From 1903 to 1905, Ziegler financed expeditions to reach the North Pole, all of which failed. Anthony Fiala, commander of the expeditions, used Siberian ponies, as well as dogs, to haul sledges The second expedition set off with 26 men, 16 ponies, 16 sledges, 117 dogs, and 9 sledges from Norway.
As Fiala said about the ponies, " These little creatures behaved so well and proved of such value that I made provision to take more of them this time." The ponies did a better job than the dogs of pulling the sledges over rough, jagged ice but the dogs were faster on smooth surfaces. The ponies were considered "meat on the hoof" unlike some of the later expeditions that planned for the ponies to survive.
As a little girl, I always wanted a pony for Christmas. Santa never brought me a pony. So in my late 40s, I started taking horseback riding lessons. When I turned 50, I got my first horse, an Icelandic named Blessi (Veigar frá Búðardal). Little did I know how much fun life with an Icelandic was going to be. Blessi has a unique perspective on life. I hope you enjoy reading about it as much as I enjoy Blessi. And you will probably read about my cats from time to time.
Pages
- Postings
- Jules Verne & Icelandic Horse
- Icelandic Pony in William Morris' Kitchen
- Icelandic Horse Books
- Icelandic Breeding Standards
- Best of Blessi Stories
- Is this trotty, pacey or clear tolt or rack
- MCOA Hereditary Eye Defect in Silver Dapples
- Bone Spavin in the Icelandic Horse
- Laminitis
- Velkomin, Bienvenu--How to translate Blessiblog
- MtDNA Origins of the Icelandic Horse
- Icelandic Horse Twins--A Wonderful and Cautionary Tale
- Using World Fengur
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