Icelandic Horses in the UK
December 2019
Issue 86
REPRODUCTION PERMITTED WITH PERMISSION OF ARTICLE AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER
Front Cover: Moldi & Liz Phillips, boxing day 2018(when it was dry!) Photo: Liz Phillips Back Cover: Martine Bye-Duke and Harriet Bye enjoying Autumn
Contents Autumn Reflections Mo Hall Warm Welcomes ICEY Friends Location Map December 2019 Brave Pants Cup
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PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES
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Celebrating Achievement A Word of Thanks Diana Brickell 2019 - An Incredible Journey Aidan Carson ‘Run-ride’ through Dorset Charlie Barrett The CONTINUING Trials of Trudy & Guri Trudy Gatt THE BATTLE OF THE BREEDS by haygrazer E-riders Dressage for Real- The Final Countdown Lu Crawford Focus on... Pinchbeck Icelandics 2019 Oakfield Autumn 2019 Nick Foot Autumn Show 2019 2020 - 25th Anniversary of the Oakfield Oval Track Riding Weekends, Thursday Riding Club & Courses Hello Hella - the long ride from home to Iceland Gundula Sharman Better Bridleways Mo Hall FEIF @ 50 Artists of the Icelandic Horse Event Organisers EVENTS Showing - Dates for 2020 TREC - Dates for 2020 Banter in the Old Hills Barn as told to Fi Pugh
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Deadline for next issue February 21st 2020 6
Autumn Reflections
Mo Hall
I have been having a really difficult time knowing where to start with my few words this time. It's been a very dreich autumn here but we have been really lucky and blessed with the odd lovely autumn day which has coincided with riding club and riding weekends. We have amazingly only had to cancel one planned ride! The courses have been more challenging but we managed them as well.
So lovely to hear from Aidan this time and I am really excited to get to know Charlie Barratt more as she is so local to us. Poor Trudy as well. Goodness me. There, now I have a thread to tie it all together with. It was our last riding weekend this weekend - an extra one we snuck in as Karl Greenwood was giving a seminar in the next village (and the mid month one was the one we had to cancel). We all toddled off in Charlie D's seven seater car in the dark (Ruth and Bridget were late as Solvi decided to play hide and seek and they followed on later!) It had all been a bit stressful as we had had no response from the organiser
and it was all a bit last minute, but we arrived, it was warm, comfortable with ENDLESS biscuits (nom nom) and Karl Greenwood was an excellent speaker - simple, straightforward, good practical sense - I highly recommend you go listen, particularly if you are a woman of a "certain age" and challenges seem to get harder to even begin to address. Anyway - pulling my thread together before I ramble too much - Karl talked about the "LittleBitOfBadLuck" that so often gets magnified into reasons not to try. One of Karl's messages was that usually "Can'tBeBothered" "NotWorthTheEffort" or "ItsTooHard" is at the bottom of our loss of confidence. We have got out of the habit of not succeeding at first try - we have become used to being comparative experts, being reasonably sure of what we are doing and having to go back to beginner status in new situations is "TooHard". The talk was really thought provoking for me and had reiterated a personal development issue I am already working on - the balance between being appropriately prepared and not "borrowing trouble". (Don't you hate it when karma does that, and find it reassuring too - Karl had words on that subject as well - I can't repeat it all - go listen to him or read his book.) I was uncomfortable reading Trudy's story in the light of the "LittleBitOfBadLuck" and not wanting to spread gloom and despondency but also - with my "Be Prepared" head on - it is a really honest and straightforward story of what can happen despite the most careful preparation and care being taken. I can't see anything Trudy did wrong, but still Guri ended up in real trouble and thank goodness he is getting better now. Personally, I have more work to do to find a balance - the winter tends to be my thinking time - but I hope this issue of Set the Pace will both lift the Dreich mood that the short, cold, grey days winter often brings and give you some things to think about and plan for over the next couple of months. Mo. More synchronicity - Nick took the photo on the other page yesterday after I had been talking about trees shrugging their autumn coats off - the pome is mine-wot-I-wrote just now. Back to Contents 6
Warm Welcomes Some new friends and some old and a lot of personal recommendations this time, we welcome in the order of joining the chat group (most recent first): Jen Pryke, Jennifer Bergantino, Eilidh Wilson, Antonio Costello, Hilary Tricker, Elaine Inkster, Nick Viney, Jane Kellaway, Kim Lawson, Patricia Fray, Helly Richardson, Luna Sikkens, Emily Lord, Jssie Huijbers, Emily Rose, Amy Wickington, Millie Wogan, Iva UĹĄalj,Leoni Schnell, Jo O'Hare, Sarah Wortley, Arran Pauline, Diana Michaelis, Clare Lane, Kay Munro, Lauren BarlowHunter, Esther Rand, Hannah Bish, Louise Southgate. We also welcome Theicehorseblog, written by Josefine van Vessem, an interesting blog by a Dutch Young Rider who has just started writing in English and largely covers female youth subjects. and: Sleipnir Equine Massage, run by Lisa Morris's partner (I like the logo but they are not connected to Set the Pace) for those of you local to Lisa. (Derby) While we are on the subject Liz Phillips has just launched her new venture nothing to do with horses this time but her amazing work with feathers - we wish her well. https://www.facebook.com/ExclusivelyLizPhillips/ If you are starting a new venture - horse related (mostly) or if you are an established member of the Icelandic Horse Community and you think it may interest others, do drop us a line.
