So You Want To Import An Icelandic Horse?
Terral and I have helped with the acclimation of new imports for many years, and that experience has definitely educated our approach. First and foremost, each horse evolves through the transition differently, so being sensitive to their individual needs is most important. It goes without saying that there is no one right way to go about the process.
We try our best to have empathy for the fact that their entire world has changed. Imagine everything from the views, to the smells, to the tastes, in your life changed in the space of 24 hours. Then, add people that might communicate with you in totally new and strange ways and it’s no surprise this process might really put your horse’s mental fortitude to the test. That said, these are 10 specific points we have come to believe are particularly pertinent during your new import’s transition to life in America.
Decompression and settling in. Many international competitors have found that jet lag usually hits most horses around the 2 week mark. We like to give our horses about a month of settling in time with time off and light training intensity only.
Immunization considerations. Iceland is disease free for all practical purposes. Horses arriving are ideally kept in quarantine until they have received their vaccinations for all primary horse-to-horse infectious diseases. We recommend tracking the horses’ temperature post vaccination and monitor for any vaccine reactions.
Adjustment to American care customs. In Iceland, many horses are turned out in big groups and herded in & out of the stable. Here in the states, most horses are led between their different living areas as opposed to chased. Some horses may need to adjust to these new types of routines.
Being fly sprayed and hosed down after rides may be entirely new experiences. Treat the new imports as if they are young horses experiencing these things for the first time. Introduce these care practices in a way that sets the horse up for long term confidence.
Keep in mind the change in riding spaces. Iceland has incredible riding trails with plenty of room to really allow the horses to move forward freely. Here in the states we often lack the space, footing, and level ground to really ride faster for long distances. Adjusting to slower rides with more turns, changes in terrain, and obstacles such as traffic, is definitely a transition. Trailering offsite to trail rides may similarly be a totally new experience.
Trees can be scary. We have found that wooded areas can be particularly stressful for some horses as they adjust to our trails. There are not many forested arenas in Iceland, so riding under a tree canopy can be an entirely new experience and tree branches scrapping against a rider’s helmet can be a particularly scary sound for some horses.
Hand walking might not be a helpful way to introduce your horse to the trails. I don’t know a single Icelandic trainer that takes their horses on leisurely strolls around the Icelandic countryside on foot. They ride, pony, and drive the horses in herds. Your Icelandics horse may learn to enjoy going on hikes with you but keep in mind that they also might find it strange and disconcerting. Sometimes, it’s better to keep the training techniques consistent when introducing horses to a new environment.
Summer eczema considerations. Bug allergies, reactions, and general itchiness can be a huge problem for Icelandics adjusting to life in a different climate. It is best to attempt to never let this inflammatory reaction get out of control. The bugs out during dawn and dusk are often the primary triggers for summer excema. We recommend keeping your new import in a stall overnight and turning them out during the day to avoid this particularly buggy time frame. Summer eczema blankets and fly spray can also be very helpful.
Training regression. Through the years, we have found that, often, horses experience a return to behaviors or habits they may have not exhibited at all in recent training sessions before export. Selecting horses that have had a relatively smooth training process and fundamentally good character goes along way to towards preventing this from being an issue. That said, small quirks or original training issues will often come to the surface upon restarting the horse after export. We have found it really helps to have a close relationship with the horse’s trainers in Iceland, so they can help both predict potential points of regression and offer training strategies that they know have resolved those issues in the past.
Due to the terrain, the vast majority of horses in Iceland are kept shod on factory stamped iron shoes. Riding your new import barefoot or in alternative shoes could make them feel very unbalanced. They are used to being able to step confidently on hard surfaces and are often shod in ways that balance their gait distribution for proper beat and balance. Ask the horse’s trainer in Iceland how the horse was shod there (ex: 8mm all around or potentially 10mm fronts and 8mm hinds). Even if the horse seems comfortable barefoot or transitions to barefoot/alternative shoeing, it can be better to help them find their balance first with what they were trained in previously.