tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36152164022404480532024-03-05T06:00:25.599-08:00Blessi ngs--Life with an Icelandic HorseAs 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.Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.comBlogger1012125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-20932586610425091482021-08-10T16:06:00.001-07:002021-08-10T16:06:48.533-07:00Icelandic horse and Greta Thunberg on Vogue cover<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKYh1i7HcczCgOWnCxXoDLd7uHlyGWXRoXdKhvd4DLumYIMXRFyDr22ZwKOIQ73XX7aGHqu4YteTd-246NwiB4ly_jLT86915DoIchH-y8C-qgZPXceS-hu_KoX85M5-yFboVvAIHrsg/s759/vogue-icelandichorse.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="759" data-original-width="585" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQKYh1i7HcczCgOWnCxXoDLd7uHlyGWXRoXdKhvd4DLumYIMXRFyDr22ZwKOIQ73XX7aGHqu4YteTd-246NwiB4ly_jLT86915DoIchH-y8C-qgZPXceS-hu_KoX85M5-yFboVvAIHrsg/w309-h400/vogue-icelandichorse.JPG" width="309" /></a></div><span style="font-size: large;">Greta Thunberg and an Icelandic horse named Gandalf appear on the cover of the first edition of Vogue Scandinavia. What a perfect pairing to illustrate concern for the environment. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Here's a link to more information about the article and additional photographs featuring Gandalf.</span></p><p><a href="https://www.cnn.com/style/article/greta-thunberg-vogue-scandinavia-cover/index.html"><span style="font-size: large;">https://www.cnn.com/style/article/greta-thunberg-vogue-scandinavia-cover/index.html </span></a><br /></p>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-38703016916303111152021-06-14T00:51:00.001-07:002021-06-14T00:56:22.748-07:00Could there be wild Icelandics roaming the Appalachian Trail?<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">A herd of 100 wild ponies (10 to 12 hands) rove about the Grayson Highlands State Park in the Appalachians of Virginia. Local inhabitants say the ponies were released in the 1970s (some sources claim the 1940s) to graze down the meadows. </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The wild cattle who are pastured on the mountain sides
are brought in during the winter, but these ponies do quite well
foraging for themselves over the winter.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Certainly some of the herd look like they have some Icelandic breeding, although many look just a bit taller than a Shetland. There is a silver dapple herd stallion that looks quite Icelandic. And there were Icelandics in the US in the 70s, not so many in the 40s.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Use this link to check out the photos. What do you think? I was unable to find any genetic studies of the origins of this herd. <br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/more-than-100-ponies-roam-free-this-park-virginia-180959786/">https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/more-than-100-ponies-roam-free-this-park-virginia-180959786/</a><br /></p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NFIhSVxtW0A" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-12398432396041781352021-04-14T13:35:00.001-07:002021-04-14T13:35:14.499-07:00Filming Icelandic Horses Swimming from Underwater<p><span style="font-size: medium;"> Here's a great video of the leg action of Icelandic horses filmed by scuba divers. It looks most of them are tolting. I wonder if there is any efficiency to tolting while swimming or each horse has an individual preference?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /></p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sx-VdkmUXkk" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-84246367628038029062021-04-02T00:31:00.002-07:002021-04-02T00:31:28.316-07:00Origin of DMRT3 the Gaited Gene--6000 years ago?<p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKUhKsvckFPyMHMOF13NMQNrQ250fyFgGshAZ5o8kbRw_un1Pbo3XuxWzSVVzLSZFeUU54K5LIS1NLO835bGNVFvRIn0gXsG4-pApY5AQ477kBqEZkuuqIEc1FGQGwL0cp4Z030hXUgU/s236/chinese-horse-flying-pace.