ICEY Friends Location Map December 2019 As you can see from the map we are very widespread in most of the UK, literally from Land’s End to north of John O’ Groats and the numbers in Europe are growing. It’s great to see the map grow; you can add yourself to the map: (PC, Mac & ipad only, you can view and edit on a phone but not add yourself.) Click here and enter your postcode in the search bar. Click add to map. Click on the edit icon (pencil icon). change postcode to your name, add details you want in the box (add photos with the camera icon) Click save. You don’t need to do any more than that but if you want to change your icon from a teardrop to a horse or something more interesting you can do that by clicking the paint pot. If you get stuck, just drop me a PM and I will help you out.
Brave Pants Cup This will be the last brave pants cup awarded for 2019. You have all done so well in fighting your demons over the last year, I am looking for other areas to encourage and celebrate individual achievements - if you have ideas, please do let me know. This one was nominated by Kathryn Wogan and is awarded to Angie Pidsley who has had quite a search for her perfect companion and found him finally in Belgium! Kathryn took this photo in secret when Angie got on Fylkir for the first time earlier in the year and then Angie entered the Winter Tolt on Essa and came 4th. Well done Angie - looking forward to seeing you at the show in May. I do still owe Liz Kraft and Kirsty their mugs from last time but we are actively working on the workshop now, order is being restored and I have STAFF! They will be trained hopefully this week and then we will be back in business! please contact me if you have nominations for Brave Pants awards. 6
PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES Celebrating Achievement It's been a long and dreary couple of very wet Autumn months, thank you all for sharing your achievements and brightening our dark evenings. Sorry if I have missed any.
Only 26 weeks this year - read the whole article here
More from Luan later on in the magazine - it's been a fantastic year for her. (see next page!)
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A Word of Thanks Thank you all very much for the collection you made for me. It was a wonderful surprise. I went to the clothing stall there at Oakfield and bought a waterproof jacket and blue fleece. I am delighted with your gift. Again thank you very, very much. 6
Diana Brickell
Diana
Diana is our very faithful gatekeeper at the Oakfield shows, she has been coming for very many years, rarely missing a show. A very self-contained person, we struggle to get her to eat with us and Mandy Slater very kindly organised a collection to express our thanks for her long hours and tireless calm, cheerful words of encouragement as people come and go onto the track. The very bad picture on the previous page was snapped by Nick from the speaker's caravan. Mo.
PS. Yesterday Trudy posted that she actually rode out, and in the sunshine - you can read the post here
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2019 - An Incredible Journey
Aidan Carson
This year has been an incredible journey with my horse. We ended the year with 2 Gold medals from the Swedish Championships and 2 silver medals from the World Championships in P1 and P2 respectively. For me, the thing I am most thankful for is all of the support I have received from the community. There is no question that without the financial support I received towards the World Championships, two silver medals would never have even been possible. They wouldn't have been possible without the endless mental and physical support I received either. I like to think the reason I am where I am is because I dared to step out of my comfort zone in the UK and take the leap abroad to an environment with many more opportunities for young people to just be involved with Icelandic horses, taking the competition part out of the equation. The fact that I had success this year with a home bred horse means a lot to me; I think in a way it shows that you don’t need to have endless amounts of money to go out there and buy a horse that will get the job done for you. I think I have shown that by putting in the hard work you can get to your goal. 6
It wasn’t easy to achieve my goals. Not one step along the way was achieved without blood, sweat, tears, endless hours of training, thinking and planning. Without that effort I would be nowhere near the position I’m in today. I think that the main thing that allowed Jimmy and me to succeed was the trust and faith that I had in him; that he had it in him to pull it off. He returned that trust and trusted me that I would guide him all the way. I do believe that the opportunities are out there for young riders, the most difficult part is taking the first leap to take yourself there. However, once you are there and put the hard work in then things will start to come naturally. I ended the year by moving to Eskilsby Gård in Gothenburg and starting my own company. I couldn’t finish the year happier with where I have ended.
Thank you Aidan, it's been very thrilling for all of us watching you go from strength to strength through all your adventures this year. Aidan's new business venture (training horses) is linked to this Facebook Account: https://www.facebook.com/Aidan-Carson-Islandsh%C3%A4star107069710696481/ FEIF rankings are calculated daily - snapshot taken 01/12/2019
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‘Run-ride’ through Dorset
Charlie Barrett
I love to have an adventure with a horse in my calendar, and I get itchy feet if there isn’t one there to look forward to! The past three years has seen minimal opportunity though, since my last trek in 2015,when I rode for eight days to a niece’s Cornish wedding from Somerset where I lived at the time. This has been mainly due to training as a counsellor and the time commitment this has involved. Last year I promised myself that when I’d completed the training, I’d head off again. Recently qualifying gave me the green light for a new trip! I love holidaying with my horse Harri and friends, but I have also really treasured making different kinds of longer solo trips with Harri: I love feeling the bond between us and the quiet meditative experience it offers me.
This time though, we weren’t going alone. For a year or so now, my good friend Ali and I have been enjoying what we have come to call ‘run-riding’. Every so often on a sunny day one of us will pick up the phone and say, ‘fancy a run-ride?!’ Ali is a speedy long-distance runner, I’m a mooch-along trail rider. The disparity means it shouldn’t work, but somehow it does. I like to say it’s because she opens all the gates for me. Ali knew I was scheduling a celebratory adventure and gently mooted the idea of coming along. I had a moment’s hesitation and reflected on how different it would be to have another human alongside. Something in me loved the idea of sharing the experience. I think it is because my therapy training has given me a new insight into how the fantastic people I have in my life help me feel connected and happier, not isolated. So it was a firm ‘yes, let’s do it’ and we were soon hatching a plan!
