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The Census Speaker Speaks – Part II

Here I provide March, 2007 AIHA Census information to AIHA club members.

In early January, I sent out the 2007 Alaskan Icelandic Horse Club census forms, and noted that there was a March, 2007 deadline. Several Icelandic owners responded. Here’s the current breakdown.

There are, to my knowledge, “unofficially” 87 Icelandic horses in Alaska. “Officially” there are 63.

I chose, from this point on, to go with the census data, even though I know the names, whereabouts, and owner information on another dozen or so horses. (My inner voice says that its not yet time to start pestering people to send me their forms.)

There are (officially) two stallions in-state, and one Alaska owned stallion who is currently out-of-state. There is also another stallion in-state, but since I have not yet heard from his owners, he’s still “unofficial.”

There are also “officially” 25 mares and 28 geldings. And “officially” 19 are US registered, 16 are Canadian registered, 3 are Icelandic registered. Three are unknown, since registration information was no included on the form.

Those who filled out the census forms were careful to make note of markings – stars, snips, blazes, and stockings included. For reasons of space, I categorized.

The “official” color variations are nothing short of remarkable. Our state-wide herd consists of 9 blacks, 9 chestnuts, 6 pintos, 4 palminos, 2 silver dapples, one gray-going-white, 1 cream, 1 yellow dun, 1 buckskin, and 1 brown Icelandic.

Ours are a versatile lot. Most of our Icelandics are used for trail riding, and many of them have been shown. Two are used for driving, and a handful are used for breeding, pleasure riding, and packing. One person marked other “fun.”

As you all can see, this is just the first part of a move to make all that are “unofficial” official. The next phase of this ongoing project will involve getting the remaining census forms. After, I’ll begin contacting people and getting stories.

If you are in need of additional forms (either because you lost the ones I sent, or have acquired more forms, drop me a line at alysculhane@hotmail.com.

The Importance of our club – Making Connections

My original reason for wanting to become a member of our regional USIHC club was quite simple: I, who knew little about the breed, and had purchased a yearling, and needed information and advice. Then, the prospect of training Raudi seemed like a near unsurmountable challenge. I now have to say that Virginia Crawford’s one word of advice: join! opened communicative doors that might otherwise have remained closed. As importantly, I’ve made innumerable life-long friends.

This has happened as I’ve attended clinics, collected census data, exchanged email and web information, and engaged in idle chit chat. What follows are just a few of the momentous encounters.

Last winter, Bernie Willis suggested to Katelyn Barnett that I lease her horse, Tinni. This turned out to be fortuitous – Katelyn was soon to leave for Iceland, and I needed to get some miles in on a well-trained Icelandic. A few days before Christmas, we purchased Tinni, who is a savvy trail horse and a good role model for Raudi and Siggi.

At about the same time that Bernie told me about Tinni, Jessica Kelsh, in response to a call for census information, sent me two photos of her children on Teddi. We continued communicating via email, and this past summer, she stopped by Squalor Holler for a visit. This past November, Pete and I went to Fairbanks, and spent the morning with Jessica who sold me a Sensation treeless saddle, the exact kind I was looking for. (What, I have to say, were the odds of finding something like that here in Alaska?)

Later that afternoon, we drove over to Hardluck Drive, where I met with Susan Tilly, Theresa Harmon, and Fran and xx Buntzen. Although it was (by then) dark and cold, Susan was kind enough to let me try out my new saddle on Blondel, and pass along some training information from the Icelandic Horse Farm. That evening, Pete and I drove over to the Buntzens’ and met Tofa, Ofeiger, and Drifa.

This January, I spent an afternoon with Nick and Robyn Cassara, and made my acquaintance with Lifri and Rauder. Nick showed me his pack saddles, and we began making plans to start a Back Country Horseman of Alaska affiliate. At about the same time, Brandi Herr and her mother Susan (who I met at the Bill Burke clinic last spring) ventured out to my place in order to try out their new ski jouring harness on Tinni. I have since been to their place, and spent the afternoon in Susan’s horse pen where I hung out with Brandi’s three children, and Elsa, Silfra, Hunar and Hjalma. (Notice that I remember the names of the horses, but not the kids.) Brandi and I are now in the planning stages – we are going to do several trail rides together this summer.

Shortly after I visited Brandi, Susan Tilly suggested that I give new club member Ruth Hirshberg a call. A few days later, Ruth came over to my place, and rode Tinni. She also brought along a scrapbook, which contained innumerable photos of Icelandics that she has ridden and shown. Since her visit, I’ve living vicariously through her experiences, as she’s been scouting around for the Icelandic of her dreams.

Then, a few weeks ago, (on a blustery winter day) Dick Stoffel and I attempted to meet me mid-trail. While this was a failed attempt (I chickened out and Dick took a wrong turn) it bodes well for future rides together.

In exactly one month, Raudi will be four, a time when most Icelandic’s careers as riding horses begin. She’s had the basics, some of which includes ground training, ground driving, ponying, and backing. Come April, I’ll ride her. (Tinni and another rider will accompany us.) I am feeling relatively confident about this, to a large part because of the input that I’ve received from Alaska Icelandic Horse Club members.

 

AIHA Book Review 1

AIHA Book Review 2

AIHA Book Review 3

Census Part I

Census Part II

Arctic Arrow Solstice Gathering

Postscipt Solstice Party

Best Horse

Big Little Horse

Bolting

Breed Standards

Fluga

Gudmar Clinic

Thinking Outside the Box

Thor's Passing

Two Hunars

Unforseen Problems

Winter Riding