Friday, August 31, 2007

Getting To Yes: Clicker Training to Improve Horsemanship

This is a fantastic new book by Sharon Foley, called Getting to Yes: Clicker Training for Improved Horsemanship.  It is very effective with Icelandic Horses / Ponies.

http://iceryder.net/gettingtoyes.html

Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Here's an interesting thread about trotting and Icelandic Horses:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/IceHorses/message/104761

Judy
Icelandic Horse Connection
http://iceryder.net
http://clickryder.com

Friday, August 10, 2007

Cookie, Icelandic Horse Mare

Here are some videos of my Icelandic Horse mare, Cookie, who is 11 years old.


Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Cha Cha's First Piano Lesson

This is the first "piano" lesson in clicker training for this little Icelandic Horse mare.

Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Charm on the Platform

Here's a little video of Charm, my Icelandic Horse filly, stepping up on the platform:
 

Friday, April 13, 2007

Sokki, Icelandic Horse, Natural Gait

This is Sokki, a 15 year old Icelandic Horse, gaiting naturally with no shoes, no boots, no weights, no pinching saddle, no noseband, no heavy contact, no ventroflexed frame:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3011147237271300893

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Gaited Horses Book

A "must have" book:
 
Lee Ziegler's Book  Easy Gaited Horses http://tinyurl.com/7vyjo

For Sale in Nevada

For Sale in Nevada:
 
Icelandic cross mare; 3/4 Icelandic yearling:
 

B.F. Skinner on Horses

B.F. Skinner on Horses:
There is definitely something wrong with the way the horses are handled," wrote Skinner (1983, p. 82) after making several visits to a horse barn.

"Their control is almost exclusively aversive. I am going to talk to the teacher in charge of the horses and unless she thinks it likely to 'spoil' the present training, I'll try to ... shape some behavior" (p. 82).

Armed with a frying pan and a bicycle horn, Skinner began to shape the behavior of a horse named Mama. Using the frying pan to feed small amounts of oats or hay to Mama and the horn's sound as a conditioned reinforcer, he shaped Mama to turn her head to one side.

Later, Skinner could hold Mama's head so that a bridle could be placed on her head and a bit placed in her mouth. But soon his investigation was halted after a rider in the barn informed him that he had violated a fundamental rule of horse training: "You must not be nice to a horse."

By positively reinforcing desired behavior, he was found guilty of "spoiling" (p. 83) the horse. He abandoned his investigation.

These observations, presented in Skinner's autobiography, well characterize the attitudes of horse handlers today: Few types of behavior are controlled by positive reinforcement.

Groundwork and Bareback Riding

Groundwork and riding bareback:
 
A video of Bleikja, which includes ground work, and riding bareback and bridleless:
 
 
Two videos of Iris and Roskur, riding bareback and in halter:
 

Special Mare for Sale

 
Special Mare for Sale:
 
This is Stella, with natural gaitedness, who needs to be in an SE-free area, with someone to manage her weight.
 

Analyzing Gaits

We are working on analyzing gaits from videos, to be put on the website for educational purposes.  Here are a few samples:

http://iceryder.net/gaitstella.html

http://iceryder.net/mountainhorse.html


If you have any video of your Icelandic Horse in gait, we would love to add
it to the collection.  Any gait video is welcome, from under saddle to gaits
at liberty.

Recall on Pergolide

Recall on Pergolide
 
For those who have Insulin Resistant Icelandic Horses (or any other breed), stayed tuned for up to date information on the recall of pergolide.  New information and updates will be placed on this page:
 

Pajamas and Horses

We, owners of Icelandic Horses, are so very blessed.  We like to step forward and give to those who are less fortunate.
 
Please help to represent the Icelandic Horse Connection in the quest for pajamas (and books) for the Pajama Program, as seen on Oprah.  These donated items will be given to needy children in the name of the Icelandic Horse.
 
 
Please help us to be well represented!  We are the first horse group to participate; a successful drive could be a great reflection on the breed!
 
Thanks!

Icelandic Horse Filly Needs Home

 
Icelandic Filly Needs Home:

This filly is pasture bound due to an injury to the hind leg:

http://iceryder.net/brenna.html

Saturday, March 17, 2007

Saddles for Icelandic Horses

Icelandic Horses come in a multitude of back and barrel shapes, sizes, and lengths.  Some Icelandic Horses are short-backed and mutton-withered.  Saddle fitting that type of horse is difficult, however, we have found that the treeless saddles are a good option for them.  Here is the Sensation saddle, which many have found to be wonderful for their Icelandic Ponies:

http://iceryder.net/sensation.html

Identifying Icelandic Horse Gaits

Identifying Icelandic Horse gaits:

http://iceryder.net/gaitstella.html