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I didn’t want to rely on fuel to get me to a starting point or to bring me home. There was something newly jarring in the idea of using transport, with it not being eco-friendly (not with m y gas guzzling old Land Rover lugging a trailer anyway) and I had a strong sense of wanting to rely on only hooves and feet. I also wanted to ride to and from where my horses live, which is near to my home in Lyme Regis. Hogchester Farm is a beautiful nature conservation site, land that’s close to my heart since so much of my life takes place there. Setting off and returning to the back gate set on its highest ridge felt like the right place to mark the beginning and the end of the journey.
We experimented by plotting routes through different areas, almost settling on the Quantock hills, but were put off by the amount of busy roadwork it would have taken to get there. We decided instead to explore our home territory, Dorset, especially when the OS Map online revealed vast swathes of lush green hills and valleys and an increasing mass of bridle paths the further east we looked. We planned to run-ride inland eastwards towards the Cerne Abbas Giant (an ancient chalk figure), then to curve back westwards closer to the coast.
Finding places to stay was our next task and we divided up the challenge. We had to work fast, as due to work, study and parenting responsibilities, we had both been pretty short of time in the run up to our set-off date. We used the same tactic that has worked for me in the past – pencilling out a route then checking Google Maps for likely accommodation and adjusting the route once we secured somewhere. We were camping each night and so we focused on campsites or B&Bs on farms. This works better than contacting private residences, as people tend to agree to your request if they’re already used to having strangers to stay.
Charlie wasn't kidding about the short timescale this post was what first caught my notice - Mo..
Most people readily agreed, usually because they were curious about what we were doing - two friends and a horse, how, why?!. Our Saturday night took some work though – for some reason there’s always one date that is sticky to secure! Now to the horse! The horse is my beloved Harri (Hrappur). I’ve been his human since I bought him from Smari and Mandy in 2005 (he’s 20 years old now) and our relationship has been one of the most magical and rewarding experiences of my life. 6
He has the loveliest presence, an incredible groundedness. I have yet to meet another being who is so comfortable in their own skin, I call him my mindfulness guru! Inevitably this makes him a wonderful member of the therapeutic herd at Equanimity, the CiC (community interest company) I started a couple of years ago. More on this another time perhaps. His role in my life has primarily been showing me (and now others too) how to be ‘more horse’ and therefore a more grounded human. He’s also such a fantastic friend - I feel like we are very close and really ‘get’ each other. Plus he is the most astoundingly reliable travelling companion. We’ve covered an awful lot of miles together, roaming the country across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, up to Wiltshire, the Cotswolds, west across to the Brecon Beacons, Snowdonia and Pembrokeshire and ‘up country’ northwards as far as Northumbria.
Somehow Ali and I cobbled our route and gear together and set off on 18th October, light rucksacks on our backs and saddlebags and a bareback pad on Harri.
My husband Mick and my son Sascha had volunteered to set up camp at each stop, which made a fantastic difference to the logistics and to the amount we had to carry. I love to walk and especially to do so companionably alongside Harri, so over the six days I walked about 70% of the distance and rode the rest of the time. Ali doesn’t ride (and didn’t much like horses at all until Harri transformed her opinion of them!) and she wanted to cover every inch on Shanks’s Pony, her own two feet. On Day 1 we covered 16 miles, which felt a bit too far given that it was a very hilly route (over 1800 feet in elevation); we also discovered that a Roman Road is a deadly dull thing to traverse at the end of a long day! That night we cooked and slept in a (slightly damp) bell tent near Beaminster Down, as the campsite had yet to take it down at the end of their tourist season. Ali had secretly booked a hot tub as a treat. We joyfully jumped in … only to discover that it was freezing cold. That was a low point! After this we used our proper small tent, which was much more effective at keeping us warm, with far less airspace to heat! On Day 2 we travelled 15 undulating miles to Middlemarsh near Sherborne, staying with a lovely woman called Sarah who has a herd of beautiful Sika deer. We swapped glasses of wine for inspiration, as Sarah wishes to resume running and adventuring herself. 6
Day 3 was relatively easy in terms of distance, at only a little over 10 miles, to Higher Ansty near Dorchester. However, both Harri and Ali were tired, and my friend discovered that my suggestion before we set off, that the third day is always a tough one, was absolutely true in this case. She’d not left her eight year old daughter for that long before and it all felt a bit much for a few hours. I noticed that Harri was pretty tired too. After this everyone picked up in spirits and energy and the route headed homeward. Day 4 saw us covering 12 miles to the friendliest welcome, from the family at Green Valley yurt campsite. They refused to let us pay for our stay, which was incredibly generous of them. We felt the least we could do was have coffee and cake the next morning at their wonderful on-site vegan cafÊ (definitely one to return to!). Our final stopover at the end of Day 5 was after11.5 miles and a glorious day heading over the hills to North Eggardon. Nearby Eggardon Hill is a curious looking iron age hill fort (there are quite a few of these in the area), sitting high atop a stunning lynchet-covered green valley, with views to the coast.
