Front leg action in Icelandics

[Floob]

what is their front leg action like? (particularly in 'normal' gaits)

Strange question, but we are debating whether it is possible for Ruby to have some Icelandic in her.

[jenren!!]

They sort of stretch them out in fancy way do they? Someone like Wally might be able to tell you.

[ambatt]

In true well trained tolt there is a higher leg lift and knee action with the hocks well under and flexed.
My Icelandic's trot was a pretty normal trot but with perhaps slightly more extension. Shoulders always very free and active.

As a rule Icelandics are not crossed with other breeds, there is no partbred register and it is fairly frowned upon.

However, depending on which bit of Scotland you are in it might be possible. There aren't that many approved Icelandic stallions around and they are spread throughout the UK.

[Floob]

Fjords are not normally crossbred either, and stallions get taken off the register if they do breed with other breeds, yet I still know a fjordXanglo arab (mistake).

Ruby has a normal ish trot when she is going slowly, but when she picks up speed she has quite a lot of knee action with her hocks flexed (tacks up really well).
She has a smaller head than any other 'highland' I've met and her head is set on in a similar way to the icelandics in the pictures in the adults who ride ponies forum

[ambatt]

it is no good - you will have to post a photo:D

If your mare came from around Camster it could be possible...

[Floob]

This is her 'normal' slow ish trot
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/floobaloob/Tarquin%20and%20Ruby/IMG_7844.jpg

how high her front legs go when doing her 'fast' trot
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/floobaloob/Tarquin%20and%20Ruby/DSCN0303.jpg

another picture showing her front legs coming back down
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a23/floobaloob/Tarquin%20and%20Ruby/IMG_6203.jpg

hope this helps.

ps we don't actually know where she's from (somewhere in scotland anyway)

[ShariN]

I have seen Welsh Cobs and Highland ponies with such action. She looks like a Highland or Highland cross to me.

Icelandic's run the gambit. Some are smooth and sweeping like my Mare Dyfra even in Tolt. To others like my Mare Freydis who has higher action.
Here is Dyfra in tolt. Two different areas of tolt so you can see the movement. (her nose is up and am working on it)

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i51/Bergere/dyframe2may06.jpg

http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i51/Bergere/Dyfratoltingtreefree2sept06.jpg

This is Freydis's mother and her action will be much like hers, though a little fancier. Sorry I do not have pictures of Freydis yet.
http://www.moondanceacres.com/P3310032.JPG


Hate to say, most crosses of Icelandics I have seen, are not able to gait.
And would say 80% of the time there are major temperament issues with some of the cross bred Icelandics, at least over here.

She is really pretty though!!!

[Floob]

Sharin - she is a highland cross, we just don't know what she was crossed with. Someone said maybe icelandic, so I thought I'd ask here

[ambatt]

floob - I do see what you mean!
could not tell you for sure if she is crossed with an Icey, but as Icelandics, Highlands and Shetlands share a fair proportion of mtDNA, yours might be a throwback. Wally has a tolting Shetland, I know of a tolting Exmoor in Germany and I ssaw some tolting Gypsy trotters the other week on the way to work. (They tend to race down a particular section of road, G'rrrrrrrrr.)

Whatever your girl is, she is an absolute poppet. I love duns.

[Wally]

Ambatt, I have another töler now, in the shape of Charlie Buttons! He spent a lot of time a the show in Aberdeen tolting through excitement!

He has quite high knee action when he gets going.

[ShariN]

Wally your shetland is just adorable!

I used to have a Tolting mini mare. Was the strangest thing she could gait, since most mini horses over here do not.

Even used to own a Tolting Fjord Gelding. But purebred Tolting Fjords are rare and when people get them, they do not sell them.

[Wally]

Kina certainly cannot tölt, Winnie is showing a certain, je ne sais quoi in her gaits, but she has only just got her balance in trot, which is what she offers, it'll be a while before I ask for tölt if it's there. Esse, might have the ability, she's built on far finer lines than her mother. We'll see, I've never seen it in the field.

[Floob]

Wally- Im pretty sure Sophie can't tolt (at least I never saw her do it), I don't know Kina's sire, but her not being able to tolt makes sense.

here should be a piccie of the only Icelandic Ive ever ridden (might explain my thinking).
http://www.mijnalbum.nl/Foto=YFJ8RB4R

ps not me riding.

Ruby's coat is exactly the same colour when she has her full summer coat (her winter coat is lighter)

[ShariN]

I know someone here that has a purebred Highland stallion with that same color coat. So you can't go by color.

Very Pretty Icelandic you have ridden.:D
Lets just say not all of them have the flash that one does.
And look at all that mane!! Nice!!

[Floob]

Ok thanks, I take it that it is safe to assumethat Ruby doesn't have Icelandic in her then?

Ok that's another option scrapped, who knows, by next year we might have an idea (she could also simply be a badly bred highland pony)

[ambatt]

Maybe she is half tolting Shetland??

Wally - Please send me Charlie by return, I think a tolting Shetland is just what I need after all that poncing around on Spanish horses!

[Wally]

Ambatt, NO! He's far too gorgeous, and he knows he could out perform any Spanish dude! ;) ;) Didn't you know it was the Shetland pony who taught all the Iberian lot to do a bullfighting turn? :D :D :D ;) ;)

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f177/sprimble/IMG_3911.jpg

This is him being particularly gorgeous, but not tölting, he only does that when he gets wound up!

[Frances]

Ambatt,

Charlie is in the post to you today........!

Can't stand the little bugger- cheeky little herbert is the only one to test whether the electric fence is on and then waits for the pulse to pass, ducks under and is personally taking it upon himself to eat 25 acres of year long grass which we are saving for the winter.

