Cubby, Icelandic Horse

Cubby is a 13 year old bay Icelandic gelding. He stands right around 14h. He is super smooth to ride. Cubby is very good for the farrier and hes very good strong hooves, and is going great barefoot. Trailers perfectly! Loads and un-loads like a dream.

Cubby is however, a nervous horse so he wouldn't be suitable for children. He needs an experienced rider. Would be a great project!

Asking $2500 all offers considered.

For more information contact equuscapriccio@yahoo.com

Clicker Training Icelandic Horses to Stand for Mounting

Icelandic Horses benefit from clicker training. It is easy to teach them to stand for mounting. No need to keep them on a tight rein.

Description by owner: This is a couple of our clicker trained horses being mounted, they are enthusiastic, stand well, and don't move off until they are asked.

Icelandic / Shetland Cross

This horse is a cross between Icelandic Pony and Shetland Pony.

Clipping an Icelandic Horse

A previous blog post has some other pictures and links for clipping an Icelandic Horse:

Clipping Icelandic Horses

Here are a few videos of the pre-clip coat, the furminator, furbuster, mars coat king, and the clippers:

What A Horse Wants: A Light Hand

A quote by Anna Sewell, author of Black Beauty:

"... Oh, if people knew what a comfort to a horse a light hand is... we know in an instant what is required of us."

Nosebands on Icelandic Horses

Why are nosebands used on Icelandic Horses?

Many times we see the Icelandic Horses fighting the bit. It would appear that the jointed bits bother the interior of the Icelandic Horse's mouth. The heavy contact compounds that problem for the horse.

The horse tries to open his mouth to get away from the action of the bit and the harsh contact.

The noseband is tightened up to keep the horse's mouth closed on the bit.

Is that the answer?

Many horses in the world do not wear nosebands and do not open their mouths to get away from the bit.

If something is wrong, we need to find out what it is. If the noseband hides the problem, the problem is still there. A good horseman will not let the horse suffer if he is trying to tell us something is wrong.

Let's start with tossing out the nosebands, and correcting the problems caused by the bits and the heavy contact.

If the jointed bits are a problem for the conformation of the interior of the mouth of the Icelandic Horse, let's use a solid mouthpiece, perhaps a mullen-mouth bit, no shanks.



If the heavy contact is a problem for the horse, let's try riding on a loose or casual rein.

The Icelandic Horse is a smart horse. He does not need or want to be micro-managed through his mouth, while being ridden.

With a smart horse, a well-trained horse, and a good rider, the horse doesn't even need to wear a bit; he can go bitless.

Some other articles to read about Icelandic Horses and bits:

[] Behind the Bit

[] Frame and Reaction to the Bit

[] Gag Bit

[] Gerhard Kapitzke on Nosebands

[] The Leveller Noseband

[] Noseband Affects Breathing

Holar Follows Janice's Lead with Icelandic Horses

Holar, school for Icelandic Horse trainers, is following Janice's lead in dressing up Icelandic Horses with skirts, hair ties, and feathers :-)

Icelandic Horse Blue Saddle

A treeless saddle, in a beautiful blue color, fits the Icelandic Horse well.

Charm, Icelandic Horse, Opens Gate

Charm is a young palomino Icelandic Horse mare, who opens gates. She is a natural gate-opener; we did not teach her to open them.

Icelandic Horse Pictures

Looking for natural gait in the Icelandic Horse; gaits without manipulation by equipment and rider.

Icelandic Horses

Icelandic Horse Pictures, Images, Photos

Diving Icelandic Horse

We're in Canada, at Wanda's place, in the indoor swimming pool. This is Skumur, Icelandic Horse, and I, diving into the pool :-)

Do not try this at home; professionals only :-)

And then the Santas came and rode Skumur also! from ground to rooftop to rooftop.

Icelandic Horse Connection Pajama Project

The Icelandic Horse Connection yearly sponsors a pajama project to provide pajamas to underprivileged children.

You can donate pajamas to any of your local needy programs, or send pajamas to:


Pajama Program
34 E. 39th St., Ste B
New York, NY 10016

Phone: 212-71 MY PJs (212-716-9757)

Genevieve Piturro Founder/Executive Director

More information: Icelandic Horse Connection Pajama Project

Supporting Natural Gaits of the Icelandic Horses

The Icelandic Horse Connection supports the natural gaits of the Icelandic Horses; and opposes gaits obtained by mechanical / manipulated means.

Anja's Natural Horsemanship

Anja practices some natural horsemanship exercises with her Icelandic Horses. They seem to love the interaction!

Icelandic Horse Evaluation

An Icelandic Horse Evaluation in The Netherlands.



And one in Iceland.

TTEAM / Icelandic Horse

TTeam is good to use on Icelandic Horses. Robyn Hood of the IceFarm has Icelandic Horses and also does clinics on TTeam.

The Ryder Report

The Ryder Report is brought to you by TheHorse.com

This week's Ryder Report: Ryder Report 11/04/08

Choose the video you'd like to view:

The Ryder Report Videos

Tropical Iceland

Goat’s head in the deli case
Oh sweet angel-angel-bearded face
Paper mache parade on at night
That’s what you do with no sunlight
In the tropical tropical
Tropical ice-land
Bleak church on a cold tundra
Mountain-glacier-glacier-glacier-stream
Black stone beach and a black death bottle
Is all me and my baby’ll need
In the tropical, tropical
Tropical ice-land
Take intermission at the movies
Freeze outside for one quick smoke
Take a klondike bar from the pop machine
Hey it’s ice cream, no not coke
In the tropical tropical
Tropical ice-land
Let’s meet in Kristiana next summer
Let’s get out before we melt away
I’ve seen enough stray ponies and puffins
To get me through till the end of May
In the tropical tropical
Tropical ice-land

More Than A Bareback Pad

There are many bareback pads nowadays that are hybrids: a combination of saddle and bareback pad... something that lays between a saddle and a bareback pad.

Here are some of the options:

[] Natural Ride Bareback Pad, Saddle Up Tack

[] Baretek

[] Cashel Soft Saddle

[] Christ Bareback Pad

[] El Campanero Bareback Rider

[] Phantom Bareback Pad by Ghost or Ghost's Phantom

[] Champion Turf Bareback Pad

[] Little Joe Bareback Pad

[] Silver Dollar

[] Best Friend Comfort Plus Bareback Pad

More About Treeless Saddles

Icelandic Horse Car Wash

In natural horsemanship, the horses are exposed, at their own pace, to different obstacles. This obstacle is called the "car wash". This young Icelandic Horse makes it look easy! Good job!