We did another swap here, this time cuddles with Harri for the children of the family, traded for puppy cuddles and a Rayburn to dry our socks on! We spent most of the week with wet socks despite efforts such as putting carrier bags over our feet or taking futile steps to avoid wet areas and puddles. But traversing lush pasture-filled Dorset means that puddles, rivers, mini-lakes and gateways covered in cow poo are absolutely unavoidable. I sometimes shamelessly hopped on Harri to avoid these minor hazards! Harri once again proved himself to be the stalwart that I’ve always found him to be, calmly coping with busy roads, herds of cows, new paddocks or little corals on five different sites and pub gardens at lunchtime (Ali: ‘you’re not taking him through there are you?’ as we squeezed through a narrow trellis arch in Evershot – the joy of a handy Icelandic!), with lots of friendly fuss and curiosity from numerous humans along the way. In return we fed him well and shared all our snacks with him. I trash my no hand-feeding rule when I’m travelling with Harri, because his evident delight in an organic date, a handful of nuts and raisins, a square of chocolate or a delicious dried apricot is just too much to resist! Harri has grown to love Ali, I suspect in no small part because she supplies him with bananas, usually just at the point when he needs a little pick-me-up! 6
Our 13 mile return to Hogchester Farm on Day 6 was a stunning tramp across the hills, with sea views much of the way. Our equilibrium was interrupted only by Harri taking an unusually vehement stance against something on the Symondsbury Estate near Bridport. I have no idea what it was, there was nothing I could sense or see to disturb him so much, but he became uncharacteristically furious about something, not simply snorting but roaring loudly through his nostrils and growing a few inches in height. I researched the area on our return, thinking there may have been an abattoir or something similarly unsettling nearby, but nothing has come to light as yet. It felt lovely to get back home and to have achieved our aims, also to have fittingly celebrated the end of my training. We also felt quite sad. It was over. Until the next time. I’m already plotting something for May 2020!
The CONTINUING Trials of Trudy & Guri Trudy Gatt
Remember this? Over on Tolt.Club and in the March Set the Pace? Well the story didn't end there - when I caught up with Trudy this week she told me the rest of the story - it has a happy ending! Hi Mo,I'll try and write an account of what's been happening from where I left off back in April. There's been quite a lot of happenings!! Guri continued to recover from his pneumonia. I gave him plenty of time as the vet had said it could be a couple of months before his lungs cleared after all the infected material he'd had in them. I carried on doing gentle ground work with him. All of these things were relatively new to me. I'd never lunged before so Julie, my lovely livery lady had been helping me with that. I'm not very good at it!! By around May I'd got some tack organised and I had my first little ride on him in the arena at the Steadings. With hindsight, I now know I was actually lucky I didn't end up on the floor that day... Julie was there with me and I just walked him around gently. He seemed very sensitive in his mouth so I had the lightest contact I could and used my seat and body mostly to guide him around. 6
Anyhow, I was so happy to have ridden him that day. I did feel he wasn't happy with his mouth so was planning on having the vet have a look. A few days later I got on again and things didn't go so well....let's just say I had to buy myself a new riding hat after that ride and I was most thankful I'd been wearing a body protector. I knew there was something very wrong and first thing to rule out was the mouth so his teeth were done under sedation. The vet had a really good look and feel in there; so did I.
He had sharp points on all the surfaces so they must have been causing him some discomfort. We gave him a few days then tried riding again. My brave friend Hanne who owns Andvari, Guri's pal at the Steadings, volunteered to be guinea pig lol! That didn't go well either... It was obvious there was still something very wrong!! The way he'd reacted, I thought it was pain in his back so thought maybe the saddle? A couple of days after, I found some blood down his back legs and on his sheath and he was passing really dark sludge at the very end of his wee. He was really arching his back when he passed urine too.. I called the vet and she thought he'd maybe passed a bladder stone!! I then collected a urine sample which he gave very easily thankfully. This didn't show anything too dramatic other than some crystals which the vet wasn't too concerned about. So then we just waited to see how he would get on and if there was more blood they'd have him in to do an endoscopy. All seemed fine for a few weeks then I found some more blood so off we went for the endoscopy. His bladder etc were fine but his sheath was absolutely caked in dirt and they had to scrub it clean. They thought this may well have been where the blood came from. He'd been quite tetchy at times around his sheath which wasn't like him so it obviously had been irritating him. This was all happening over the summer and the weeks were just going by steadily. My next plan was to have his bridle fit/bit checked
Before
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At the end of July the bit fit lady, Jane, came to see us. She was so lovely! She asked lots of questions and listened to Guri's story. Whilst examining Guri's head and face she realised he had facial asymmetry, pain at his left TMJ and he was really sore around the poll especially the left side.
She explained that one of the commonest ways for the asymmetry to happen is when a horse is travelling and falls in the lorry and is suspended by their head collar. I was so upset by this. My poor boy had such a tough time and to think he'd most likely fallen during transport when he'd been so ill. I wept.
After
When she pointed out what to look for you could actually see he had his left eye bulging out and more forward than the right and his facial bones were uneven. The pain this poor beast must have been in for all that time. His head must have been so sore. Jane recommended fascia release therapy and gave me details for a local practitioner who I contacted. She did also check his mouth etc and we sorted a bit for him. Fast forward another month. It takes so long to get these people to come!! I had an appointment with the equine touch lady but in the meantime, Richard Maxwell who does Masterson technique was in our area and came and gave Guri a session. It was amazing! You could literally see the difference in his face at the end. He had his
lovely soft look back. I'd kept thinking his face didn't look happy before I even knew there was something wrong with his head. Then he had his session with the equine touch lady towards the end of August which is very different to the Masterson technique but again, I think it did help him. Now that we were getting his pain problems sorted, I'd got going with the training again with Julie's help again. We basically started from scratch and treated him like a youngster. Julie is a trainer and deals with problem horses so she got to work lunging him and all went well. I was involved too and she'd make me do stuff lol!!! Mainly in hand stuff but my lunging did improve and we long lined too. I actually enjoyed the long lining! We then put dummy legs on him on a saddle and everything went well with that too. We needed someone to get on him so a local rider/trainer, Natalie came and got on him again. I'm glad go to say that all went well. We took it slowly. She just walked him on the first ride but he behaved really well. Incidentally, we'd been working him in a Dually halter and he's been ridden in it too and seems so much happier. In the midst of all this happening, my lovely livery lady Julie and her husband had decided to sell up the Steadings. Just by coincidence Helen Morris was advertising grazing at her place so we made the move to Helen's early October. Just before we left Julie's ,I'd had a little sit on Guri after Natalie had ridden him but I felt very nervous! He sensed it too. I was quite worried . However, Natalie talked me through it, told me to BREATHE! She really helped calm me and it did get better. Now we're at Helen's and she's been great getting me back to my usual level of confidence. Guri feels very chilled now too when I've been on him. He's loving his little hacks out and when I'm not riding him, I take him for walks. We both like that .
