Icelandic Horses | Kentucky Life | KET
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ย. 2024
- Icelandic horses may be the purest horse breed in the world. The horses of the Vikings; they have been isolated in this ancient Nordic country for a thousand years. Known for their thick manes and long tails, they come in an extraordinary number of colors and have five natural gaits, a rarity among horses. And now this beautiful breed is being introduced to Kentucky by Gudmar Petursson.
Petursson breeds, trains, shows and sells Icelandic horses at his farms in Iceland and in Oldham County near Louisville, Ky. His goal is to increase awareness of them here in America and show off their versatility.
Icelandic horses can walk, trot, and canter, but also have two additional gaits: the tölt (a four-beat gait) and the flying pace (hooves on the same side touch the ground together at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour). The flying pace is used in Iceland for racing.
Petursson's Knights of Iceland can be seen in performances at equine events like the World Equestrian Games and Equine Affaire. If you're up for traveling, you can learn more first hand through America 2 Iceland, which provides educational equine-related trips to Iceland from America and Europe.
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I am privileged to work on a farm with Icelandic horses. I grew up with horses on a farm surrounded by thousands of acres of forests, rivers and fields and spent every free moment on my horse exploring them.
Presently, I was offered the opportunity to work on this farm maintaining the property, keeping the equipment in good working order and taking care of the horses. When I was introduced to them, I was immediately struck by their good nature, their incessant curiosity and the welcome they gave me. They surrounded me and introduced themselves with bumps and wickers save for one, who is somewhat of a loner. I was told that she would most likely walk away if I approached her, and in doing so, instead of ignoring me, she put her forehead in my chest and gently pushed as if to say "Hello, you'll be my human."
Last weekend, I got to finally ride her after thirty years out of the saddle. Slowly and gently she taught me how she needed her head held by the reigns, sometimes playfully getting rambunctious to see if I was paying attention. After an hour or so, we had figured out each others needs and it was/is the most gratifying and comfortable experience with a horse I've ever had.
I can not wait to spend more time on her, and will probably only ride Icelandics from now on. Such beautiful, smart intuitive horses.................
What other types of horses have you ridden to give us an opportunity to judge how subjective your opinion may be? ("reins" not "reigns.")
The good thing about this breed is that it will not be endangered by animal designers (which you can find all over the globe), because the gene pool is saved on Iceland. You can do whatever you like with the individuals you have in your country and it won't affect the gene bank on Iceland, since they are forbidden to import. With that said, I hope people stay true to the breed, and keep it's genes healthy and true.
Thank you for your work and this video. Loved it! Presents the horse breed in an exciting way :-)
If it were not for "animal designers," which includes those who domesticated the wild animals to become our many useful and beautiful varieties, the horse, for example, would still look like the ugly beasts released back into the steppes of Mongolia.
Vernon France the fact you called the original mongolian horses ugly beasts shows you are definitely not a horse person at all. Mongolian wild horses are much more beautiful than most of todays breeds. Sure, breed designers have given us many different breeds, but the icelandic horse does not need to be altered or improved
Cameron Burgess Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder. I do not want the Icelandic Horse to cease or be bred out of existence. Preserve it Icelanders with all your might. I just want to use it's tolting trait to be transferred to a new breed through cross-breeding. We have used the Arab to crossbreed with many other breeds to create new ones. Why not the Icelandic too?
Why, just out of curiosity, do you think the Mongolian horse is more beautiful than most of today's breeds? What do you think is the most beautiful breed? I am not going to disagree with you because beauty is determined subjectively and you are perfectly right in forming your own opinion, but I just am interested in knowing what it is. Thanks for your comment.
Vernon France the most beautiful breed of horse to me is the icelandic. Maybe it is because I'm a northern person. Besides, an Arab x icelandic would probably make a slightly unusual looking horse and no one really likes unusual looking horses.
Cameron, I like our choice a lot. They ae very unusual with their almond shaped eyes, their full and tousled manes and their stocky build.
I have always liked the Arabian but I think the dish shaped face with the narrow muzzle seems to be getting more exaggerated. I like the high tail carriage and the excited, energetic way they move about. But as I get older I think a kind, steady, more reliable horse, but still with plenty of vigor, might well be a better mount for me and I am short and stocky myself.
I do love all horses from the huge draft breeds down to the tiny fallabella. Even those Mongolians have the horse essence that appeals to me. The odd thing is that I am not at all comfortable around the big ones. Where I live we had twenty broncos in a small acreage over the summer. They were strictly for rodeo use and no contact was made. I liked watching them but I preferred two years ago when we had miniature horses of all varieties - some stocky and others quite racy looking. I was not intimidated by them and liked to feed and pet them. The owner of the broncos has moved so I hope the people who make the decisions will get the little guys back, but I won't know for a while.
I'm American-born and had no choice as a kid -- I'd ride and learn all. My mother taught riding. She rode with the hunt. She had seen a show demonstration of Icelandics and contacted me in France where I have lived the past 20 years and said, "You have got to get on one of those, I just know it." I saved and went to Iceland for a weeklong trek and this is a winning breed, unlike any other. Not all mounts "fit the rider" and some really do have only three gaits, but most do have four and you treat them right and they will save your neck in terrains which would shred any regular horse and kill any human. A fifth gait is fun in an Icelandic and I knew one horse who had six. (My French spouse named him EXOCET -- you have never seen such a gallop for such a tiny black horse. To keep like that for up to 10 km was just normal -- my spouse was thrilled.) (The horse seemed to have that favorite speed -- ALL OUT ALL THE TIME.)
