Set the Pace Issue 87 - March 2020

March 2020

Issue 87

Icelandic Horses in the UK

REPRODUCTION PERMITTED WITH PERMISSION OF ARTICLE AUTHOR/PHOTOGRAPHER

Front Cover: Something to celebrate - after a year and four months following Edie’s sarcoid treatment, Edie and Jackie Alex are back on the road - a worthy recipient of our first Resilience Award.

Photo: Becca Hughes Back Cover: A different sort of resilience shown by Natasha Saunders, relishing a new life and the opportunity to take her herd for a walk.

Contents Building Resilience - The Key to Turning Challenges Into Success Set the Pace Resilience Awards Warm Welcomes ICEY Friends Location Map February 2020

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PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES

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Celebrating Achievement IHSGB Newsletter Archive Project Seven Days Challenge Resilience Personified Trainers in Training

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Mo Hall Alex Lane

2020 - EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION

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Hands On Courses 2020 roundup Tölt Club - Young Horse Training Challenges Juith Edel & Mary Concannon Gaited Dressage, How do I start?

Luan Crawford Tölt Club - Gaited Dressage Monthly Competition Shona Stewart

EVENTS Oakfield Oval Track 25th Anniversary Show Event Organisers Foreign Breeds Showing - Dates for 2020

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Remember anything that is blue and underlined is a live link, click on it for more information - right click or equivalent if you want the link to open in another window on your browser or use the menu facility on your phone.

Deadline for next issue May 23rd 2020 6

Building Resilience - The Key to Turning Challenges Into Success I think everyone will agree that this last few months have been full of challenges for all of us, particularly with regard to the weather. The title is a hyperlink to an article I found very encouraging over the last few months with lots of great quotes. I am not sure many of the Icelandic horse community really need to read it though, I think the Icelandic horse is special and the stories of survival in the worst storms Iceland had seen for at least 25 years in the middle of December were as chilling as the stories of bravery were uplifting.

The endless wind, wet and grey in the UK have brought different challenges that have required resilience and several people have been through their own personal challenges shared in our facebook group.

It was both Nick and my birthdays at the beginning of March and as the Winter Tolt had been rearranged for that weekend there was no point running our riding weekend. We took an unexpected opportunity to have a couple of days away - hence the late arrival and very abbreviated nature of the magazine this time. I will put the articles I haven't had time to process in the next magazine - apologies to those who went to the effort of writing. It wasn't planned and two weeks on I haven't found any spare time to catch up so going with what I have ready.

Set the Pace Resilience Awards As you are all doing so well in putting on your brave pants, I have decided to convert the brave pants cups to resilience awards. This edition I am awarding one to Jackie Alex and another to Kristin Sorenson. Those who know follow both of these ladies will know that they have both faced long term challenges with their own health and the health of their horses.

Undoubtedly there are wobbles but every time they pick themselves up again and come back for more. They are not undaunted but they both do it time after time.

The award is a Chiron Equestrian voucher which I will PM the details after the magazine has been published. Please contact me if you have nominations for a resilience award for the next edition and as with the brave pants cups - it's all about the sharing and encouraging each other.

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Warm Welcomes The weather hasn't stopped the steady stream of new friends joining the chat group. We welcome in the order of joining the chat group (most recent first): Erla Vilhelmína Vignisdóttir, Alexandra Hall, Marine Choqchoq, Eve Mary Anne Cardew, Samantha Moon, Andrea Tyrrell, Ronald Grieveson, Katlyn Christine Britton, Emma Luka Jito, Kerrie Jennings, Birgit Mo, Heiða Sigtryggsdóttir, Lauren-Amie Allen, Coco Liesting, Hollie Mai Farr, Pascale Poloubinski, Jemima Chillingworth, Helene Scherer, Karen Owen, Lucy Palmer, Morag Crowe, Guðný Rut Sigurjónsdóttir, Wendy Morris, Brigitte Benz, Hanne Kosinowski, Holly Askem, Tracy Lvs James, Carla Jade Eatherington, Ruth Kinghorn, GR Tyson, Anne Bradbury, Joan Todd, Robert Natalie Foster, Katarina Kvarnlöf, Shannon Saunders, Harry Pannell, Charlotte Dalen, Alison Walker, Randy Og Logi, Caroline Martin, Indya Owens, Hayley Matthews Wells, Krista Applegate, Samy Berkani Photography, Kate Longson, Pip Lake, Gary Summerton.