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THE BATTLE OF THE BREEDS by haygrazer E-riders Back in September Susie at Eriders set up "Battle of the breeds". It was a competition for all breeds to battle out who’s the best at each level of dressage. I decided to try and rally the possibly suspicious, maybe slightly reluctant Icelandic riders to have a go. Surprisingly there were quite a few who with a little persuasion decided it was the right time to take a leap into the unknown and try e-dressage. It started with the top 10 at each level in September qualifying for the semi finals in October, so I managed to twist the arm of at least 10 possibly more to try intro and prelim level, one at novice and myself at elementary level, we all filmed our tests and submitted them. Then we had to endure the waiting for results period. After what seemed like forever, on the most exciting day of the month ( I think the excitement captivated a few more willing victims) we all did very well, most getting placed within the top ten of the classes entered, prizes started to come through the letter boxes (rosettes to 10th place and test sheets with comments) which enthused the top ten riders for the next round. In October we all rode and submitted our chosen tests again, this time the top 5 at each level went through to the finals, again we held our own with Icelandics winning 2 of the intro classes and others getting placed within the top 10 again in their classes, we were certainly show casing our amazing breed! The finals were in November, this time we didn’t have a choice of test, it was a set test at intro prelim, novice and elementary, we were up against all the breeds, well WOW we did fantastically at all levels, all 5 intro riders
made the top 10, our prelim riders didn’t make the top 10 but the marks were very high and the test a tricky one for Icelandics. Everyone should be super proud of their score and achievement, our novice rider took 6th place with I think her best score at novice so far on her baby horse, and Merkur and I took 3rd place with our best score yet at elementary level, I couldn’t stop smiling. It’s been great fun, I’ve loved every minute of organising, encouraging, helping, motivating, pushing, bribing, and posting endlessly on Facebook, to keep us going, I’m also SO PROUD of every single rider from the start, those that didn’t quite get through the stages, those that have entered the league classes regardless to improve and take on their own personal challenges, and the fact we actually had a go! And survived Icelandics really are truly versatile and this has put them on the map for sure in the big horse dressage world, I hope my battle riders will maybe have another go in the future The riders themselves fed back their reactions:
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Dressage for Real- The Final Countdown Lu Crawford My last entry was at the start of Autumn, since then we have had endless rain and mud, but today the start of real winter with a lovely welcome cold snap, dressage and the wet muddy conditions with a white horse don’t mix too well. It hasn’t stopped us, Merkur and I popped off to British Dressage My Quest, south west regionals at summerhouse equestrian in Gloucestershire
back in October. We qualified throughout the year on a points basis, I was over the moon to qualify and decided I had nothing to prove and no high expectations, but to just enjoy the whole experience. I took my friend and motivator groom Kelly and my instructor/friend Lucy as help trainer, we had an amazing time, Jackie came along too as my local dressage support team, she’s been so amazing over the year a smiling supportive face at the sidelines is invaluable. We had the most fantastic day, I wore little ear phones in the warm up so Lucy could talk to me, how professional! The test felt lovely, the canter still needs work but overall it was great, I was actually leading the whole time until the last rider where we were beaten by a very small percentage, never in my wildest dreams had I thought this would happen.
Lucy my instructor was so excited the tension got bigger and bigger I could barely keep myself together, we qualified for the NATIONALS!!!! I was awarded my 2nd place rosette and invitation on a podium (so cool) I had 48hrs to enter the nationals at Bury Farm in Buckinghamshire, and a week to organise ‘life’.
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It was on a Friday, I wouldn’t get my dressage time until the Wednesday so had to clear the whole day, I borrowed a lorry and a friend to drive it, Lucy my instructor came too, we left at silly o’clock in the morning, my time was in the afternoon. I had thought there was an arena walk at midday so we got there in plenty of time to find out there wasn’t, Agghhh so Merkur had to hang about on the lorry for quite a long time. He got agitated, it was all new and different, an early start in the dark, a lorry he didn’t know, standing on a lorry for 3 hours (actually had to get him off he was getting so cross) Anyway to cut a long story short, we warmed up lovely but when it came to the test the horse in the arena next to me finished halfway through mine and left, Merkur noticed and his suddenly his best friend in the whole world had gone, we lost concentration, he kept chatting quietly under his breath and we messed up 2 moves, which was very costly… with 3 judges and an average taken we were hit hard.… but we do live to learn..
In hindsight we should have gone the day before to settle in, the lady we had been chasing throughout quest came 2nd so if we had had a good day we may well have been on the podium.
