Icelandic Horses; Skogarrond Ltd

14/12/2024

These two books are a must for everyone with a heart for horses, no matter the discipline or method you use 🥰!

Lisa explains why Modern Horse Training Volume 2: Principles in Practice is THE equitation book of 2024 - sharing specific updates from Dr Andrew McLean. Wi...

14/12/2024

Breakfast time. Feeding the youngsters and mum Hugför 🥰.

12/12/2024

Rain or shine, Waiuku forest is always a great place to ride!
Up and down hills, great tracks for riding all gaits, leg yielding, tempo changes, trees to ride around. Use your phantasy and you can do many dressage exercises out and about 😍

05/12/2024

This says it all. The things we think about and do to the horses 😔.

02/12/2024

I've got a lot to be incredibly grateful for and not only today 🥰😃! My beautiful mare Rúmba arriving last week (see also post on my personal page Jennie Boerema), beautiful shiny horses greetings me for their breakfast, great lessons on Gandálfur from Silke Feuchthofen to name a few 😃🤗!!

21/11/2024

Had fantastic lessons with Silke 😃🥰! My work is cut out! And you're also not always doing what you think you're doing😉. You need to have regular lessons anyway and very helpful Sonja also took videos to capture it all and watch it all over again. You learn so much by this too.
Thank you Silke and Sonja and cannot wait to put it all to practice and have lessons again!
Photos courtesy Sonja (as well as the beautiful Icelandic jumper 😃!)

15/11/2024

Another reason to never keep horses on their own 🥰.
And a convenient place to scratch as a reward and connection while riding!

Horses, as social animals, are naturally wired to engage in allogrooming (grooming between horses).

This behaviour establishes and maintains social bonds, with horses selecting specific partners. Allogrooming also strengthens pair bonds and enhances herd cohesion.

Research indicates that allogrooming in the region of the neck and withers, compared to any other region, causes a significant lowering of heart rate, suggesting a calming effect and potential anxiety alleviation.

This lowering of heart rate is also seen when humans groom horses in those regions.

This natural stress-reduction mechanism is accompanied by increased oxytocin, the pleasure molecule, reinforcing the behaviour and its positive social and emotional effects.

Allogrooming frequency among horses tends to increase after herd conflicts, implying a role in conflict resolution and social harmony maintenance.

After a disagreement, it helps to reduce tension and reaffirm social bonds.

Horses that are kept singly often show insecure behaviour that many riders and trainers do not recognise as a consequence of separation.

Fulfilling horses' need for touch and social interaction is not just about preventing problem behaviours; it is also about addressing their fundamental psychological and emotional needs.

By providing environments that allow for these natural behaviours, we can significantly improve horse welfare and reduce stress-related issues.

Thoughts?

09/11/2024

So important to teach the horses to be confident on their own. Leaving anxiety will be solved and you can take them anywhere and they're happy to stand and wait.
Here Gandálfur on his own, nearly tacked up for a ride in the forest. His dad Dökkvi is proud of him too 🥰!

03/11/2024

Had a fantastic time in Christchurch with very dedicated participants at the Obstacle 'Plus' clinic at Christchurch Icelandic Horse Treks! Showing how you can integrate obstacles in your training, inside the arena as well as during a trail ride, making use of the natural environment.
We also talked about how horses learn, understanding why they do what they do, that things can get very lost in mis communication and misunderstanding from both sides. How important it is to build up a good connection with your horse based on trust, again from both sides. That you need to be the protective leader. And many other subjects that came up.
So much to take in for the participants that I will write it all down in an email for each😄!
Topped off the weekend by judging the IceHNZ obstacle competition on Sunday afternoon 💪👏.
Thanks Inga for hosting it and being able to use some of your lovely horses 🥰.
Some photos courtesy Sofia Hansrod.

24/10/2024

Quality time with Gandálfur and the doggies Óđinn and Cali in Waiuku forest 🥰.

18/10/2024

Meanwhile in Denmark, while I was doing my beauty sleep🙈, Lea and Hlynur raced against the clock left, right and centre to arrange last minute changes in forms, signatures from vet's and government officials for Rúmba's departure that evening! Very nerve-wracking and stressful but they made it 🙏. What a teamwork 👏. Soooo grateful for these fantastic people, without them I would never have been able to get her here🥰🤗!
Wishing Rúmba a safe journey and cannot wait to get her home ❤️.

18/10/2024

Have you ever ponied a horse from another? Sooo much fun for both you and the horses 😃🥰!
You've got to be able to fully trust and control the horse you're riding and the one leading must have the basics regarding being lead. If this is all sorted, off you go, in all gaits 😍!
Here I'm riding Dökkvi and leading his oldest son Gandálfur in Waiuku forest.

15/10/2024

Today again an epic ride on amazing Dökkvi. You only have to think of leg yielding, transitions, epic tölt, and he does it. Easy and with pleasure. An amazing horse? Absolutely, but don't rule out training based on rewarding the wanted behaviour, release is the reward, a relationship based on mutual understanding and trust. This should be the basis. Taking all the time it needs when starting a horse, keeping them in an environment in which they can thrive with company, suitable food and room to move and play. It all already starts when they're weaned, not earlier than about 8-9months old and growing up in herd situation.
If you're commited to the mentally and physically welfare of your horse, your horse will love you for it and you've got a forever companion who trusts you, wants to do everything for you everywhere 🥰!

10/10/2024

Just returned from an amazing trip to Europe! Caught up with our wonderful coach Anna Keller and her family in Germany. Went out for some lovely rides on her nice horses between the vineyards south of Karlsruhe. Then off to Denmark to see my beautiful mare Rúmba again. She's in foal to the World Champion T2, tölt loose rein, palomino stallion Gljátoppur. Cannot wait to get her home. Lea and Hlynur have done a fantastic job over the years to train her, show her in breeding shows and getting assessed, compete with her on high level and taking well care of her. They now prepare her for the big trip by giving her good quality roughage, added vitamins and minerals, supplement for preventing stomach ulcers. The latter very important due to the long distance travel and stress.
They also let me ride one of the highest assessed stallions and top competition tölter. Wow what an experience 😍!
Then off to the Netherlands to catch up with friends and family 🥰.
Thanks all for this amazing time 🤗😃!

17/09/2024

What a lovely weather to wait for 6 horses to do a poo 🙈🤩. Collecting manure samples for the 14 day check after worming them 💪🪱. Do you also keep up with the latest information about worm treatments? For more information see Worm-Ed

12/09/2024

Who needs rein contact for the tölt 😁. Kendall practicing the tölt on a loose rein in Waiuku forest with Dökkvi, easy as 😍. I'm filming from steady tölter Gandálfur. Sooo love my horses 🥰

10/09/2024

Fueling up in the forest 😍.
Enjoying another great ride with Dökkvi and the doggies in Waiuku forest today 🥰.

07/09/2024

Today dealing with a different type of worms, the good ones 🪱 😍.
Great for the soil, let it grow, let it grow 🎶!