ICEY Friends Location Map February 2020 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 (no Brexit in the Icelandic Chat Group!) . 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.

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PERSONAL PERSPECTIVES Celebrating Achievement I said it had been a long, dreary and very wet Autumn in the last issue of Set the Pace. Little did I know what the dark mid-winter months would bring. Still we have had a few very resilient people who have continued to achieve really significant milestones with their horses. The endurance and dressage riders in particular. Well done for continuing to do their bit to promote the breed in the UK.

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IHSGB Newsletter Archive Project As some of you will know, I have been working on the Newsletter archive on and off for about 5 years. I have now built the database for the index and am in the process of populating it - that will be a job for next winter now, but for now there are 30 of the 100 magazines available here. https://issuu.com/ihsgb, the others will be added next winter with the archive. Nick has also been continuing to scan his collection of negatives and Pat Proctor has just sent me the first IHSGB magazine - so progress but not as much as I had hoped. Such is a busy life.

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Seven Days Challenge Through the deep dark days of winter the Seven Days Challenge was a great way to entertain and learn about the horsey history of the Chat Group. Such revelations there were - I was going to do a souvenir booklet but the birthday bash changed those plans - maybe later - here are a couple of the unmissable ones.

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Resilience Personified

Mo Hall

The photo on the back cover may not look a lot but 5 years ago Natasha was in an abusive relationship with her ex husband, shortly before losing her home. Natasha ended up in Refuge with her two young children. She then had a stroke, lost all confidence in herself around horses. Five years on and at the beginning of December Natasha took her perfect mini herd of Iceys out for a stroll with her best friend who just so happens to be her husband.

Natasha said "I didn't need to be on horseback, just to take the time to take a deep breath and see how far I've come. I cannot tell you how happy my heart feels when I see this photo" Natasha has continued to need resilience through the winter as well, facing more illness and a court case and has received more recognition for speaking out and standing up against domestic violence, being selected by refuge for the cover of their annual report and featured in several magazine articles and adverts supporting Refuge. Read more on her facebook page - bring tissues.

Trainers in Training

Alex Lane

Several of our young people over the last few years have aspired to become both competitive horse riders and trainers of the Icelandic horse. Frankly, the Icelandic horse community in the UK needs them. It's been fantastic to see the success both Aidan and Sandy Carson have been experiencing in Iceland and Denmark. Now Alex Lane has gone to Norway to begin her training adventure and we look forward to hearing of her progress over the next months and years.

As some of you know in August of last year I was offered a job. Late October I flew off to Norway to start working for Christina Lund, the four gait world silver medallist in Berlin 2019.

Considering I’ve only be in the Icelandic world for maximum three years with my very own idiot son, it’s VERY unbelievable to even myself!

I was lucky enough to be working in Shetland for the summer for Dorothy Sales, when Bjørn Larsen invited us out to go drinking with one of his old friends, Christina.

(You missed that? see Frances Taylor's blog here) Dorothy ‘subtly’ hinted that I was looking for a job, Christina was looking for a worker and - BAM, there you go. Never underestimate the power of drinking, boats and Viking spirit!

The learning curve was steep, but incredibly interesting so it didn’t feel like work. The last week has been especially hectic, as my boi arrived!

The weekend before we were at the Norwegian Horse Festival as he set off from home, Aberdeenshire, and the three stallions I had to look after kept me busy from worrying.

Christina had three clinics and the four-gait oval track competition to ride and was incredible the entire weekend. Lukku-Blesi won the four gait.

Obviously we are not biased about that powerhouse stallion of ours.

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Vรกkur arrived Monday 8.50am and he had a impatient mama waiting for him. Hairy and unfit but still pacing his ever present circles around me as I signed the last forms.