I was so honoured to be there, and to have gotten there through our own merit… And I think probably the first Icelandic horse to get to the quest nationals ever! Since this we have been out and competed in a team winter novice dressage competition for the riding club, it was at Hartpury international arena, somewhere I’ve dreamt of riding down the centre line, it’s where the best like Carl Hester and Charlotte D compete. We managed an individual 6th place out of 30 odd riders in our novice class, and a team 3rd out of 16 teams (I think) only 2 riders for my club got individual placing so I was totally made up, people are getting to know Merkur and I now, we get less of the ‘aww isn’t he cute and fluffy’ and more of the ‘you need to see this one’. We also have been having a go at unaffiliated elementary level, mainly for my local riding club winter dressage series, they are short arena tests which is fab as the long arena scare me for now, little Merkur would get lost haha! Lots of new tricky moves, and collection, which is jolly hard to master whilst keeping tolt at bay. Merkur is absolutely loving it, he’s so keen, forward smiling and willing to learn, he’s always asking what’s next? And up for any challenge. So far we have won one and come second in one, putting us at the top of the league table, there is another to go in December then the championships in January, hopefully we qualify, our % isn’t huge yet as we are at the start, the judging is tough, and having a native ‘pony’ not all judges like to see them at higher levels, so we have to be accurate and not throw marks away on silly things… Finally Something else I threw my heart and soul into is The Battle of the Breeds with E-riders On-Line dressage, where I rallied together other Icelandic riders to take part, see separate article
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Focus on...
Pinchbeck Icelandics 2019
This year has seen a huge growth in Icelandic horse events. Over the next few issues of Set the Pace I am going to focus on individuals who are working in different ways to encourage participation in as many different sorts of events as possible and are succeeding in promoting the breed. As many of you will know Dave Savage's term as ISHGB Chairman came to an end in November 2018. It's not been an idle year for him with the first Midlands Winter Tolt, the now regular Easter Eggstravaganza and courses with Fi Pugh, Disa Reynirsdottir, Sandy Carson and Maaike Burgraffer at Pinchbeck in Spalding where Dave and Ann are based. Ann has been tireless in promoting the breed,, featuring in the BHS magazine and getting two Olympians to ride Icelandics. Nigel, their yard cat is not impressed....
Winter Tolt Winners 2019 The first Midlands Winter Tolt was a very welcome addition to the events calendar for the first time in 2019. For 2020 the Winter Tolt Series will be expanded to three events - all counting towards GB ranking. 25/26 January. 22/23 February and 14/5 March. Fi Pugh is offering training on the Saturday and an indoor competition on the Sunday. Contact: ann_savage42@hotmail.com Dave has been working hard in the background as well to improve the facilities at Pinchbeck for the visitors. This year They christened their new clubhouse at Easter - their Easter Eggstravaganza event, a little less serious and bringing lots of Icey grins (Helena & Snegla - I think!) but as we all know the British weather at Easter can be unfriendly so the lovely log burner, although not needed this year, will be very welcome. 6
Ann has been having an amazing year introducing quite a few people to new horses she has met while working and travelling in Iceland. The beautiful Nonni took Jean Eades to first place at Easter.
As well as the have-a-go show at Easter, Ann & Fi like to try new things. Last year it was pilates, this year pole work, a new experience for some Icelandics but giving everyone a chance to experience something a bit different and maybe encouraging them to take it further.
Dave and Ann have been supporting young people for many years, sponsoring Millie Payne and Ann coaching at different camps. Sandy Carson is approaching the end of his time at Holar University in Iceland so Ann was very happy at short notice to organise a course with Sandy in the summer and to give him the opportunity to train Silfra. No doubt there will be more Sandy Carson courses at Spalding this year and it will be a fantastic opportunity to experience the latest training Holar has to offer via Sandy.
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It's not all serious though - with Fancy Dress at Oakfield and Beer Tolt at Over and District Riding Club with Lesley Dellar. Ann also very generously gave her time to the Youth Camp earlier in the year. The girls loved her and the feedback was very positive despite the terrible weather and very difficult conditions.
The Shetland girls took on board the drill riding Ann taught them and very successfully performed a demo at their own show on Shetland. There is a great video here taken by Gwen Stopper. Ann supports many young riders and last weekend Issy Day posted this, which I think pretty well sums it up. Ann has a new four legged love in her life this year, Betty. The Winter Tolt at Connegar Farm was their first venture into competition after having had some time to get acquainted at the Disa course a few weeks ago. We are really looking forward to watching their progress - the only problem is, Pinchbeck has the second slowest internet in the country and Ann & Dave find it very difficult to post of Facebook, so if you go to one of their events make sure you take lots of photos and let everyone know how much work they are putting in to providing facilities for Icelandic horses in the midlands.
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Oakfield Autumn 2019
Nick Foot
We are struggling to communicate a little at the moment with the various deadlines and other limitations placed on publications we have been using previously. Mo is doing her best to keep publicising what we are doing and courses, riding weekends and other events are full, so it must be working. There are some important dates for next year but first a quick look back to the Autumn Show, even though it's a couple of months ago now.
