Valur's Story

When we went to the farm to pick the horse we made every error in the book, but were luckily dealing with an honest importer. I rode six horses with Lothar, taking two at a time for a short loop around the forest, switching horses half way through. The horses had arrived from Iceland and Denmark two days previously and were still suffering from culture shock. After the rides six expectant eyes looked at me, wanting to know which horse I had chosen. I could barely remember the first two I had ridden and quickly decided by elimination. The big palomino who was the best of the bunch was very difficult to catch. The pinto had bad feet and two greys were very similar. One of them was looking at me, that's the one I took.

Valur was delivered the same day and I had my own horse. It took all the self control I could muster not to ride him that day, but on the next day we were out on the trail. Valur lived at a boarding stable where he was the only Icelandic and people pitied me for not having a bigger or fancier horse. At five years of age I expected my horse to be much better trained than he was. Not knowing enough about the tolt I'd pull his head up and he responded by running away. After a week it became obvious that we were having problems. He was great 95% of the time and then he'd run off with me, taking a hold of the snaffle and off he'd go.

I'd go home every day ready to ask my parents to trade him in, but their cheerful questions about the wonderful horse drowned my courage. A riding clinic in the summer was the answer. I learned not to pull, Valur's snaffle was replaced with a pelham and we did much better. I lessened my demands on him and stopped riding three hours a day when two did just fine. We returned home with a much happier horse and better rider. Now I could show off to the other boarders and they were puzzled how I could manage to get my horse to either jump or walk through the ditch by the yard, when the other horses wouldn't give their riders the choice. Being kids Valur and I soon spent most of our time trying to come up with things impossible to do. Valur has been in my parent's house, gone up and down hills that were too steep for horses and climbed stairs.

My little falcon excelled at jumping and soon popped over four foot hurdles with little effort. In between the jumps we were not always in control, but all I had to do was head him into the direction of a jump and he'd take it. On the trail he was determined to be in the lead with other horses and won most of the playful races we had with the other horses. Most of our rides were by ourselves and Valur soon became my best friend. He didn't really tolt any more unless I rode him bareback with just a halter, but that didn't matter. I convinced my parents that I could do my homework just as well when taking the horse to a nearby field where he would eat and soon Valur became the most educated Icelandic, knowing all about algebra and the splitting of cells. During the first three years I owned him, until I went to Canada for the first time, Valur had maybe four days off.

During each holiday we would drive to a nearby Icelandic Horse Farm and participated in three week long treks with overnight camping. Setting up the tent in Valur's pasture was not possible, he wanted to move in, or at the very least share my breakfast and take my boots for a walk.

In 1981 Valur followed me to Canada and he was pleased that I had learned to ride Icelandics better. He loved living with horses of his own kind again, although at first he would get very jealous with every horse I would take out of the pasture.

Valur soon found himself part of the demonstration team, although he still wasn't the greatest tolter he showed the crowds the versatility of Icelandics. At the Calgary Stampede I would drive Valur into the ring with a buggy, go once around, stop in the corner to switch to a saddle and join the others in the musical ride. At the end Valur would jump over some barrels standing up, never missing a jump.

It had taken less than an hour to teach Valur to drive and even less time to get him to jump over fire, which we added to our demonstration in 1986. In 1985 Valur was the high point horse at the Canadian National Gaited Horse Show and the Festival of the Gaits against more than 100 horses of all gaited breeds. In 1988 at his second showing at the Alberta Challenge of the Breeds he placed fourth overall after winning the Jumping and placing second in the Obstacle driving and fourth in the Barrel Race.

The Challenge of the Breeds was a wonderful promotion tool for the Icelandics. Valur by then was snow white and the only pony in the competition. Each of the fifteen breeds participating would send one horse to compete in English and Western Pleasure, Trail Class, Obstacle Driving, Jumping (Hunter style) and Barrel Racing. While he never understood the point of Western Pleasure and lapped the other horses several times in the three years Valur competed at Edmonton Northlands he was always the crowd's favourite. What he lacked in height he made up in determination and charm.

When Valur turned 24 he became Mandy's horse and while he is twice her age she has turned him into a young horse again. Together they conquered the art of standing on a horse while it trots and it is amazing to see how Valur makes his trot a little bit smoother when he feels her feet on his back.



Always having been extremely friendly he quickly wrapped Mandy around his little hooves and is always successful when begging for treats or another ride. I still can't resist him when he comes over in the pasture, wanting to be brought in.

Now he is approaching his 30th year, he is retired, a bit arthritic, but nothing a few good tummy rubs and extra treats can't cure.For me there will never be another horse like Valur. Even though we had a rough beginning I have always trusted him and once I understood that he ran away with me because I was too hard handed and demanded too much of him, we got along much better. He always remained spirited and when I handed him over to Mandy he still had to be in the lead with other horses. I never expected her to be able to ride him in a group and it irked me to no end that she could ride him the same summer with several other horses and he never even questioned who was in front of him and was as quiet as the Valur I thought I knew, never was. Maybe all these years it was me who needed to be in front of the group?

I will own better horses than Valur, horses with a bigger and faster tolt, horses who can win more ribbons and who will thrill me with their flying pace, but I will never again own another horse I can be as close to and who will be as special as my First.