Happy summer everybody!
Today's the first day of summer according to the old Icelandic calendar. It's said to be especially good if winter and summer freeze together as it did last night. So there'll be a great summer this year (at least we hope so).
Our horses are back in training after a good break whilst we were in Austria. All of them have started to loose their winterfur which means that we look like yetis when we brush them...
All the best for you!

 

 

Or maybe I should start at the very beginning...
Last autumn we went with the local riding club to the annual ride, called Fákagleði, where we go for a long ride, have games afterwards and grill alltogether. At that certain ride we went up to lake Botnsvatn above Húsavík. Ingólfur rode Amor and I went on List. I soon discovered that she really liked to vade out into the lake as far as I would allow it. 
So I thought, what, if I'd show her the sea? We already took a walk down there a few years ago and she wasn't that keen on walking into it, but why not give it a try? A word and a blow, we went for a beach ride and then walked straight into the waves, no hesitating. In fact I had to make List walk parallel to the beach so she wouldn't just walk further and further and swimm in the end. We went out and in again, having a lot of fun! Well, who needs and aquatrainer if you have the best available just around the corner?
We'll definitely do this again.
Afterwards Ingólfur and I went on Magnús and Sigtýr for a ride, which was just gorgeous, no need to say more. It's a privilege to have horses like that and be able to enjoy a great ride.
If you'd like to see a short video, click here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent a few days with friends and family in Vienna. Lots to do and we just had the very best weather to do all the stuff. 
There was a big easter market downtown, we used the chance to take a walk there and on the way decided to climb the south tower of St.Stephen's Cathedral. You are able to walk up to the watchman's chamber, which is 343 stairs up a very narrow staircase. What an experience! The view from above is fantastic and I recommend everyone to climb up there and have a look over Vienna.
Of course we made a daytrip to Waldviertel and anotherone to have a look at Gerti's new horse in Burgenland. On our way back we purchased fresh asparagus straight from the farmer and a bottle of wine going with it, too. Will make a delicious meal when we are back home. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

... I finally started to work my way through all my pics and updating our blogg.
November 2016 is complete, now it's December and then so on. Hope to get in done soon. Thanks for still coming back and checking, promise to put more stuff in here at the first opportunity.

 

 

Coming home from spring it was quite a change to go back to winter. In fact more winter than we had during winter. Anyway it was time to feed the horses and the youngsters were in great playmood. First Rögnir and Sjarmi had fun following Ingólfur, who was dragging the haybale with the car and afterwards when Rögnir grabbed a piece of plasticwrap and chased the rest of the herd with it, making everybody run like crazy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

...Sicily! 
On Monday, 13th of March, we started our trip from Húsavík to Catania in Sicily. It was part of a regional project called Cristal, which is a cooperation between Norðurþing in Iceland, Sweden and Italy. Our host was Vincenza Ferrara, a young sicilian lady, who makes highest quality olive oil under the label "Le gemme di DORA". 
The  main goal was to learn about sustainability, environmentalfriendly agriculture, how to find ways to promote remoter areas and so on.
The plan was to go to London on Monday, from there to Catania on Tuesday, a visit to Vincenzas farm and the village of Villarosa on Wednesday, Thursday a workmeeting at our hotel and in the afternoon a trip to Enna, Friday an early start and a ferry trip to the Island of Ustica, where we were supposed to stay until Sundaymorning, then Palermo and a visit to the FabLab there, before going back to Iceland on Monday. Well, we got an unforseen extra day as it was that windy that we couldn't sail from the island to the mainland on Sunday. So our supervisors spent part of Sunday with rebooking all our flights, getting us a place to stay at Rome and so on. 
Most impressive in my opinion was the marine reserve at Ustica and the way people take care of this unique island. There's a 3 seamiles zone around the island, which is divided in A, B and C, where A means "no take zone", humans are not allowed to interrupt there, no swimming, diving, sailing without permission. In zone B you are allowed to swimm and sail, but no diving without permission. Neither in zone A nor B are you allowed to fish. In zone C "everything" is allowed and the 9 local fishermen put out their nets there. No other fishermen are allowed into this area close to the island. 
Great to see all the efforts to preserve the island and surroundings. On the other hand I was quite shocked about the immense use of plastic everywhere. Olive oil was packed in small, single use packs, salt, pepper, your coffee to go in a plastic cup with a plastic lid, plastic cups wrapped into plastic and so on. I think there's a lot of potential in reducing waste.
If you'd like to check out some pics, have a look here.
 

