KENTUCKY 2013

To go or not to go? That was the question. There were four options

to choose from on the same weekend:- Thanks-giving with the family,

Sigrun’ s schooling show in glorious Vermont, the Erin fair where we

have been so warmly welcomed and catered to, or Kentucky and their

annual show where we also have so many enthusiastic friends. David

Suzuki summed up the autumn years as the downward slide and as I am

looking at winter just around the corner, I opted for Kentucky. The

Annual show is held at the home of Marianne and Jim Welch. With

enthusiastic encouragement from Brian Wendy and Sydney Horas I also

decided to take my ‘back yard horse’ Röskur for the experience he is

badly in need of. The drive is long in time but pleasant for horses and

humans with frequent stops and an excellent driver. The border need not

be a problem unless, both the regular vet AND the federal vet miss the

micro check square stating that this is a temporary visit! Fortunately

Sydney had hers checked and we were allowed to leave with a warning

that he could have held us for eight hours. This was three in the

morning! Phew.

Both horses travelled extremely well and soon settled into their new

quarters. We Canadians were warmly welcomed in style and were

presented with a large Canadian flag with which to decorate our stall.

Thursday and Friday were filled with ½ hour lessons given by Guðmar ,

Carrie Lyons –Brant and Laura Benson. The lessons were held on the

track and conducted by the three coaches at the same time using

individual communication systems. This proved to be MOST interesting

for Röskur. He did not mind horses coming from behind but wanted to

defer to all horses coming towards him especially at a gallop. I was very

glad I had signed up for this experience.

We had a clinic in Canada with Guðmar six weeks before the show

and so had been working on more Tölt. We had achieved some more but

on the track Röskur found his balance better even though his head is still

carried too high. A slight bend helped us to be a little more correct but

even this is not competition ready nor is it the best for Röskurs comfort.

We have to go back a few squares and strengthen other parts of my back

yard athlete. (Since starting to write this story, I have had an Equine

chiropractor take a look at Röskur as I had noticed a definite one sided

stiffness and head tilt. His teeth have been passed by a dentist. Cervical

spine locked at certain points and the left shoulder affected by the poll

tendon on the Left side. This is the simple lay explanation. We have

exercises to work on and already I am seeing a difference with a return

to ground work and the long lines. ) This was Röskurs first experience

with everything and I was not at all disappointed. I put us into four

classes. Green Horse and Novice, three gait and four gait. Two classes on

Saturday and two on Sunday and all classes put us on the track with at

least two other horses. This meant that we did not have to observe sides

points for transitions etc. I expected ‘exuberance plus’ from Röskur under

these circumstances but he surprised me. For the first class I think he

was totally bugged out and only tried for the 18”high out gate once. By

the fourth class on Sunday and with a lower more pleasant temperature,

he was completely at ease. So much at ease that when I asked for a leg/

seat Canter, he gave it to me immediately and then some! Yahoo!

Altogether it was a great experience for both of us and I feel that we

have an attainable goal and a year to work on it. The social experience

was also very positive. We Canadians were welcomed and encouraged by

everyone at the show. There were sixty horses registered and probably

twice as many people. The biggest decision was to make the trip to

Kentucky particularly as we were missing an opportunity close to home.

Competition is not for everyone but it does seem to be what the younger

generation want. Perhaps we will again see the return of the

fun/schooling shows of the past when we also had fun. FEIF has

recognised that the leisure riding Icelandic horse owners are many and

they have formed a Leisure committee at that level. The CIHF web site

has a leisure/trail heading under Newsletter. Perhaps your Leisure /Trail

experience could be helpful or engaging for someone else if you send it

to the web site? This trip to Kentucky was for me altogether a positive

experience. This, especially as I got to be another Grandma in the Horas

Family Sydney had her own unique experience with her own horse

and I am sure can tell her own story