Fun With Our Horses
Here are a few of the fun things we get to do with our Icelandics.
They’re not only our horses, but our friends.
Here are a few of the fun things we get to do with our Icelandics.
They’re not only our horses, but our friends.
Icelandic Horses
Northwest All Gaited Classic, Puyallup, WA
July, 2006
Several members of the Cascade Club were in attendance at the 2006 All
Gaited Classic, hosted by the Northwest Gaited Horse Club. Peder rode
"Stella" and won 1st place in the Tolt 1 class on Saturday morning. Many of
the other club members also won ribbons and had a great show. The heat
was almost unbearable, and the horses definitely let us know when they
were ready to call it a day. Despite the heat, we had a good time with old
friends and new. Peder is shown here with Blesi, a gentle giant gelding
owned by our new friend, Pam.
July, 2006
Several members of the Cascade Club were in attendance at the 2006 All
Gaited Classic, hosted by the Northwest Gaited Horse Club. Peder rode
"Stella" and won 1st place in the Tolt 1 class on Saturday morning. Many of
the other club members also won ribbons and had a great show. The heat
was almost unbearable, and the horses definitely let us know when they
were ready to call it a day. Despite the heat, we had a good time with old
friends and new. Peder is shown here with Blesi, a gentle giant gelding
owned by our new friend, Pam.
Peder and Blesi, July 2006
Equimasters in Puyallup, WA
The Cascade Club recieved a warm welcome at the 2004 Equimasters in
Puyallup, WA, the weekend of October 9th and 10th. The breed demos were a
success, and everyone cheered on as the horses demonstrated the gaits.
Riders included: Penny Miller on Hallgey, Meagan Miller and Dawn Shaw with
Askja, Peder Swenson on Kjarnar, and Peggy Dulaney on her newly imported
stallion, Vifill.
Scandia Fest 2003
Agatha Ýr, Sarah Bell, Bonnie Swenson, Claudia Rancore, and Lindy Kuhle
represented the Cascade Icelandic Horse Club at the Midsummer Scandia
Festival in Astoria, Oregon, the weekend of June 20-22. We rode 5 Icelandic
Horses in the Mid-summer parade through downtown Astoria. The horses were
washed and brushed, looking their best despite some lingering winter fat, and
we really turned some heads in our Icelandic sweaters. Sara Bell rode Glær frá
Ytri-Kongsbakka, Agatha rode Skjoni frá Dæli, Bonnie rode her horse, Sara frá
CCA, Claudia rode her horse Bylgja, and Lindy rode her horse, Beggi. For
many of the horses and a couple of the riders, this was their first parade. We
fought off nerves, and had a great time.
After the short parade, Saturday morning, the Cascade Club gave a demo of
the abilities and gaits of the Icelandic Horse. In between rain drops, the
Icelandics participated in riding games with some Fjord horses who were also
present at the festival. The games included an egg stomp, flag race, barrel
races, pole bending, and many more. The festival included over 30 booths
with tasty Scandinavian treats and traditional crafts (though we feel Iceland was
severely underrepresented). Sunday provided sunshine, and again the
Cascade Club demonstrated the gaits of the Icelandic Horse, this time to a
much larger crowd. After another round of riding games, we ended our
weekend with a tricky trail ride in the woods behind the fairgrounds, on which
the horses had to conquer steep uphill and downhill paths, fallen logs, and
soft, muddy ground. All of the horses were up to the challenge, and it was an
enjoyable ride for all.
Puyallup, 2004
Astoria, June 2003
photo by unknown artist
photo by unknown artist
Northwest All Gaited Classic, Monroe, WA
As a member of the Northwest Gaited Horse Club, Peder attended the
Northwest All-Gaited Classic, in Monroe, WA in July, 2003. He rode Jupiter in
several classes including 4 gait, and pleasure classes. Jupiter is a 5 gaited,
14 year old Icelandic gelding. The show was a great place to observe other
gaited breeds and to mingle with other Icelandic owners. In 2003 there were
about 20 Icelandic horses entered in the show, which is a great turn out.
There were Icelandic owners from as far away as Vernon, BC!