Enjoy!

[Wally]

You couldn't post the Button!

[jinglejoys]

'scuse ignorance but is tolting the same as gaited? They have gaited donkeys and they couldn't possibly have Icelandic in them:D although there are several crosses of gaited mule;)

[ShariN]

Ambatt,

Charlie is in the post to you today........!

Can't stand the little bugger- cheeky little herbert is the only one to test whether the electric fence is on and then waits for the pulse to pass, ducks under and is personally taking it upon himself to eat 25 acres of year long grass which we are saving for the winter.

Enjoy!


OH good,:D ;) I am not the only one with that problem. My 4 year old mini(shetland) just learned how to do that, the little snot. Sigh ~ ~ She can no longer go out in the extra pastures.

Wally, you have some nice looking shetlands. Who is the maker of your carriage?
Lovely view too, you are lucky!

Ambatt,
Sounds like you need to buy yourself a smooth gaited Icelandic too.:D

[ambatt]

I have a smooth gaited Icelandic:D :D - but she is sadly retired as she has the dreaded spavin. She is my horse in a million.

Wally & Frances - there was a parcel outside my door today, but sadly it was only from Amazon...

One day I will have another Icelandic and I am sure the Shetland passed on its bravery/foolhardy/downrightstubbornness to the Spanish...

Jinglejoys - tolt is just the Icelandic gait, many other breeds gait differently, Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, Pacers, Tennessee Walking horses etc etc all have their particular 'style'. Gaited is just a catch all term for the breeds that do something apart from the conventional walk, trot, canter, gallop.

If memory serves me, someone in the Icelandic Society had a tolting mule...

[Frances]

Don't worry, he is definitely on his way - I have just spent 3 hours this morning, lowering the fence, building this, mending that, and thinking I have solved the problem.

I go out for 30 minutes to come back to find the little f**k-wit the other side eating his fat little heart out. Words fail me. I have taken to the bottle for solace!

Hic!

[ambatt]

:D Did he have lessons from Fat Nott? She was a s&d for doing that in her younger days - and no-one could quite roll like Nott unde the lowest strand of electric.
Then they snigger at you....

[ShariN]

Oh my, he is quite the challange. Can understand how he has driven you to drink.:D Though,you know, a good bit of chocolate might help too.;)

Mine reminds of the Thelwell ponies.:rolleyes:
Also worry about her teaching the others,, that is the last thing I need.

Goodness Ambatt,,, I had forgotten you already have an Icelandic. Silly me....sometimes I wonder were my brain has gotten off too.

[ambatt]

But if anyone would like to post me another ickle Icelandic I would be very grateful...

[jinglejoys]

"Jinglejoys - tolt is just the Icelandic gait, many other breeds gait differently, Paso Finos, Peruvian Pasos, Pacers, Tennessee Walking horses etc etc all have their particular 'style'. Gaited is just a catch all term for the breeds that do something apart from the conventional walk, trot, canter, gallop.

If memory serves me, someone in the Icelandic Society had a tolting mule..."

Thanks for the info--sometimes when Malaga "floats" round the field I wonder if he is gaited but I will have to wait till he is backed and the trainer might be able to tell me.I know they can be trained (and untrained)if they are gaited so I don't want to untrain him in my ignorance.
And yes a British Mule Society member Michelle Foot who bred a mule from her Icelandic and it was tolting round the field at a few days old.Tragically it was kicked by another horse and its leg shattered. I can't remember if she had the heart to breed another.

[Wally]

What kind of trainer are you going to use?

There are not many folk who understand how to maintain or even recognise gaits.

[Bronya]

But Frances, Charlie IS saving that grass for winter - in his fat deposits!!!!

[ambatt]

If Jinglejoys is in Worcs then Fi or Luan could help - failing that Smari could train it - that would be something to see, especially when faced with a long-eared 'un :D

It wasn't Mic I was thinking of, it was a fair view years ago and I think the owner was German they also had a tolting stanardbred or something - will look through my old IHSGB newsletters....

[jinglejoys]

Thanks Ambatt!:D
Wally I'm using John Jones http://www.horselistener.co.uk/site/index.htm
because he sounds as if he is prepared to learn to talk "mule" to Malaga instead of shouting "Horse" at him:cool: also I can have lessons from him.
As the saying goes "You should train a Mule the way you ought to train a horse"
Its difficult to find anyone I'd be prepared to trust to listen to Malaga and he's too nice to spoil.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y190/jinglejoys/MalagaettheEMWevent.jpg

[jinglejoys]

Do--ugh! Its just clicked about that gaited mule..belongs to a Vet? She comes to Mule camp but I don't think she brings the mule

[ambatt]

She might have been a vet:confused: will have to go and look through the newletters. The surname Andritter rings a bell but I may be confused (it doesn't take much!)

Jinglejoys - I have forgotten it was you of the very gorgeous mules. Aren't they PRE x Andalusian Giant???

[Frances]

I want a mule - he is gorgeous - swap him for Charlie? Anyone?....... please!

[Wally]

Does you trainer understand gaits?

[ambatt]

I think perhaps Gorgeous Mule needs a short holiday in Shetlandia - although I am not sure what a mule would think of the weather thouh!

Wresting him from Frances might be an issue too:rolleyes:

[jinglejoys]

Hands off you lot--He's Mine all MINE!:D

Wally I don't know if the trainer understands gaits but I should think he knows more than I do.I'm waiting for the phone call to say he can take him again so I'll ask.He was booked for July (cancelled broken arm..trainer not me!...then for end of July...Heart attack,again trainer not me,'things people will do in this country to get out of training a mule!:D