Autumn Show 2019 Our shows follow a very definite pattern, spring is busier than autumn (holidays!) and a World Championship year is quieter in the autumn than the intervening qualifying year. The Autumn show followed the same pattern this year but it was still far bigger than two years ago. The results are here. It's a great opportunity for those who want to progress to higher level classes as many of the higher scoring combinations are resting their horses after their busy competition season. Just a thought. With a respectable 31 combinations the show returned to the intimate, fun and friendly show it has been for so many years. We are pleased the show is growing generally but it is becoming very challenging to schedule all the qualifiers into one day. The weather was very kind and we made some innovations and changes to try and get the schedule to work better - Fancy Dress before supper and a slightly later supper, less time for lunch and judges breaks. The changes worked well with the Fancy Dress being very well supported again in the glorious sunshine. Ruth Colwill won the fancy dress and has selected the theme: London Underground Stations for the Oakfield 25th Anniversary Spring Show 2020. 1st - 3rd May 2020. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT THE EARLY MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS THAT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE NEXT WEEKEND FOR VE DAY CELEBRATIONS. We also had the judge trainees working together as a hive mind with judge oversight from Fi, Mic & Christina Orrling (pictured above doing her thing as Buzz Lightyear - she loves to join in the 6
fancy dress.) It was a great opportunity for the judge trainees to practice their judging skills in a friendly environment. We will be doing the same again in the spring with Nanco Lekkerkerker as our international judge this time. The invitation is again issued to any judge trainees around the country who would like to travel to the show, we will feed and house them as part of the show costs as far as facilities allow - book as normal and choose the judge trainee option. More details and timings in the April 202o Set The Pace and/or Sleipnir. The 2020 AUTUMN SHOW will be returning to its original September weekend as the new arrangements with the folk festival organisers worked well and the extra day length is invaluable. 12th - 13th SEPTEMBER 2020.
2020 - 25th Anniversary of the Oakfield Oval Tra ck Next year is the 25th Anniversary of the Oval Track. It is currently one of only 4 full size Oval Tracks in the UK available for competitions. (Spalding, Connegar, West Tarf & us). As it happens the May show dates are the 2nd & 3rd May 2020 so we are planning a ride around the village on FRIDAY 1st May - both to celebrate the day of the Icelandic Horse and the anniversary of the oval track. We will be hosting a barbeque and open house in the afternoon/evening so if you can make it down to the farm a day early we would love to celebrate with you too. There are a limited edition of celebration mugs and hi-vis jackets etc being given away as well - more of that in April.
Riding Weekends, Thursday Riding Club & Courses We have had a really great season of Autumn riding weekends and courses and the riding club is becoming well established as we have a growing crowd of local people who are available Thursday but possibly not at the weekend. We have no more riding weekends this year. Our first 2020 riding event is the New Years Day ride. We typically leave late morning and provide a warm, light picnic lunch, returning mid afternoon and sharing a simple hot meal before all going home. It's been a quiet affair for the last few years as most people do like to celebrate New Year's Eve in a different way. PM if you would like to join us. You are welcome to sleep over New Year's Eve but we will be in bed before midnight. There are two other riding weekends in the spring. Burns Weekend and our Birthday Bash Sat 29th Feb 2020 - Sun 1st Mar 2020: Our Birthday Bash. Nick is officially 16 and as he missed his 15th birthday unconscious in hospital we will be celebrating in suitably 16 year old style - if we can remember what that was. Booking will be available once Burns night is full. The courses fill up quickly so if you want to take part in a Mic (Oval Track) or Mary (Clicker Training & Obstacle/Agility/Boldness Training), please check the website and either book if there is a date that still has availability or PM to express your interest so we can contact you if there are cancellations or extra courses are put on. Back to Contents 6
Hello Hella the long ride from home to Iceland Gundula Sharman It is not too late to join the current FEIF virtual ride “Hello Hella”. Every year, Icelandic horse riders from all over the world (well, Australia to Alaska, and New Zealand to Slovenia) work their way from home (wherever that is) to the next big Iceland horse event. In 2020 that will be Landsmót in Hella, South Iceland. How? Now we are not riding sea horses, but rather add up all the ridden km when hacking out. These are then submitted monthly, and published on an international score board. In order to create a sense of community and common purpose, there is a lively facebook group, where riders share their ups and downs. Occasionally, we see the most unusual pictures: when was the last time you spotted a koala bear from horse back? Riding to Iceland is closer than you think: the first team will arrive in Hella before Christmas. Of course, that does not mean that participants will then stop riding until July – but rather riders can pass on their extra km to those further afield in the US, or the Southern hemisphere. Interested? Registration is free and easy. Just visit: https://feifvirtual.weebly.com/
Better Bridleways
Mo Hall
Nick is also planning a long 25th Anniversary ride next year, he passed this very useful link with a lot of relevant and helpful information on to me today for Dorset folk. https://www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/countryside-coast-parks/rights-ofway/pdfs/the-dorset-rights-of-way-improvement-plan-20112021.pdf?fbclid=IwAR1Mii5JJt5q6KvMiTqlB6acYIW97xHHaEc0aT0xr3ZZCSxh CUzwByZzSpg Sustrans and the National Cycle Network are also opening up routes to horses and are working together, asking for feedback to make paths for everyone: https://nationalcyclenetwork.commonplace.is/?fbclid=IwAR07UEib8Hn5GM 5maBzdayYKcyxMAvYPPZiEU0ycX0IJtpfDDLUPggD4fgM&utm_medium=s ocial&utm_source=facebook
I have also been promoting the Horse Access Campaign UK Facebook Group which is supporting the BHS initiative to get all Bridleways recorded by 2026 and other initiatives, especially lobbying parliament. https://www.bhs.org.uk/ourwork/access/campaigns/2026?fbclid=IwAR11Ne-emeJ7uj0EjtgC_CTWA5pu_6ZgYz5rncsErTDk9R4etbMd8zoPBE
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You can also report Bridleway issues via your local county website - ours is...