As a member of the Northwest Gaited Horse Club, Peder attended the
Northwest All-Gaited Classic, in Monroe, WA in July, 2003. He rode Jupiter in
several classes including 4 gait, and pleasure classes. Jupiter is a 5 gaited,
14 year old Icelandic gelding. The show was a great place to observe other
gaited breeds and to mingle with other Icelandic owners. In 2003 there were
about 20 Icelandic horses entered in the show, which is a great turn out.
There were Icelandic owners from as far away as Vernon, BC!
Monroe, July, 2003
Ten Mile Ride
In August, 2003, Bonnie and her friend, horse-trainer SarahBell, took a ten
mile ride to Swale Canyon Farms in Centerville, Washington. Bonnie rode her
horse, Sara CCA, and SarahBell rode a horse in training, Freyja. Barb, at
Swale Canyon Farms, makes leather tack by hand. We rode to her house to
pick up some custom bridles she made for us. We rode over gravel roads,
alfalfa fields, tumble weeds, and past many families of deer, nestling in the
underbrush. We got there just as the sun was setting. Everything was bathed
in orange light. Barb was so excited to see us, she said that no one had
ridden out to their place in over 10 years. We met her Draft horses, which
they use to hay their fields, and her jersey cows, which they use for milk and
homemade cheese. We picked up our tack and had a tour of her work room.
We headed for home in the dark. We decided to take a shortcut through
some farmers’ fields, and were nervous we’d lose our way, since there are no
lights for miles. We’d also never ridden these horses at night before, and it
was Bonnie’s first night ride ever. The horses were such troopers, and had no
problem navigating in the dark. We got home just as Peder came out on the
ATV to look for us. What a ride!
In August, 2003, Bonnie and her friend, horse-trainer SarahBell, took a ten
mile ride to Swale Canyon Farms in Centerville, Washington. Bonnie rode her
horse, Sara CCA, and SarahBell rode a horse in training, Freyja. Barb, at
Swale Canyon Farms, makes leather tack by hand. We rode to her house to
pick up some custom bridles she made for us. We rode over gravel roads,
alfalfa fields, tumble weeds, and past many families of deer, nestling in the
underbrush. We got there just as the sun was setting. Everything was bathed
in orange light. Barb was so excited to see us, she said that no one had
ridden out to their place in over 10 years. We met her Draft horses, which
they use to hay their fields, and her jersey cows, which they use for milk and
homemade cheese. We picked up our tack and had a tour of her work room.
We headed for home in the dark. We decided to take a shortcut through
some farmers’ fields, and were nervous we’d lose our way, since there are no
lights for miles. We’d also never ridden these horses at night before, and it
was Bonnie’s first night ride ever. The horses were such troopers, and had no
problem navigating in the dark. We got home just as Peder came out on the
ATV to look for us. What a ride!
Centerville, Aug, 2003
photo by Sarah Bell
photo by Sarah Bell
Manastash Trail Ride
One Saturday in May, 2004 we spent the
day in the foothills of Manastash Ridge.
We were happy to be out enjoying the
day, and the horses definitely enjoyed
the time on the trail. We trekked up
steep mountainsides, through dense
brush, sloping forests, and winding
meadows. Sara CCA wore her Old
Mac's multi-purpose boots, and Kjarnar
sported new shoes. The mountains
were a great place for the horses to get
in shape, and the view from the top was
amazing. We thought we might have a
few sprinkles, but the day turned out to
be beautiful!
One Saturday in May, 2004 we spent the
day in the foothills of Manastash Ridge.
We were happy to be out enjoying the
day, and the horses definitely enjoyed
the time on the trail. We trekked up
steep mountainsides, through dense
brush, sloping forests, and winding
meadows. Sara CCA wore her Old
Mac's multi-purpose boots, and Kjarnar
sported new shoes. The mountains
were a great place for the horses to get
in shape, and the view from the top was
amazing. We thought we might have a
few sprinkles, but the day turned out to
be beautiful!
Peder and Kjarnar
Bonnie and Sara CCA
photo by Peder Swenson
photo by Peder Swenson