A 2 day journey, Icelandics, Switzerland, NR members = very entertaining pictures!

[CER1389]

So I don’t really remember how it happened, although I’m pretty sure it was my fault. Somehow it was arranged that myself, shonadasponies, *IcyRider* and another friend Stef would all head out to Switzerland to watch the Icelandic World Championships the first weekend of August. Personally I blame Shona as it was she who organised it .... but me telling her she was driving and that we were going may have had something to do with it! I think we very nearly put our parents in hospital with the worry. Unfortunately a month or so before Cornelia had to drop out, but she remained with us in spirit as you will see.
I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves (of which there are lots!). Feel free to ask any questions ...

Leaving the UKspot the white cliffs!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230761890634_846600634_8035860.jpg

There was 2 days worth of wrong side of the road driving.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas274.jpg

We’d decided to make this into a proper trip so Brussels, Luxemburg and Zurich were all visited, as well as many other cute scenic places.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230808340634_846600634_8037243.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas014.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas291.jpg

Arrive to set the tent up in the rain. Fortunately when the Sun shone it turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited. You can see the mountains in the distance. The days were baking, being woken up at 8am because it was unbearably hot in the tent, and falling asleep to the sound the stream. The riders had entry to the river further down stream to take the horses for a paddle to cool legs.
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas136.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas140.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas141.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/6090_122189242244_504502244_2881915.jpg

Horses in the next post!

[IrishDQ]

looks gorgeous there, jealous of the sunny weather though! :p *waits for horse pics*

[CER1389]

Supporting some of the British Riders, the main reason we had come!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/6090_122188677244_504502244_2881828.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas108.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas104.jpg

We were all very patriotic
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas139.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas182.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/6090_122188937244_504502244_2881867.jpg

And onto all the other horses! See if you can work out what gaits they are doing. Choice of walk, trot, slow tolt, working tempo tolt, fast tolt, loose rein tolt, canter, gallop and pace ;-)
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/6090_122188757244_504502244_2881841.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/6090_122188572244_504502244_2881812.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas072.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas120.jpg

More to come .... about another 3 posts worth! Never complain of not enough photos!

[vimto92]

Wow, its so beautiful there, and you took some cracking photos!

[Wally]

Did the UK retain their usual placing in the world champs?

The one prize the UK always gets is the sportsmanship prize.


BTW your flag is upside down! :D :D :D ;) ;)

[CER1389]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230808265634_846600634_8037236.jpg

Why settle for just any colour horse when they come in so many different options?! :-P

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas151.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas171.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas172.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas186.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas191.jpg

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas229.jpg

Horse I dream about owning/riding/stealing/one day petting
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas254.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas257.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas263.jpg

[CER1389]

However 3 girls .... there had to be some evening entertainment too! Consisted of some of this
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/6090_122189027244_504502244_2881880.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230762525634_846600634_8035947.jpg

A bit of this
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230762790634_846600634_8035984.jpg

A lot of this
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230762640634_846600634_8035962.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230808800634_846600634_8037304.jpg

Heavily assisted by a lot of this! orange juice ... naturally!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230762540634_846600634_8035949.jpg
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230808770634_846600634_8037299.jpg

We were the only 3 British supporters staying on site. (Bar riders who were in a separate camp) but I can safely say we made one hell of an impact! There weren’t many there who by the end of the week didn’t recognise us. (Not sure how good a thing this was!)

Had the most incredible time. However I leave you with this.

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230762685634_846600634_8035967.jpg

Me: Shona....what have you got there?!
Shona: A beret! (This wasn't overly unusual. We did make a habit of stealing cool hats then photographing ourselves with their owner.
Me: You got it!
*beret is stealthily returned, much to the owners amusement, he then poses for a picture with us*
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/5488_230762665634_846600634_8035966.jpg
Our German friends spot us
Them: oh my god! You know who that is right?
Me: Erm .... beret man?
Them: It’s Bernhard Podlech! From Weisenhof
Me: Oh god *shakes head* oooooh no. *runs off to ring Cornelia*
Shona: Who?
Them: The top German Youth rider? Just inherited Germanys biggest stud?