FEIF @ 50
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Download Links: Breeding - Education - Leisure - Sport - Youth
Artists of the Icelandic Horse Sarah Brunt Karen Earth Irene Fordyce Emily Hancock Elisabeth Haug Helena Leigh Levett Mic Rushen
Event Organisers Devon & Cornwall Icelandics (Harriet Vincent) Dragon Riders (Mic Rushen - Wales) Halfkey Icelandic Horses (Lu Crawford - online) Hello Hella (Gundula Sharman - online) Houlls Horses & Hounds, (Dorothy Sales - Shetland Isles) Icelandic Horses in Scotland (Lothians)-IHSGB Affiliated (Delia Marriott) Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain (IHSGB) NEW Over & District Riding Club (Lesley Dellar Cambridgeshire) Oakfield Farm – Verwood Dorset (Nick Foot & Mo Hall) See Website for events
Old Hills Icelandics (Ian & Fi Pugh - Malvern, Worcester) South Central Icelandic Horse (Barry Laker/Thalia Colyer, covers Hampshire, IOW, West Sussex, Surrey, East Dorset, Wiltshire & Berkshire.) Take it Isi (Gundula Sharman, Shona Stewart - North East Scotland/Shetland) Tolting Angles (Dave & Ann Savage - East Anglia) TĂślt Club (Mo Hall, Shona Stewart, online) Viking Horses of Yorkshire - IHSGB Affiliated (Bethany AF) Wessex Icelandic Horse Riders (Faye Litherland, covers Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire, Bristol and BANES) Please let me know if you are an event organiser and wish to be included in this list. 6
EVENTS Most events are now hosted on the Set the Pace Facebook Page and shared weekly on the chat group. We cover local events shared by chat group members, shows with Foreign Breed Classes, camps, organised rides, clinics, as well as Icelandic specific events. More details are available on each event on Facebook. Those that either are not events yet on Facebook or have not been shared with Set the Pace are shown in ordinary type below with contact details. If you want to advertise an event that is open to Icelandic horses please share it to the Set the Pace Facebook page or make Set the Pace a co host. The link for all facebook events is here.
April 18-19 Course with Caro Van de Wint. Hornblotton. Contact Faye Litherland faye.litherland@blueskyeng.co.uk June 6-7 Course with Caro Van de Wint. Hornblotton. Contact Faye Litherland on faye.litherland@blueskyeng.co.uk July 3-5 IHSGB Event Summer Show & British Championships. Equestrian super area in the midlands. Click here for more info 18-26 FEIF Youth Cup August 15-16 Course with Caro Van de Wint. Hornblotton. Contact Faye Litherland on faye.litherland@blueskyeng.co.uk September 19-20 Course with Caro Van de Wint. Hornblotton. Contact Faye Litherland on faye.litherland@blueskyeng.co.uk
Foreign Breeds Showing - Dates for 2020
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TREC - Dates for 2020
Youth Cup Date Change 2020
Banter in the Old Hills Barn as told to Fi Pugh Radius
Helgi
Radius
Maron Erró Helgi
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(singing quietly, stamping in time to the music) Jingle bells, jingle bells, while we eat our hay, in our stable warm at night, waiting for the day, Oh Jingle beMaron, for goodness sake give your orange friend a good kick and tell him to go to sleep. Some of us are trying to get some rest. I can’t go to sleep yet, I’ve got all this hay to get through, and I’m trying to remember the Christmas songs Eldur taught me the first Christmas I was here. Shush, idiot, don’t mention THE NAME. (Groans) Too late, now you’ve done itEldur? No! Who said that? Is he back? Helgi, help me! I’m not giving him my stable. Go back to sleep, Erró. It is not Eldur. He has gone forever. Radius, just finish your hay and be quiet. I can’t understand why the porkiest pony gets the biggest pile of hay.
Radius
Helgi Radius Maron Radius
Erró Maron Radius
Maron
Helgi Maron
Erró
Helgi
I need it, I use a lot of energy. I’m not as fat as you are, Helgi. If you ran around a bit more, you might get a bigger pile too. Besides, my brain is busy and that makes you hungry, too. Brain! Huh, I didn’t know you had one. Of course I do, and it is working overtime. I’m trying to remember what El(snorts warningly) OK, OK, remember what He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named told me about Christmas. It was something about dashing through the snow and a sleigh, but I don’t think we’re going to get any snow, it’s all wet and muddy. I quite like the idea of delivering presents and getting carrots and Stud Muffins, though. They’re MY Stud Muffins, MINE. (Soothingly) Yes, yes, Erró, they are yours, but Radius might find some more for the rest of us if he goes for a look. HE told me that if I find a bucket with a tough lid on it, one good stamp would open it and then you can eat everything inside. Best to do it quickly, in case someone hears a noise and catches you at it. I might find one full of Stud Muffins. Yes, and eat them all and get colic. What was that you said about a brain? Then the man with the long needle and the falling downLet’s talk about something else, Maron. How about a nice Christmas bedtime story to help Erró go to sleep? I can tell you about Christmas in Norway when I was little. Over there we got our special treats in the evening on the day you call Christmas Eve, and an extra large portion of hay. The radio played special Christmas songs and we used to sing along. We like music, that’s why Radius is singing to himself. He’s still very young. Got a bit carried away last weekend, I heard, and disgraced himself at the Winter Tölt, but managed to redeem himself in the final so she came home well pleased. That sounds like Iceland when I was little, snow, starry night, a warm stable and lots of nice hay, no midges, and a piece of rye bread for a treat (begins to dribble). That’s better. Thank you, Maron, look, Erró has cheered up now and he’s beginning to fall asleep. Let’s have a rest then we’ll be ready for our night time hay. Merry Christmas, everybody!
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