Our day started early as we were supposed to take care of the track at Lake Mývatn and help getting everything ready before the competition starts. It was the first time that the 2 local riding clubs worked together in this and I hope it will be like that in the future. So much easier for everybody. 
Today riders compeeted in tölt, fourgait, fivegait and speedpace, where the local police measured the speed with their radar. The horse/rider pair with the highest speed won. Nice to watch and no trouble with timetaking.
The weather was very good, but the ice not as good as the day before, rather slippery today. Nevertheless people were in good mood and I have to applaud the riders for being on time and ready when they had to go into the track. Bjarni Páll did a very good job as a speaker, Hildur was fast writing down all the marks, calculating, giving out the results and sending them to the newspages on the internet.
I think everything went very well and the cakebuffet afterwards just made it perfect.

You can find the pics here:

A flokkur (Fivegait)
B flokkur (Fourgait)
Tölt
Hraðaskeið (Speedpace)
Impressions

Here are the results:

A-flokkur

1. styrkleikaflokkur

1. Magnús Bragi Magnússon, Snillingur frá Íbishóli, 8,56
2. Guðmundur Karl Tryggvason, List frá Syðri-Reykjum, 8,42
3. Jóhann B. Magnússon, Fröken frá Bessastöðum, 8,36
4. Skapti Steinbjörnsson, Skál frá Hafsteinsstöðum, 8,34
5. Gestur Freyr Stefánsson, Sæmd frá Höskuldssstöðum, 8,30

2. styrkleikaflokkur

1. Kristján Þorvaldsson, Syrpa frá Sámsstöðum, 8,02
2. Hreinn Haukur Pálsson, Dáð frá Hólakoti, 7,18

 

B-flokkur

1. styrkleikaflokkur

1. Skapti Steinbjörnsson, Oddi frá Hafsteinsstöðum, 8,90
2. Viðar Bragason, Lóa frá Gunnarsstöðum, 8,76
3. Atli Sigfússon, Segull frá Akureyri, 8,49
4. Magnús Bragi Magnússon, Hrafnfaxi frá Skeggstöðum, 8,47
5. Ragnar Stefánsson, Vaka frá Litla Dal, 8,46

2. styrkleikaflokkur:

1. Egill Már Vignisson, Dúkkulísa frá Þjóðólfshaga, 8,44
2. Tryggvi Höskuldsson, Flugar frá Króksstöðum, 8,23
3. Sigurjóna Kristjánsdóttir, Dimmir frá Hellulandi, 8,20
4. Steingrímur Magnússon, Blesi frá Skjólgarði, 8,00
5. Guðmundur Hjálmarsson, Einir frá Ytri Bægisá, 7,86

 

Tölt

1. styrkleikaflokkur

1. Skapti Steinbjörnsson, Oddi frá Hafsteinsstöðum, 7,83
2. Viðar Bragason, Lóa frá Gunnarsstöðum, 7,50
3. Ragnar Stefánsson, Vaka frá Litla-Dal, 7,0
4. Atli Sigfússon, Segull frá Akureyri, 6,50
5. Guðmundur Karl Tryggvason, Skriða frá Hlemmiskeiði, 6,50

2. styrkleikaflokkur

1. Egill Már Vignisson, Dúkkulísa frá Þjóðólfshaga, 6,67
2. Vala Sigurbergsdóttir, Krummi frá Egilsá, 6,50
3. Tryggvi Höskuldsson, Flugar frá Króksstöðum, 6,17
4. Guðbjartur Hjálmarsson, Hulinn frá Sauðafelli, 6,17
5. Guðmundur Hjálmarsson, Svörður frá Sámsstöðum, 6,0

 

Hraðaskeið

1. Svavar Hreiðarsson, Hekla frá Akureyri, 45 km/klst
2. Svavar Hreiðarsson, Jóhannes Kjarval frá Hala, 43 km/klst
3. Svavar Hreiðarsson, Flugar frá Akureyri, 42 km/klst
4. Ragnar Stefánsson, Hind frá Efri-Mýrum, 40 km/klst
5. Kristján Sigtryggsson, Fluga frá Hellulandi, 37 km/klst

 