Ooooh yes! Shona had only stolen the beret off the equivalent of a Whittaker! I had to admit I didn not recognise him without his riding hat on! Lovely guy though! Found us English very entertaining! We then proceeded to run into him on numerous occasions (me embarrassingly once on the way to the toilets in some rather fetching purple and pink pyjamas!) Oh how to make an impact!

Enjoy, and feel free to ask any questions about iceys, their gaits etc!

[*IcyRider*]

Ahhh yes check out Bernie and his cheeky ass!


Im so there! His girlfriend can bu*ger off when i go to Weisenhof! :cool:



Uhh he's SO cute! Ok yes his eyes are to close together and theres a slight language barrier but its ok i wont need to worry about that when all's said and done and the lights are off :eek: ;)



"Ohhhh Bernie what a big Stud you have" :p



*ahem*


But yes i was not there in body but spirit and mind were!

[CER1389]

Wally - Svala did well in the breeding. She was 5th, but there was only about .01 in between each placing 2nd - 5th .... so really close!

All the other Brits .... well ...... they had a good time :p I think LMB was 6th ish in the youth pace.

[IrishDQ]

Wow! those horses are amazing! they are gorgeous! :D can't choose a favourite, the dapple grey is lovely but the chestnut is so bright :eek: and the black one! *prettyness overload*

[Kathryn T]

http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b255/CRumblina/09%20World%20Champs/WCsandShonas120.jpg



They are fab ponies and this black one is absolutely stunning - don't they move fabulously

[Joyscarer]

Totally amazing pics and a good balance struck between social networking (tee hee!) and the serious business of suporting team GB :D

[Cazie]

Thanks for sharing.. I have no idea what you went to but it looked like great fun..put me down for the next trip, somewhere, anywhere :D

[ponygal]

OOOOHHH am so jealous-it looked amazing! Such beautiful horses.:)

[CER1389]

Thanks for sharing.. I have no idea what you went to but it looked like great fun..put me down for the next trip, somewhere, anywhere :D

It was the "Icelandic Horse World Championships"
An event that happens every 2 years, in a different hosting country. All who compete there have qualified through National Championships.
It is for the gaited breed 'The Icelandic'

Ironically you don't even see the best horses in the world there. They remain in Iceland. Any horse that leaves Iceland is not allowed to return (basically no horse is permitted entry into the country, including frozen semen) to keep the blood line 100% pure, and because the horses now have no immunity to outside diseases.
So anyway the top Icelandics are almost certainly still in Iceland (no way of comparing them to other horses outside the country) and when they come to the Worlds it means they are being competed and a new owner within Europe has already been found.

The riders in the blue jackets are the ones representing Iceland ... but live and keep their horses in other Nations. So this means they can still defend their titles on the same horses.

Next trip .... 2010 to see Landsmot (The National show in Iceland where you do see the very best) and then 2011 in Austria for the Worlds again!

[*IcyRider*]

Wooop ta wooop! Landsmot shall be aweome!

With any luck you's truly shall be riding in 2011 :cool: :D

[flump1967]

Lovely thread! I am just dumbstruck with the beauty and power of those horses. Can't pic a favourite but would have to be between the black and the chestnut - although the grey is lovely and then there's the coloured ...:)

Looks like you all had a great time but thought Cornelia was looking rather peaky in those pics :D

Could you not have swapped addresses with beret bloke and been penpals? Afterall sounds like he has a lot going for him and for all we know he may well be dreaming of those pink and purple pjs as we speak;)

[*IcyRider*]

Lovely thread! I am just dumbstruck with the beauty and power of those horses. Can't pic a favourite but would have to be between the black and the chestnut - although the grey is lovely and then there's the coloured ...:)

Looks like you all had a great time but thought Cornelia was looking rather peaky in those pics :D

Could you not have swapped addresses with beret bloke and been penpals? Afterall sounds like he has a lot going for him and for all we know he may well be dreaming of those pink and purple pjs as we speak;)



Oh no flump my sweet,he's dreaming of me "The mysterious paper English girl with a German name" Im an International Girl of Mystery! :D

[CER1389]

Could you not have swapped addresses with beret bloke and been penpals? Afterall sounds like he has a lot going for him and for all we know he may well be dreaming of those pink and purple pjs as we speak;)

Hahahaha ... don't think his girlfriend would be overly impressed!