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="205" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKUhKsvckFPyMHMOF13NMQNrQ250fyFgGshAZ5o8kbRw_un1Pbo3XuxWzSVVzLSZFeUU54K5LIS1NLO835bGNVFvRIn0gXsG4-pApY5AQ477kBqEZkuuqIEc1FGQGwL0cp4Z030hXUgU/w347-h400/chinese-horse-flying-pace.bmp" width="347" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ancient Chinese horse performing<br />flying pace<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="font-size: large;">In 2016, a study reported that the earliest finding of DMRT3, indicating gaitedness or ability to rack or tolt, was in York, England around 850 AD. Since that time, there have numerous articles crediting the Norse of selecting gaited horses from England and moving them to Iceland and spreading the DMRT3 gene across the Europe and then the world.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The original study did not include the many historic, genetic samples from Asia and across the world. It did not consider the pre-850 AD written descriptions of gaited horses in Greek and cuneiform and the numerous artistic representation of horses ambling in ancient Egypt and Roman times.<br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Staiger et al published "The evolutionary history of the DMRT# 'Gait keeper' haplotype in 2017. This study compared genetic sequences of DMRT3 across 26 breeds to estimate how long it would have taken for the </span><span style="font-size: large;">haplotypes to change. "We used the pattern of sequence variation int he DMRT3 region to explore the evolutionary history of the haplotypes."</span> </p><p><span style="font-size: large;">"</span><span style="font-size: large;">The low sequence diversity among mutant chromosomes demonstrated that
they must have diverged from a common ancestral sequence within the last
10 000 years. Thus, the mutation occurred either just before
domestication or more likely some time after domestication and then
spread across the world as a result of selection on locomotion traits."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In other words, it is likely that the mutation for gaitedness occurred sometime after the domestication of the horse from 6000 to 10000 years ago. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">No conclusive evidence was found about the geographic origin of the gene. "</span><span style="font-size: large;">For instance, the mutation could have been spread widely via the
military exploits of Alexander the Great (3rd century BC), Attila (5th
century) and Ghengis Khan (13th century). Furthermore, the Romans, and
their use of Greek horses, could have helped spread the mutation
throughout Europe and the Middle East (Antikas <span><a class="bibLink tab-link" data-tab="pane-pcw-references" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/age.12580#age12580-bib-0002" id="age12580-bib-0002R">2015</a></span>)." </span></p><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Source: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/age.12580</span><br /></p>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-20847873934918742622020-12-23T18:18:00.001-08:002020-12-23T18:18:12.655-08:002020 Merry Christmas<p> </p><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: medium;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarMMvvLoedPNsX0ok7Rib-AW2fu5RSw3VDSV7eylV8GATYvMqOWW2nJC-hDDjwukuXlYcr6je8A5UdaXmBxmOOuZ4ByOJo9EZJkKfaINpOQKzA01FU8cIgOmgs4hHWaiO4gJkx9jJtcM/s2048/IMG_2926_edited+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1487" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiarMMvvLoedPNsX0ok7Rib-AW2fu5RSw3VDSV7eylV8GATYvMqOWW2nJC-hDDjwukuXlYcr6je8A5UdaXmBxmOOuZ4ByOJo9EZJkKfaINpOQKzA01FU8cIgOmgs4hHWaiO4gJkx9jJtcM/w464-h640/IMG_2926_edited+%25283%2529.jpg" width="464" /></a></div><br />Did you know that Blitzen has a sore hoof this year?