How do you know these terrains would "shred any regular horse," especially since no other breeds have ever been there?
Vernon France
I rode there. The tundra is razor sharp. Icelandics actually prefer to tölt or rack on rock, too, I've found, which is not recommended for other horses unless they are shod with rubber.
Well, I won't argue with experience. Maybe they are better than they look.
Vernon France
Icelandics are not "pretty horses" by most horse-standards. They tend to be weak in the withers so cruppers are needed. Their eyes are set a certain way so they can live outdoors all year in horrendous conditions. They can nearly close their nostrils if they need to. They are usually under 16 hands high. Those manes are shaggy and when they shed in warm weather it looks messy. They are all descendants of the 8,000 equine survivors of the Hekkla volcano long ago, which killed flora and fauna off there for the most part. I knew only English and Western style riding and had to unlearn it all for the Icelandic horse. The tack even has to be made differently, and you can get on or off on either side. Usually, where I was in Iceland, I could not even walk without falling over and cutting myself up, so I needed a horse to get me from place to place. :)
Uprated, shared. Nothing can describe these horses. They are tough and agile, do not require shelter. They can move like the wind over terrain which would kill a human. The first time I rode one was very confusing, however. I had to forget English or Western styles of riding. I asked my horse, Blakku, to get me to a place about half a kilometer away and he took a tölt on his own. I was out of breath, it was so fast and easy. These horses run free and are hard to catch. Once you touch them, however, they tend to be extremely cooperative.
I love this video!! I've been riding icelandic horses for 5 years and I'm so in love with them! They are some amazing horses ♥♥
I love Icelandic horses , wait until I tell my brother it’s possible to import them. We have just sold 3 farms here in the Garden state of NJ , but he will be crazy after I forward him this . We are 1/2 Icelandic and spent our youth going back and forth as you do now. We always love taking the horses through the gaits and never talk about the fun we had on our great uncles farm ,where we can’t stop laughing hysterically at the crazy antics we ,a big group of cousins would get into. We each had our own horse & during our stays so we could keep track of every one. Miss those days of trail rides & singing on the way back. Maria Maria is the one my dad sang the best. 😆 Oska ykkar vel !! 🐎
I'm from Argentina, and l love horses. I have a pony (probably mix from shetland and criollo). I'd love to have a pure icelandic. Such a pity I think there's none here. I'm also a dog breeder. And if u think crossing breeds it's good, just take a deep look at what we've done to dogs...Icelandic horses must remaine pure. You're doing an awesome job.
Sofia Winkler i am planning to buy one but its going to cost me like 10k.
Oh be still my heart, that guy is cuuuuuute! And he works with cute horses...someone give him my number! :)
Lindsay Grove Yep thats iceland for ya we got handsome men and beutifuel women:D
If he wants to go to Iceland to escape the that Kentucky heat...what does he expect those woolley prehistoric horses to do???? The Cadillac ride of horses.....!
tvokids I love you too baby I hope you have a good day at work I love you too baby girl I love you too baby I hope you have baby I hope y ofou have a good night I'm jjkkkkkihgdssssds sleep love 💕 I love u too and see 🙈 and see you 😗 on the
🌟So cool my horse is Icelandic she is in my last video I can not believe that there are more than one Icelandic horse in KY love the video
I'm from Denmark and i've been ridden for all my 13 years! I love icelandic horses they so calm, and funny to ride! :D one day i really want to become a trainer og something big!! :D
I love their shaggy mane.
How and where can I see lcelander see you are selling?
My icelandic horse is now 33 years old..so they are strong and get to be old with good care.And im from The Netherlands my horse came directly from iceland with the boat many years ago.I fell in love with the breed
I am a short lady and have trouble with tall and even smaller regular American breeds ... this horse sounds like a great option with out resorting to a pony ! I am 5' 3"
I share your struggle. I am 4' 11". 120lbs. LOL The placement of my stirrups is hysterical.
@@sarahmatthews5878 yes ..I felt ridiculous and not in control as much.
I was in the video with the line of fire
👍👍👍
Thank you for describing their gaits. Terrific video.
It is very nice
i love it 😍👌 kind regards from Holland 🐴
Renaatje1983 and I
omg, what an amazing video! icelandic horses are so awesome..
I'm from Argentina, and l love horses. I have a pony (probably mix from shetland and criollo). I'd love to have a pure icelandic. Such a pity I think there's none here. I'm also a dog breeder. And if u think crossing breeds it's good, just take a deep look at what we've done to dogs...Icelandic horses must remaine pure. You're doing an awesome job.
very good info in this movie, great job Gudmar!
GET ME A TICKET TO ICELAND. NOW...
Best.Horses.Ever.Epic.
Ja älskar hästar
beautiful life
are they good horses for kid's
marissa lopez Yes they are:D
amazing horses for kids! especially the smooth ones because theyre not as bumpy to ride and theyre mostly calm and even in situations where a normal horse might panick the icelandic will keep its cool and stay!
why they run funny?
cause theyre icelandics and thats their own natural gait. It feels alot better than your usual american horse
Alissa Horse lover these midgets wouldn't qualify to be horse's.
These ''midgets'' are on iceland qualified as horses, most are stronger than the american breeds and carry the same weight. hight has no matter in that.
Alissa Horse lover how are they better? Anti American even I'm horse's lol
U really do live up to your name huh......