The Langley Times Britsh Columbiahttp://www.langleytimes.com/
Equine world's elusive prize: a gentle temper
By Annepatterson
Aug 26 2007
It is probably a coincidence that Horse Council BC has announced it is hosting a new forum on its web site for baby boomers at the same time it is asking members what kind of horses they want to buy, to gather feedback for the struggling breeding industry.
For a significant number of baby boomers, the kind of horse they want as they ride into their golden years is almost impossible to find at any price, even in the horse capital of B.C.
In a market saturated with performance horses, you can buy horses that leap tall buildings, are as tall as tall buildings, or who can dance the fandango.
Temperament, however, is another story.
For those seeking equine partners who can pass rabbits and bees without bucking and who will not bite the grandchildren, suitable pleasure prospects are in seriously short supply. We even considered those 'weird, foreign breeds' that arouse deep suspicion in Quarter horse lovers everywhere
The cautionary tale of our quest to find a quiet, experienced family trail horse hints at a large hole in the horse market that relatively few breeders are trying to fill.
After wasting a fortune on vet checks and test rides of so-called kid-friendly trail horses that we found in the classifieds, we turned for help to breeders with a reputation as honest matchmakers. To find an honest horse, we had to first find an honest seller.
One such breeder is the Icelandic Horse Farm near Vernon, operated by Robyn Hood, Phil Pretty and Christine Schwartz. They have been breeding, training, selling and promoting this ancient breed for 31 years to buyers in the US and Canada.
"Most of our customers are middle-aged people who are either getting back into horses or beginners who have always wanted them. Only 10 per cent of our sales are to show homes. The majority are pleasure and trail homes," said Robyn.
While performance horse breeders are producing bigger and bigger horses, Robyn says one of the big draws of Icelandics for boomer riders is their pony size. Around 14hh, they can carry a large man quite comfortably.
Like so many of the gaited breeds, Icelandics also appeal to ageing cowboys with bad backs who need a smooth ride.
Robyn and her partners run a herd of around 120 sale horses on 40 acres, and lease several other large acreages for seasonal pasture. They breed, import and market horses on consignment, selling around 25 to 100 horses a year.
The average price of a well-gaited Icelandic is around $8,000. Even without the high overhead Lower Mainland breeders cope with, she admits breeding is not a get-rich-quick vocation.
"We do many other things. We host clinics, workshops, train and board horses. You really need to supplement breeding with other services," she said.
Sister of the internationally renowned T-Touch proponent, Linda Tellington-Jones, Robyn backs her ability to match buyers with the right horses with a 30-day suitability guarantee. That means she regularly refuses to sell horses to homes she considers inappropriate - it is bad for the reputation of the breed she loves and bad for the reputation of the farm. Purchasers benefit from a detailed description of the history, personality and ability of the horse, and a rating of the skill level required for its rider.
"Icelandics are not for everybody, and each horse is an individual. The quiet ones with the right experience and temperament for new riders are always a harder to find. You just have to wait until the right one comes along," said Robyn.
Anne Patterson is a freelance writer and horse enthusiast.