Blessi volunteered as replacement to pull Santa's sleigh. When you watch
the skies on Christmas eve, look for a pudgy, hairy Icelandic running
with the reindeer.</span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: medium;">Blessi
invites you all to a game of Christmas ring toss. It's only costs a
peanut for each attempt. If you get the ring stuck in his mane, you
owe him two peanuts.</span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="font-size: medium;">Happy Holidays to all !<br clear="none" /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br clear="none" /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;">Pamela and Blessi</span></p><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPm2Anxz_sn9LHYDZhXMsAQIGSaJjmrOYAnAGJoI-W0dfi9zWX2FRPtrnaLWgH0oo3tr4CkQ1jOzbrZxJthikKv2rXLzizDVrOoX94DKHfFKiF2oihQPd6BZJerTzsLTK-PSTYSlLsLj0/s2048/IMG_2929_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1365" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPm2Anxz_sn9LHYDZhXMsAQIGSaJjmrOYAnAGJoI-W0dfi9zWX2FRPtrnaLWgH0oo3tr4CkQ1jOzbrZxJthikKv2rXLzizDVrOoX94DKHfFKiF2oihQPd6BZJerTzsLTK-PSTYSlLsLj0/w426-h640/IMG_2929_edited.jpg" width="426" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;">*Photos by D. Shrimplin<br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: bookman old style, new york, times, serif; font-size: medium;"> </span></p>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-65622128010868080062020-12-16T14:41:00.006-08:002020-12-16T14:41:02.220-08:00Icelandics playing in the snow in Germany<p><span style="font-size: large;"> <span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto">Bernd Attner spent the day photographing Icelandics playing in the Snow in Germany. Blessi used to play like this when he was a younger gelding.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><span class="style-scope yt-formatted-string" dir="auto"><br /></span></span></p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zdvFJmE52bU" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-71428384463335374102020-12-12T13:21:00.002-08:002020-12-12T13:21:15.819-08:00Icelandics at Crosscountry<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Here's Aveh and her Icelandic Trissa running a cross country course. Icelandics are amazingly versatile.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><br /></p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sQPdBxNsvWc" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-49644813213623334892020-09-13T14:54:00.001-07:002020-09-13T14:54:59.939-07:00Icelandic Horses at the Former Berlin Wall<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Preston Lau captured Icelandic riders from several nations riding in a parade to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall.</span><br /></p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nHh9q-qd-KA" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-45839414115772658142020-06-24T14:00:00.001-07:002020-06-24T14:00:25.397-07:00Icelandic Mule <span style="font-size: large;">There aren't many Icelandic mules. Here's a video of Cocoa grooming the full Icelandic mare Minning. I believe both equids are owned by Robert Eversole of Trailmeister.</span><br />
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.<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/__hdr0Hdl9M" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-4817844949029234552020-05-19T15:26:00.000-07:002020-05-19T15:26:09.575-07:00Icelandic Review on Holar UniversityBecause of the Coronavirus epidemic,<i> The Icelandic Review</i> has made part of its latest addition available outside the paywall. Holar University, an agricultural college in Iceland, specializes in research and training of the Icelandic horse. <br />
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Per the article, "It’s been years since horses were the primary mode of transport, but
that’s not to say they aren’t of use to us today. “Working with horses
is good for you, that’s what the psychology says. Everyone is looking
for mindfulness these days; well, the horse gives you that. It calms you
down and forces you to be in the now. If you’re stressed and
preoccupied, you’ve already fallen off and are lying in a ditch. You
need to pay attention to what you’re doing because you need to be in
control. It opens whole new paths in your brain.”<br />
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You can read an excerpt from the article via this link but you can also follow a link to read the magazine in its entirety. <br />
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<a href="https://www.icelandreview.com/society/raising-riders/">https://www.icelandreview.com/society/raising-riders/</a>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-41785458019996234482020-05-12T13:17:00.000-07:002020-05-12T13:17:18.804-07:00Keep dancing in Iceland with horses or iceRyan Wood produced this funny, beautiful video. He intersperses some goofy, yet endearing, dance routines amongst photos and video clips of a recent tour of Iceland. Around minute 1:39, he dances with the Icelandic horses. Thankfully he is a better photographer than dancer. But then, dancing on ice must crimp one's style. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m--h-_ANhx4" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-27701435481281511032020-05-08T14:06:00.000-07:002020-05-08T14:06:07.372-07:00Modern song, norse lyrics about horsesFlamsparks created this wonderful song set to a catchy beat about horses. Combining lines from Icelandic Rune Poem, the Poetic Edda, and the Prose Edda, the song is a fascinating look into the glory and joy that the Norse felt in riding their horses. You can see the lyrics in runes, old Norse (I believe), and English. Remember to enable subtitles.<br />