He then had the shock of his life, returning to Norwegian breeding/training stables, where he is expected to work, properly.

This Christmas I came home and tested my new found knowledge on my horse. Imagine my shock when it turned out that not only could he do what I asked, he seemed surprised I hadn’t realised he could. My argument that he should have told me fell on deaf fuzzy ears, as he merrily speed tölted down the road.

Now in Norway, I not only have the knowledge, I have a teacher who will point out any gaps and expect me to learn.

It’s rewarding in the best way, though Vow will surely disagree.

He was shod the Tuesday, our shoe fairy popping in as he senses he’s needed.

Guiltily, I snuck on a ‘gentle’ hack, and enjoyed his overly excited behaviour a little too much.

The next day, reminded by a friend that Christina would eventually ride him, I was a lot more strict and in return, he was even better than the day before.

After a while you can predict what baby horses do (the oldest I ride is 5 and then a skip and jump to the 18 year old Álfur, main breeding stallion and all round superstar) so it’s nice to ride a 13yr old that spooks at different things depending on the day, weather and planet positions.

As I told Christina, a slap around the head and a show of being willing to USE the stick and he straightened out. I am hopeful by the time I ride him on a track he will not let me down, and so I will not let Christina down.

Our week has been mostly taken up with our new resident and preparing for the Icetölt, which is being held on the 29th of February on a frozen lake in the north of Norway.

My face hurt from the minus 7 weather as well as grinning even as I rode other horses because my boy is finally here.

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We are bringing two horses, Snádi fra Fjellgården and Gulltoppur fra Selfossi.

Both are of Álfur’s line, with his high clean movements and friendly curious nature. Snádi will compete in the B-flokk and T7, and Gull will be A-Flokk and T3. Snádi has been here this winter for training and is showing us his frankly insane movement, in trot especially. With a bit more strength and training he is a star in the making, and causing a lot of sleepless nights for those who have seen him properly go.

Gulltoppur is a five gait golden boy, son to Álfur, and six years old. He’s the only stallion with us this time, and still proving himself. He can be a little firecracker, so we’re wanting a more focused ride from him today, but plenty of his willingness as that is also being marked!

Snádi could take a leaf from his book as he can tense up and start to think backwards. As I finish this up, I’m an at a hotel in Kvitdalsvegen, eagerly awaiting tomorrow’s ice and horses, and fingers crossed I’ll be competing next year!

2020 - Education, Education, Education 2019 was a great year for the Icelandic horse community in the UK. So many great opportunities to join in and support different parts of our community - youth camps, fund raising, WC's and Aidan and so much more.

202o is the in between year and over the winter the various people, groups and organisations have been discussing how we can keep the momentum going. Taking the opportunity to provide opportunities for people to learn was the consensus.

There was a large increase in Icelandic specific horse courses available last year and that will continue this year.

Hands On Courses 2020 roundup In the light of the Corona Virus Pandemic - its likely some or all of these hands on courses will be postponed. Please check carefully before travelling.

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Oakfield continues to offer courses in Dorset with Mic Rushen (gait & confidence training) & Mary Concannon (positive reinforcement & obstacle based training)- Details are here.

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The IHSGB are continuing and expanding their education hub offering courses from various Icelandic trainers at various venues around the country. Details are here.

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Ann Savage is hosting & organising courses with both Fi Pugh and Maikke Burgraffer this year at Spalding, Lincolnshire

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Faye Litherland is hosting and organising courses with Caro van der Wint & Mic at Hornblotton in Somerset

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Both Fi & Mic run individual courses at specific venues around the country, usually detailed in the events part of the the IHSGB website and Set the Pace Facebook events page.

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North of the border there was a meeting on the last weekend of February and Karen Milne reported back briefly to make sure we had as up to date knowledge as possible.

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"Hi Mo, it was a good meeting and people are keen to see things happening. We agreed to have training sessions every month on the oval track at West Tarf, plus a variety of leisure rides (4 so far) plus there are two IHSGB courses planned (one in August at WT) the other at Ladykirk.

