Riding with Mind Connection

There are many ways to ride a horse. With Icelandic Horses, we see a lot of riding by way of equipment. How did such unnatural methods come to be mainstream with such a natural horse?

Let's see if we can get our Icelandic Horses back to natural riding such as shown in this video.

Ground Driving Charm, Icelandic Horse

Charm went out on the road, ground driving; lots of challenges such as the cars driving by, tempting green grass, dogs charging the fence, pasture mates calling when she left, driving one handed with the camera in the other hand, pastures mates running when she came back. She was calm, and only did a slightly faster walk on the way home.

Raising the Level of Horsemanship with Icelandic Horses

We are raising the level of horsemanship with Icelandic Horses by aspiring to ride "in concert" with the horse, as seen in the video above with horses of other breeds.

Young riders develop great riding skills and have super communication with their bridleless horses. Producing horses who love two-way communication, who enjoy willingly responding to light requests is rewarding!

Icelandic Horse Gait Comparison

Fun Natural Horsemanship with Icelandic Horse

This young gal is having some fun doing natural horsemanship with her Icelandic Horse.

Making a Smarter Horse

Many years ago, we started clicker training with our horses, along with natural horsemanship, and started teaching our horses how to learn. Once the horse knows how to learn, he's a much smarter horse!

A good horseman is able to put his horse's feet exactly where he wants them. It's a good thing if the horse knows how to respond to a request of where to put his feet by thinking about it, not just by rote. You end up being able to do a lot more with a thinking horse! And he doesn't need to be micro-managed!

Toss out the bits, the nosebands, the contact on the reins. A well-trained, thinking horse doesn't need them. Neither does the rider.

Little by little, over the years, our following has grown, and we are getting more Icelandic Horse owners who want thinking Icelandic Horses.

In Germany, clicker training and natural horsemanship is growing with Icelandic Horses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pw8gVG77g2o

In the UK, they have had Circus Trick courses:

http://www.ihsgb.co.uk/Circus_Course12.htm

We are so proud to have been able to bring this to the Icelandic Horse breed, and made such a positive impact.

We all are lovin' it!

Straight and Crooked Legs

Here are two sets of front legs of Icelandic Horses. The flight of one is straight, the flight
of the other is crooked.

How do straight or crooked front legs impact the horse and his movement?

Click onto the image to see a larger version.