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Here's a Norse riddle for you from the song. What has three eyes and ten legs?<br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/DIb_ZONbWGQ" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-26935992441359569532020-05-03T14:01:00.001-07:002020-05-03T14:01:06.907-07:00Icelandic and Gypsy Vanner CrossHere's a short clip of Loki from Silvercrest Farm at the beginning of his under saddle training. He is a cross between an Icelandic and a Gypsy Vanner. <br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/W7Skfo-vUfI" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-74922043850137152912020-04-20T09:50:00.001-07:002020-04-20T09:50:24.478-07:00Icelandics Herding Mules<span style="background-color: white; color: black; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "verdana" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Here's a fun video about involving Icelandic horses in something different. Tim Seldin and his Iceland try to round up escaped donkeys in a vineyard.</span><br />
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i7d7_FZLpF0" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-30343685826208294862020-04-10T21:24:00.004-07:002020-04-10T21:25:45.938-07:00Icelandics bringing Easter Cheer to Senior Home during Coronavirus<span style="font-size: large;">On Deerfield, WI, local horse owners brought their Icelandics to a senior home. The horses, dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Easter Bunny, went round the outside of the building to bring holiday cheer to the residents. </span><br />
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">As Melissa Meboe, community director at Home Again, said “We walked around the building and each resident got to have a horse experience.” </span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;">I don't own the rights to the photo so you'll have to check out this link.</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.hngnews.com/cambridge_deerfield/article_59064add-5a0a-569a-8011-b496294462f0.html">http://www.hngnews.com/cambridge_deerfield/article_59064add-5a0a-569a-8011-b496294462f0.html</a></div>
Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-24401181388999836392020-03-23T14:55:00.001-07:002020-03-23T14:55:31.683-07:00How to Pronounce Norse Runes Set to Music<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">SKÁLD | Rún has created a video in which a singer recites the Norse runes to a catchy tune. The verses quote one of the poems in the Prose Edda, a collection written in Iceland in the 13th century.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #030303; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">By following along with the Icelandic subtitles you can sharpen your pronunciation of those difficult vowels.</span><br />
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<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5e4m4-F5dow" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-21536580609573180932020-02-26T00:54:00.002-08:002020-03-07T17:59:57.752-08:00Mornings on Quatrain Fish<div style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: cyan;">Quatrain Fish only publishes poems of four lines or less. The site published my "Mornings" about a little girl on the beach.</span></div>
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<span style="color: cyan;">If you like your poetry in morsel sizes, you should check out this site.</span></div>
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<a href="https://quatrain.fish/"><span style="color: cyan;">https://quatrain.fish/</span></a></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><span style="color: cyan;"></span><br />Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-34371705713163250312020-02-22T15:30:00.000-08:002020-02-23T04:56:18.079-08:00Reading to your horse<span style="font-size: large;">Bradley reads</span><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;"> <i>Someone to Watch Over Me</i> by the Icelandic author <span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">Yrsa Sigurdardottir to his Icelandic horse Gus. I definitely recommend the author and the practice of reading to your Icelandic horse.</span></span></span><span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; display: inline; float: none; font-family: "roboto" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: pre-wrap; word-spacing: 0px;">