Thanks for all the nice messages guys :D

[4_white_socks]

Your beret pictures/conversation have made my day! :D Particularly:
Them: oh my god! You know who that is right?
Me: Erm .... beret man?
-giggle-

I'm glad you had a great time!

[haylekins]

OMG that dapple is :eek::eek::eek: (in a nice way :p)

[Melting Moments]

okay okay! who is who???? Are these horses purebred?

Fba photos, looks a lot of fun!

[*IcyRider*]

LOL are they purebred,bless you MM


If they wernt they wouldnt be competing at the worlds and tbh they would be shunned,x bred Icy's are not taken kindly!

[Alexa&Tess]

Hehe, it looks like you had a good time!

[Roka]

Wow, gorgeous horses, they have a magnificent tölt for sure! That loose rein tölt is amazing!! What a big set-up of rings, tracks etc.

Driving at the wrong side of the road - what do you mean, the wrong side?? :D That is the right side!!! :D :D

[shoniedaspony]

Just to add my two-penneth...

We had an amazing time- thanks to my girlies who came with, made it truly memorable. The horses were just amazing- some of the speeds on the pace were near world record and really breathtaking. Some of the rain was also breathtaking-one day it rained so hard the entire track flooded-thankfully CER failed to include a fetching 'binbag dress' photo!

It was a real learning experience too- many a time i caught myself counting footfalls and cutting the rider out in order to learn more about the gaits, and what happens when they aren't quite right too. What a saddo...

:D

Will pop a few pics up when my computer agrees to play ball!

[ShariN]

Lucky you, to be able to go!!! Thank you for sharing all the photos.:D

[Vicki&Milo]

Can I ask a [possibly dumb] question.

The saddles look very long on the iceys. I'm not suggesting that they don't fit, but if my saddle looked like that on my pony I'm be terrified. Equally I know a 6ft guy wouldn't fit in a 15" saddle....so whats the deal here? Is this part of the iceys weight carrying ability, something to do with shape of back, stregnth of spine, space for kidneys? Does anyone know?

Wonderful pictures though, looks like a lovely trip. I worked in Switzerland for a couple of months, its a beautiful place. I am insanely jealous of your adventure

[muggins]

wow - im glad you had a good time! your comments made me chuckle! :D

[Kate&TheHerd]

brilliant pics! thanks for sharing them with us there are some lovely colours in there, the coloured then the grey type ones, absolutely gorgeous. and if anyone thinks they are too big for their ponies, then look at this thread!!! and how lucky are you to meet beret man?! i hope you got his autograph.

[CER1389]

The saddles look very long on the iceys. I'm not suggesting that they don't fit, but if my saddle looked like that on my pony I'm be terrified. Equally I know a 6ft guy wouldn't fit in a 15" saddle....so whats the deal here? Is this part of the iceys weight carrying ability, something to do with shape of back, stregnth of spine, space for kidneys? Does anyone know?


Can't completley remember, although have looked into it.

Essentially they have 17" saddles on .... they are longer in the back than they appear, and the saddles sit further back to allow shoulder clearance: so generally the saddles are as far back as possible (just before the last rib) rather than the traditional much further before last rib.

