians, just so overwhelmed with how fantastic their horses are that they preach to everyone around, whether they want to hear it or not LOL!

That said, sometimes it IS just plain daft. I've had Icelandics for around 25 years, and I get really annoyed with the people who say "they're not ponies, they're horses". Whilst they are *called* horses (for traditional reasons - there is no word for pony in Icelandic, and they are bred to carry adults) of course, physiologically they ARE ponies. It annoys me that so many Icey people seem to think that's a BAD thing!? Ponies generally are strong, tough, versatile, hardy, intelligent and fun, exactly the things that Icelandic "horses" are. And the reason we have Icelandics rather than any of the admittedly wonderful native breeds like Highlands or Fells etc? None of the natives tolt. And it's just SO much fun to ride.... and flying pace is such a blast. You have all the good things about native ponies, with the wonderful addition of the extra gaits. What's not to love?

 

[Rose Folly]

Know comparatively little about Icelandics, but a friend has two, who he LDRs, and he says that at the end of a 25-miler the Iceys thinbk it's the lunch-break, and are rarin' to go round again! Did anyone see the lovely series on different breeds on the Horse & Country Channel? The one on Icelandics was glorious - and a real mind-opener.

 

[EddaHestar]

Hi Guys,

I have got the following from Wikipedia :
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Icelandic horse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Although the horses are small, at times pony-sized, most registries for the Icelandic refer to it as a horse.

Horses are members of Equus ferus caballus that generally mature to be 14.2 hands (58 inches (150 cm)) or taller, but many breed registries do accept animals under this height and classify them as "horses," as horse characteristics include factors other than height.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Does this go some ways to explain?

The Falabella also comes under the horse section, though nobody can deny their general height.

There are other breeds too.

Maybe the horse / pony thing should be a new forum!

Regarding their stature and the weights they are expected to carry, we also think that 18 stone is stretching it a tad, but they are very able to carry adults of average weight. They were after all bred by the Vikings 100's of years ago to transport themselves and equipment all over Iceland. They were used for everything so the breed had to develop genetically in order to cope with what was expected of it. If they couldn't be ridden they would have been eaten.

Not all of them have 'excellent' characters, but much of this is down to either choices or handling. They are very bright and quick to learn new things - this includes bad habbits as much as good ones.

... suppose i had better get back to work now...

Mandy
www.eddahestar.co.uk