Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.12.1995, Blaðsíða 5

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 1. desember 1995 • 5
A 1fisit With The lcelandic Horses
At Ontario’s Gimli Farm
Rana Leggette on Gullskór showing us the special paces of lcelandic horses. Photo: Rob Gubbins
by Erlc Einarson-McCleery
Toronto
Earlier this year, the
Executive of the Ice-
landic Canadian Club
of Toronto decided on holding
a special event in the fall — a
wiener roast and pot-luck out-
of-door buffet at an Icelandic
horse farm owned by an
Icelandic-Canadian.
“There’s a property called
‘Gimli Farm’? Are you seri-
ous? Aren’t there dozens of
farms which could be known
as Gimli Farm? How could
one Icelander be so presump-
tuous as to name his place,
‘Gimli’? Well, you can do
this, almost with impunity,
when the fcum is almost 2000
kms. east of Lake Winnipeg.
The event proved to be a
highlight of the year for every-
one! The weather on the pre-
ferred day, Saturday, October
14, was wretched - so the pro-
gram was put over to the fol-
lowing day and we were
rewarded with weather per-
fectly suited to the occasion.
56 people showed up and had
a marvelous time socializing,
going for walks or hay wagon
rides with James Beaudry,
dodging the occasional rain
shower, eating potatoes and
marshmallows baked in the
huge open fire, meeting the
wonderful horses and being
treated so graciously by their
hosts, Gunnar and Lynda
Helgason. The day’s events
were capped by a demonstra-
tion of Icelandic Horse riding
by resident manager Joe
Leggette on Moldi and his
wife Rana on Gullskór with a
commentary by Gunnar who
followed the prepared script
for much of the time, except
when his enthusiasm caused
him to break into the most
interesting and delightful ad-
libs.
Gimli Farm is only an
hour’s drive from Toronto, just
north of the town of Colbome
on the shore of Lake Ontario.
Here, Gunnar and Lynda own
a 600 acre property that is
home to more than 120
Icelandic horses. The farm is
located in the beautiful
Northumberland Hills, and
has some of the nicest
scenerey to be found in this
part of Ontario. At its highest
point, on a clear day, you can
see for almost ten kilometres
in every direction, with Lake
Ontario spread out to the
south. The farm land is classi-
fied as Class 2 in agricultural
terms, meaning that it is close
to perfection. While much of
the land provides hay and pas-
ture for the horses, there are
sections of forest containing
original growth maple mixed
with softwoods and inter-
spersed throughout the prop-
erty.
Gunnar is the son of
Sigurður and Joleen Helgason,
his father born at Hnausa,
north of Gimli, and his mother
coming from Hecla Island.
Gunnar was educated in
Winnipeg and is now a char-
tered accountant registered
both in Manitoba and Ontario.
As a teenager he wasn’t raised
in an equine environment,
although he and his friends
were always riding horses rent-
ed out from public stable.
After three years of riding stan-
dard thoroughbreds Gunnar
came to the conclusion that he
had taken enough “pounding”
from horse-back riding and
that it was time for other inter-
ests.
Then in 1983, Gunnar and
his family visited Iceland and
it was there that they encoun-
tered the Icelandic horse for
the first time. His interest in
horses was immediately re-
awakened. Here was a riding
experience that was so differ-
ent from anything he had pre-
viously know; the horse gave
the smoothest ride because of
the special “tölt” gait; none of
the shock, pound and bounce
normally associated with being
astride a horse. He remembers
the race he had with the man
who was guiding the family
party across moss-covered lava
and speaks reverently about
the sure-footedness of the ani-
mal. Almost from that
moment, Gunnar knew that he
and Icelandic horses were
about to form an on-going
relationship; and the way to
do it was to establish a breed-
ing programme in Canada
which would make the horse
more easily attainable by
Canadian enthusiasts.
In 1989 Gunnar imported
into Canada the first batch of
13 horses from Reykjavík and,
as always, had to wait while
they went through the usual
period of quarantine before he
could take them home to the
farm north of Colborne.
Importing horses is not some-
thing to be taken casually.
The cost for landing and feed-
ing a standard, reasonable
quality Icelandic horse is close
to $10,000. A good, well
trained horse from Iceland
landed in Canada can cost
between fifteen and seventeen
thousand dollars.
There’s another considera-
tion; one which says some-
thing about the gentleness of
the breed. Unlike other hors-
es, Icelandics are coihmunal
animals — they like company
of some kind. Preferably
another Icelandic horse. But
at $10,000 each that may not
be the practical solution. On a
positive note they aren’t neces-
sarily demanding. If they can’t
have another horse or their
owner providing constant
attention, they’ll settle for the
friendship of the farm dog.
Gimli Farm is now one of
the largest producers of
Icelandic horses in North
America. The aim of the
breeding program which
Gunnar has established is to
produce quality horses, with a
basic degree of training, which
can be purchased for a price
more in keeping with the price
in Iceland, so making the ani-
mals more readily available to
a wider group of people. The
question is ofen asked about
the length of the horse’s useful
life. A sound, well cared for
horse can live and be active
into its late 30s; even into its
50s. One horse, known to
Gunnar, lived until it was 53
and died two weeks after its
owner passed away.
As a breed they are healthy
animals. They don’t develop
leg problems as can happen
with other breeds. Nor do
they suffer from bowed ten-
dons, and there aren’t navicu-
lar problems in the feet, where
the foot can be split. Gunnar
points out that his horses are
given shoes for training that
are somewhat different from
normal; the front ones are
heavier, and this causes the
horse to lift his feet higher
when wearing the lighter shoe
used in normal wear.
The horses at Gimli Farm
are field grazed all year round.
While conditions at the farm
are pretty close to being idyllic
(one pasture is even referred to
as Paradise Pasture). Ice-
landics are renowned for being
able to sustain themselves on
less feed than other breeds.
They can actually survive on
moss and lichen! At present,
some are being used in the
Arctic to herd reindeer. In
terms of how much they eat,
the figure quoted is about 12
to 15 lbs. of hay per day. To
compare this with other
breeds, a Quarter Horse will
eat twice as much.
The breeding program at
Gimli Farm has been very suc-
cessful so far, thanks to
Skugga Baldur, the beautiful
black stallion who is rated as
one of the best stallions in
North America. More than 20
horses have been sold to peo-
ple in Nova Scotia, Ontario
and the W.S., and interest in
the breed is growing across
Canada. The Canadian Ice-
landic Horse Federation has
over 300 members comprised
of owners, breeders of people
simply fascinated by the hors-
es’ disposition and unique-
ness.
The horses are magnificent;
the farm is a delight. The day’s
visit by ICCT members was an
almost magical experience.
Those who were present are
grateful to Gunnar, Lynda,
Joe, Rana and James for pro-
viding them with such an
occasion.
Minnist
BETEL
í ERFÐASKRÁM YÐAR
MESSUBOÐ
Fyrsta Lúterska
Kirkja
Pastor Ingthor I. Isfeld
1030 a.m. The Service
followed by Sunday School
& Coffee hour.
First Lutheran Church
580 Victor St.,
Winnipeg, MB
R3G 1R2 Ph. 772-7444
Manitoba
PREMIER
GARY FILMON
cordially invites you and
your family to the annual
LEGISLATIVE BUILDING
OPEN HOUSE
on
Saturday, December 9, 1995
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Join Members of the Legislative Assembly in a celebration
of Manitoba’s festive and ethnocultural traditions.
X&,