Finally we are going to organise a Scottish HAG show from 5-7 September at WT. plus a variety of other local or smaller events (Hanne is going an intrinsen Demo with her horse - it’s like clicker training I think) but we’ve got the ball rolling at least."

Please contact Karen if you’d like any more details about anything.

Tölt Club - Young Horse Training Challenges Judith Edel & Mary Concannon Tölt Club coaches Judith Edel and Mary Concannon have devised a series of online Young Horse Training Challenges to help you teach your young horse the skills he will need to enjoy his life with humans and build the best foundation for your future together.

There is so much that young horses have to learn about, from being lead to accepting injections, taking wormers to having their feet trimmed. These basic tasks can be quite scary for the horses (as well as a daunting task for their human partners).

Our Young Horse Training Challenges are designed to make horse training simple, straightforward and are available where ever you are in the world.

By breaking each task down into small chunks you can help your young horse learn the skills he will need in a manner which is easy, clear and simple for him to accomplish, and in doing so you will be building a strong partnership with your horse.

There’s no time limit with the challenges, so you can work through them as quickly or as slowly as you & your horse want. You can also choose whether you want to do the challenges by yourself or send Click That Horse There are many ways to help your a video for assessment, your horse become comfortable with different surfaces coaches are available to help & underfoot. Angie is helping Janna, her young horse, support if you get stuck. to become confident crossing a tarpaulin by simply These challenges are not just using the Hansel and Gretel technique :) A trail of for young horses – they are high fibre nuggets for her to munch her way across! helpful if you are getting to know a new adult horse or for young handlers who are learning about horse training for the first time.

These are life skills for your horse. When they are taught well they give your horse a huge advantage in the human world. In addition, your foot trimmer/farrier, vet and other equine professionals will love your calm, well mannered horse and thank you for your work. The first areas addressed by the training challenges are Daily Care and Preparing for Healthcare. They are available through Tölt Club. More training categories will be added as we finalise the programme. Please let us know at positiveequitation@outlook.com if there is anything specific you would like us to cover. The first challenges are below, we have put in a link to "putting on a headcollar" - a free resource for anyone to use.

Daily Care 1. Catching your horse 2. Putting on a Headcollar 3. Walk on! (leading your horse) 4. Grooming 5. Foot Handling 6. Putting on a Rug 7. Fly Spray 8. Backing Up 9. Moving the Shoulders 10. Moving the Hindquarters 11. Move Over!

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Preparing for Healthcare 11. Injections 12. Wormers and Sedatives 13. Hosing and Bathing 14. Foot Soaking 15. Clipping 16. Be Prepared – Legs

Gaited Dressage, How do I start?

Luan Crawford Every dressage test starts just like this....

‘Turn onto the centre line, centre line and halt’ Over the year I will try and give you some helpful hints for your training and how to gain the all important points in your dressage test.

When we start out we tend to rush, try to get it over and done with as fast as possible so we can breathe again, learning a and test performing it under a watchful eye of a live judge or camera is quite scary.

The start of all tests regardless whether gaited dressage or BD dressage enter at A and proceed down the centre line, some tests you have to halt at X some you continue on with the test, whichever the test requires the turn and centre line need to be ridden correctly.

PRACTICE TIP practice riding a 20m circle in trot or tolt with a consistent rhythm, keeping the horse balanced. Too fast and you may lose the balance. To do this, slow your breathing. You may find singing a song helps you to keep the rhythm and to notice when you have lost it.

Once you have mastered the 20m circle and are confident you've got rhythm! come down to a 10m loop ( half the normal 20x 40 school) doing exactly the same. Don’t make it into a circle to begin with as it’s quite tight for an Icelandic and this exercise is to keep balance… 

When you start your test imagine you are doing a 10 m loop onto the centre line, you need balance and rhythm and to make a nice curve, curves don’t have corners, don’t bury your horse in the corners…

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Look at C before you get on the centre line, then aim straight.

TRAINING TIP place a marker slightly to the right of G and X so you keep it on your right as you go down the centre line, also place a coloured pole at C and aim for the centre..

Judges have a very good view of how straight you are, and can see clearly if your wonky… don’t throw away marks being wonky!

