Ari is a pinto Icelandic horse. He came to the USA from Iceland in 1998 and was ridden as a show horse, and was even ridden in the Rose Parade in 1999. Then he was sold to me, and I keep him as a pet and trail horse. We also patrol the trails as mounted reserve park rangers for the city of Poway in San Diego county.

Icelandics are gaited horses. They do a gait called the tolt, which is very fast and smooth and fun to ride. Their front legs pump up and down really fast, while their back legs just glide along the ground, almost a running walk. You can hear four beats when they tolt.

These guys are Star (left) and Little Red, also Icelandic horses. They were both born in the USA. Star is 7 and Red is 16 years old. Star is a pasture pet due to a spinal injury when he was a baby. Icelandics love to play..They buck and rear and generally raise a ruckus, and that makes all the dogs bark!

Red is only 12.2 hands high, which means 50" at the withers (shoulders). Icelandics are usually between 12-14 hands high. A "hand" is four inches. Ari is 14.1 hands, big for the breed.

This is Sherlock, a shetland pony that I adopted from rescue in May 2010. An untrained stallion, he was a victim of neglect and seized by animal control. I, of course, couldn't resist. He is now a gelding and his training is coming along well. He is very sweet!

In memory of Honey

In memory of Spice