I'll try and find my sciency answer on back shapes etc

[shoniedaspony]

Just to add my few fave pictures-

How full the car was :eek:
http://i27.tinypic.com/2dj6nuf.jpg

Singing and dancing in the rain the night we arrive
http://i25.tinypic.com/2wqr19f.jpg

HIGH leg action...
http://i25.tinypic.com/2v3phsx.jpg

This one I kept screaming at the man 'You are too big for that TINY pony'... thankfully he is Scandanavian and the germans surrounding us were too loud for anyone to hear anything...
http://i32.tinypic.com/15meivb.jpg

Drunken camping...
http://i30.tinypic.com/2ljpd7r.jpg

And a photo of CER riding my pony :D
http://i26.tinypic.com/2mrvfw4.jpg

[*IcyRider*]

Just to add my few fave pictures-

How full the car was :eek:
http://i27.tinypic.com/2dj6nuf.jpg

Singing and dancing in the rain the night we arrive
http://i25.tinypic.com/2wqr19f.jpg

HIGH leg action...
http://i25.tinypic.com/2v3phsx.jpg

This one I kept screaming at the man 'You are too big for that TINY pony'... thankfully he is Scandanavian and the germans surrounding us were too loud for anyone to hear anything...
http://i32.tinypic.com/15meivb.jpg

Drunken camping...
http://i30.tinypic.com/2ljpd7r.jpg

And a photo of CER riding my pony :D
http://i26.tinypic.com/2mrvfw4.jpg



*ahem* my ponie :D ;)

[shoniedaspony]

*ahem* my ponie :D ;)

Ahem... MY pony! Come an ride him soon, then u wont want him anymore!;)

[charlotte+jill!]

Haahaa....

Caroline in the car was the first pic I saw from the trip....

My comment was....

Wellllll be pleased cornelia wasnt there.... I don't think anyone would have fit in .... maybe just shona to drive... One car for people.... One car for cornelias stuff and minimal room for anyone elses things!!!!

Cornelia arrived at mine for 5 days with a suitcase she would have fit in would room to spare!!!

[Ace87]

WOW fab pics, looks like a beautiful place and lovely lovely horses!

LOVE the 'you do know who that is don't you' BERET MAN?!?! moment - priceless!

[Jessica23]

Gorgeous ponies! Their riders feet are nearly on the ground lol!!

What do the horses have on their hooves though??

[*IcyRider*]

J23...there weighted boots,to help even out the gaits and help with higher leg lift :)

[*IcyRider*]

Haahaa....

Caroline in the car was the first pic I saw from the trip....

My comment was....

Wellllll be pleased cornelia wasnt there.... I don't think anyone would have fit in .... maybe just shona to drive... One car for people.... One car for cornelias stuff and minimal room for anyone elses things!!!!

Cornelia arrived at mine for 5 days with a suitcase she would have fit in would room to spare!!!

Lies all lies!


Im being VERY good about my suitcase for London :cool:

[Jessica23]

J23...there weighted boots,to help even out the gaits and help with higher leg lift :)


I thought so, i've seen similar things on friesians.

Excuse my ignorance, but isn't that cheating? :confused: I thought the gaits and leg lift should be natural with an icelandic??

[CER1389]

Excuse my ignorance, but isn't that cheating? :confused: I thought the gaits and leg lift should be natural with an icelandic??

The gaits and leg lift are natural.....weighted boots just exaggerate he leg lift.

One of the biggest debates in the Icey world. Fortunaltey the methods are no where near like the TWH.
In FEIF competitions the horses are allowed a maximum of 300g on their feet (soaking wet) if therefore you had 290g on the horses feet and it was raining ... and your boots then weighed 305g, automatic disqualification.
The size of the shoes are measured for thickness and material, to make sure weight is not going on their, as is any filler in the hoof.
Random bloody testing also done, along with vetinary check after every competitor. The judges can request an intense vetinary check on any horse they are suspect about.

The boots aren't really all that heavy ... although I would prefer no weight ta all, and you never know what methods are used at home (really heavy, hard to lift boots so that when lighter ones on in comp they suddenly have freedom .... i don't know? don't know anyone who training relys on weight so wouldn't know).
The boots are all over reach boots as in tolt they do have a massive under reach - the judge is looking for. So aids protection there.

Also you may notice that a lot of them use white boots .... so that the horses hoof stands out against the surface, horse etc ... so emphasises how high the leg is coming up. Some of the boots will be a standard over reach boot for protection and emphasis, as opposed to weight.