If your test is continuous whether the turn at C is left or right rein again imagine your 10m loop, keep the balance and rhythm, try to look where

you are heading about 4 strides in advance, it gives the horse a chance to be prepared for the next move..

TRAINING TIP practice riding randomly around the school looking in advance at where you want to go, see how the horse gets a chance to be prepared and sometimes goes that way before you realise have asked.

If your test has a halt at X ride forwards into the halt, the halt shouldn’t be a long slowing down process, it should be sharp, by encouraging a forward halt you are more likely to get a square halt as the hindquarters are engaged and ready for the off, they will push off from behind rather than pull out of a sloppy halt. This takes practice, to halt in a forwards halt takes balance but once you're aware it’s a fun exercise to play with. Try halting without using the reins, sometimes if you pull to stop it unbalances the head and the horse will probably poke his nose or raise it. Remember if your test asks for a halt it means immobility not a pause, I try and count to 3 to ensure the feet stay put‌ So practice 1) rhythm and balance on a 20m circle and 10m loops 2) forward halts not a stop and flop

HAVE FUN

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Tรถlt Club - Gaited Dressage Online Monthly Competition Shona Stewart At this time of year it can be hard to find your riding mojo, it seems all work and mud . Many of us need a regular training schedule to keep us on track and inspire us to get in the saddle even when the weather is against us.

Some years ago we trailed the idea of running on-line dressage based tests for Icelandics to meet a need by riders who were perhaps remote from training centres or who wanted to give themselves something to work on as part of their training or just for fun.

Since then a number of riders have gone on to take part very successfully in mainstream dressage competition. They have proven the Icelandic is extremely versatile and capable and I am very proud of the partnerships who have gone out there and become breed ambassadors, introducing the breed to other riders.

Other riders have used the format to build their relationship with their horse and only wish to compete against themselves and to see their scores improve over the months was extremely satisfying.

The tests from the original Tolt Online were expanded to include oval track type tests and the IHSGB have taken these on as toltonline. They are a very useful tool to practice tests and get feedback from a judge and I would recommend this for anyone who is aiming to take part in oval track competition.

Following a number of requests from riders who wished to carry on with the dressage basted tests a number of new tests were designed along with some oldies and 4 levels are now on offer.

The Intro tests 1 and 2 are fairly straightforward and a great way to get going, you can do any of the tests as often as you like and the Intro tests will always be available.

The other levels which include canter work and other school movements are also intended to help with transitions, obedience and follow the FEIF pyramid of training. The intention is that a rider can choose whatever level they wish to train at and move up or down depending on the level they and their horse is at.

The beauty of the tests are they can be ridden at home, in an arena or a corner of the field. You can film as many times as you want and entering your test is very easy on-line.

The Judges aim to get your score and feedback within 7 days and rosettes for all monthly winners .

There will also be fun prizes awarded quarterly to winners from each level and other fun categories.

We already have a few riders from overseas and would be keen to see more as well as our own riders.

We would also like to encourage folk to make up their own tests and we can incorporate these into our library after they have been trialled and reviewed by the judges - you could even have your test named after you !

Deadline for the gaited dressage tests are the second Sunday of every month - look forward to seeing your tests .

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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.

In the light of the Corona Virus Pandemic - its likely some or all of these events may be postponed. Please check carefully before travelling.

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

Oakfield Oval Track 25th Anniversary Show

This 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 celebrations both for the day of the Icelandic horse (1st May) and a beer tolt, barbeque and fancy dress ride around the village on FRIDAY 1st May - if you can make it down to the farm a day early we would love to celebrate with you too, the booking forms are up on the website and you can book here. There are a limited edition of celebration mugs and hi-vis jackets etc being given away on the Friday.

The fancy dress theme for the show proper (Saturday) is London Underground Stations.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS NOT THE EARLY MAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND AS THAT HAS BEEN MOVED TO THE NEXT WEEKEND FOR VE DAY CELEBRATIONS. 6

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 SEPT 2020.

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.

Foreign Breeds Showing - Dates for 2020

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