The local riding clubs Grani and Þjálfi invited everybody who'd like to join to come to Lake Mývatn and take part in the annual riding tour on ice the day before Mývatn Open, the competition on ice. The weatherforecast was good, so we decided to join and invited Hjördís to come with us. Just before we started, we got a SMS from Hrund if she'd be allowed to join us. Luckily somebody else cancelled the trip so there was room in Gísli's trailer. Off we went with Magnús, List, Embla and Ögn. When we arrived, there were already quite many riders, so we started to get ourselves ready. Hjördís chose Embla again and it was their first time on ice. I'd estimate it was about 50-60 riders who joined, some locals, some from Akureyri and Skagafjörður and some on a wintertrip to Iceland. 
First we tried the competitiontrack for the next day and the ice was just perfect, a little bit of snow frozen to the surface, which makes it less slippery and easier for the horses. Then off we went on the trail on the lake. A local farmer made a track with his tractor, a very nice and sceneric way through lava rocks, pseudocraters and small islands. Embla was a bit scared with the cracking in the beginning, making Hjördís feel uncomfortable, but they worked on it and in the end they were even cantering and pacing on the track. 
At the end of the track Selhótel offered delicious sandwiches and hot chocolate, what a treat! Whilst the biggest part of the group took the same trackway back, we said goodbye and took a shortcut as we had to set up the fence for the competition the day after. Hjördís and Hrund went with Gísli whilst we took care of getting everything ready.
Perfect ride and if you'd like to get an impression, check out the pics here.

 

 

 

 

 

Hjördís joined us at the stable today and decided to go for a ride with her dad whilst I took care of mucking out and stuff like that. 
She always says Embla belongs to her and her dad and now it was time for her to try the pinto. Embla is born in August 2010, so still rather young, but very secure, a natural tölter with good basic gaits and on top of it flying pace. She definitely knows who's on back and takes care of those not that strong, but can be "asking questions" with a routined rider on back.
After combing and getting ready they set off together, me remaining with a bit of lump in my throat, hoping everything would go well. Of course I peeked regularly out of the door to check where they were and when I saw them approaching I grabbed my camera and waited for them. Everything went so well, that Hjördís even dared to canter her, which I really didn't expect on the first ride. It seems we got a new horse-rider team in the stable and we are very happy that things work out that well!

 

 

 

Our ridinghorses were for the first time allowed to go to the bigger paddock, which we made in autumn. There's enough space for all horses, so they can stay away from those they aren't best friends with. Today the met Jón Óli's and Siffi's horses and of course there were some discussions about who's allowed to be where and who's the overall boss around. But as I said there's enough space, so the 2 groups just seperated afterwards and everybody was happy in his corner.

 

 

 

 

 

What do you do when you have a few days off and your horses are having a break? Right, you go for a short vacation!
We drove east to visit Pétur and Marietta, have a look at their horses, eat and drink and have fun. It was cold, but no snow, so the landscape was covered with frost, making the surroundings looking very unreal. The beautiful light created a kind of magical atmosphere and it was nice to go for a photowalk.
Unfortunately we had to leave very surprisingly due to a case of illness in my family. Hope we are going to meet soon again.

 

 

 

 

 

we got a guest for a ride today. Hjördís asked if she could come and go for a ride on her Ögn, which we were very happy to grant her. So Ingólfur went on Sæla and Hjördís on Ögn and off they went despite the strong wind. First slow to get used to the feeling again, but on the way home the trust had come back and they gallopped the last hill. Nice to watch them together and quality time for father and daughter.

 

 

 

 

 

for our horses. A very late Christmaspresent I'd say as they got our Christmastree to play with. They got just that 1 tree, not a big amount. In the beginning, they were very surprised, but interested in this new toy, carefully approaching it, poking it with their noses and finally trying to eat it. I think they'll soon grab it and hit each other with it (at least if I know those little varmints right). It surely was a change of daily routine for them and they seemed to like it.

 

 

 

 

 

After very little snow the last weeks we got some again last night. The horses liked it and our youngsters were very playful and full of energy today. Sjarmi, Fjördís surprisefoal, is very well integrated in the group and the sizedifference doesn't matter at all and as you can see on the pic, he tries his best to be the biggest in the group.
Snerpa still has her punkhaircut, eventhough one can already guess to which side the mane will go in the end. Fönix starts to look like a bodydouble of his mum, just the colour is a bit different. Rögnir is growing and has nearly reached his nephew and best friend Kóngur in height. Prímus is behaving like a little dictator, trying to keep the mares away from the youngsters. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least for us and our horses as they had a day off. Not so Siffi and his horses, who we met when going for a ride. As you can see, people here dress the way you can easily spot them. Think it's really important, especially at this time of the year when it gets dark rather early. 
Afterwards we took a drive to Ísólfsstaðir and checked our ridinghorses, which are still enjyoing their holiday, there. They are in really good shape eventhough they are still "just" feeding on dry grass, no additional hay. We'll fetch some of them home soon.