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</span></span><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0XhmaCLohj8" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-91726256988559893232020-02-15T22:54:00.002-08:002020-02-15T22:54:31.772-08:00The River of Horses, Iceland<span style="font-size: large;">Norbert Kardos and his girlfriend Denisa produced this haunting introduction to the land of Iceland. The combination of poetry, music, and video footage is stunning. One keeps expecting those lone stone boulders to turn back into trolls upon the setting of the sun. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">The title River of Horses is great but a bit misleading. Icelandic horses don't show up until minute 7:00 out of 9:00. And the way they maximize the advantage of drone footage with slo mo, reversing footage adds such dimension. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">We get to see aspects of the Icelandic landscape via drone we would never see in person.</span><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dx2hNiL1hUY" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-47790930763962739472020-02-13T10:15:00.002-08:002020-02-13T17:41:36.517-08:00Hark, Hark the Dogs of War Do Bark<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white;"><i>Scarlet Leaf Magazine</i> just published my short story "Hark Hark the Dogs of War Do Bark." I am writing a book <em style="font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; position: relative; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Raising Rough Riders in the White House: Theodore Roosevelt and His Sons Archie and Quentin and Their Pony Algonquin</em><span style="font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">. While researching the death of Quentin during WW I, I discovered serio-comic maps as both art form and propaganda devices. Examining the 1917 map Hark, Hark, the Dogs Do Bark, I wondered what would happen if the characters could talk.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #004000; font-size: large;">You can read this story and other pieces of great fiction at:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: white; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #222222; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: justify; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://www.scarletleafreview.com/short-stories19/category/ps-nolf">https://www.scarletleafreview.com/short-stories19/category/ps-nolf</a></span></span></div>
<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-18079640054708498142020-02-12T02:06:00.000-08:002020-02-12T02:06:07.300-08:00Galloping with a jaw harp<span style="font-size: large;">Olena Uutai from northern Russia manages to wow the crowd and the judges in Britain's Got Talent. Using her unique vocals and jaw harp, she conveys the joy of cantering a horse--or just weird techno dance music--along with amazing horse vocalizations. Even Simon Cowell is impressed.</span><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1myuIH9eAOc" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-531861085312357232020-02-05T00:24:00.000-08:002020-02-05T00:24:01.776-08:00Icelandic Horses Holding Up Tourist Cars <span style="font-size: large;">Some tourist must have fed these horses. The car occupents actually
debate calling the Icelandic equivalent of 911. Can't you just hear the
horses thinking "Treats or we'll take apart your car."</span><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3gTaYKdzTGE" width="560"></iframe>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-67708413529976937562020-01-28T02:03:00.000-08:002020-01-28T02:03:01.960-08:00Orville Peck, The Unknown Ranger and His Icelandic Horses<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Orville Peck is an up and coming singer who always wears a mask. His outfits are a combination of Zorro and the Lone Ranger. As Josie Gaitens describes his work in the <i>Reykjavik Grapevine</i>, "But it’s the artist’s songwriting and lyrical prowess that seem to
garner the most appealing to his fans. Orville’s songs are vulnerable,
full of longing, hope and hopelessness, love lost and never gained in
the first place. ‘Pony’ is the album you imagine playing at night as you
cruise down a dusty, Southern highway away from the love of your life,
or as you watch your high school crush slow-dance with somebody else at
prom." </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">His album "Pony" features Icelandic horses, another reason to check out his work.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">https://grapevine.is/icelandic-culture/music/2019/08/01/the-unknown-ranger-airwaves-2019-star-orville-peck/ </span>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-23425239451024377542020-01-21T08:11:00.000-08:002020-01-21T08:11:02.780-08:00<span style="font-size: large;">Emma Massingale posted this lovely video of her adventures with her friends riding across the Moorland of England. Her friends happen to be a cat, a dog, a baby lamb named Lily, a pony, and a horse. Periodically, they stop and feed the lamb with a bottle. Notice Emma is riding bridleless.<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/18CYlDt5V7E" width="560"></iframe></span>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3615216402240448053.post-43080276655101048592020-01-17T21:54:00.000-08:002020-01-17T21:54:04.024-08:00Just Another Water Crossing for Icelandic Horses<span style="font-size: large;">Going on a horse riding trek in Icelandic will probably involve a lot of river crossings. Even the loose, remount horses cross all kinds of water with aplomb as you can see in the video below. Blessi is a wonderful with water crossings. One of his breeding lines is known as the Water horses of Iceland. (This info comes from a conversation over eight years ago so I may have some of the details incorrect.)</span>Blessiownerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14282656776930461678noreply@blogger.com0