HESTAR RANCH
Icelandic Horses grown up here and then Sold
Here are a few of the horses that have been born at the ranch, did grow up here and then have been trained and sold.
I like to explain on how I best like to process if I am selling a horse(s).
First and most important, I do not ride the horses before the age of 5 years.
I take them as a hand horse first, at age of 4 or 5 and do a little groundwork so that they follow me. Then the next season they get started under saddle. That means they can be ridden in a paddock or arena and around the barn and house with a side-pull. Then usually at age 6 they do their first trail riding on the ranch... sometimes still on a side pull or hackamore and some already on a double broken bit, depending on the horse. Riding them on the trails, the tolt training can start. Especially after they do well in walk and a bit of dressage, and also can be ridden on their own on the trails here at the ranch, without a other older horse close by. Depending on the new owner, the horse can be sold after being started on the trails, or training can go on for more speed in tolt and/or longer trail rides, and maybe flying pace if this is a preference. Also I like the new owner to have a few lessons here with the horse they like, before a dessicion on a sale is made. This in order to meet and get to know the horse and what it already can do, all of this is incredibly important for the horse and the rider/buyer. There needs to be a bond between the horse and rider/new owner before taking the horse away from the herd and his friends. It is a huge stress on a horse to go to a new home. It actually helps the horse and is way better to decide on 2 horses that already have a bond and take them both together. There needs to be enough time before any decisions will be made on a new horse. I made the experience that it is very important on first making sure that the horse(s) is a very good fit, before making any decissions on buying a horse.
Hördur
Hördur vom Schlossblick
Feif ID: CH2004102206 / US:2004103048
Hördur is the father of Hara, Hekla and Hind in 2007, and of Haukur and Hunar in 2008. He is five gaited, a good looking horse, and has lots of natural tolt and pace. In riding, he is easy to get along with. He is very smooth under the saddle in all gaits even in trot, and all of his 5 gears are easy to find. He has a lot of self confidence, so he is most likely not scared if new things come along on the trail. He takes very good care to his rider, is easy on his bit, and he always is a Gentlemen to me, even riding him bareback to keep warm in the winter, when it is actually too cold for a ride. He even doesn't mind to carry a kid while riding with other horses, but also is fun for a better rider. I call him a save horse
for someone that not wants to get hurt on or from a horse anymore. He appreciates a lot when he gets a goodie once in a while, ups he is a bit spoiled... but a really, really good guy!
Hind
Hind from Hestar Ranch US2007203585
She is a wonderful 5-gaited daughter of Frá and Hördur in 2007, a full "von Sporz" off-spring, both of her parents bread by Schlossblick in Switzerland. She is a sensitive and beautiful horse, especially in motion, with good and well separated 5 gaits and quite some speed in all gaits. She can be a better quality trail riding horse and also has some potential for easy competition. Hind is no beginner horse, she is a sensitive Lady and has a lot to offer for her rider. Her body has a nice conformation, and it also would be wonderful to see her being used for a breeding. She is started and has been on several longer trail rides, does well in tölt training, and she already has been quite a few times on the trails on her own too. She is sold to be a brood mare and Hördur, Haukur and Elja are with her as well!
Haukur
Haukur from Hestar Ranch US2008103908
5-gaited son of Bláma with lots of natural tölt and pace from Hördur, but not all that fast flying pace. He is a very friendly horse, and he was so easy to start under saddle, and also he loves to play a lot in the herd. He is the tallest boy after Fifill, he already measures 14,5 hands at the age of 4. After being trained, he will be a good and strong trail and ranch horse with lots of gait. He still needs the herd for playing and goof with his boy friends. By now (the time of selling him) he was doing fine with me riding him on the trails, he was doing good by having a older horse with him and go ride together. He loved it so much to go for rides with me! ...and he already tolts some with only using a side-pull. He is sold at the age of 6 years, and he is happy now with Elja being his pretty little girl-friend!
Elja
Elja from Hestar Ranch US2010204271
She is a smart little young Lady, fillie of Bláma and Eylimi born 2010. She is 5 gaited and a extremely people loving girl! She likes to do things with people, she loves to hang out with me and follow me... She is started by the time of sale, and does great together with a other horse on the trails. She is doing fine with a hackamore and is already having a bit for only once in a while. She will be a wonderful family member, that is nice and loving with everybody including kids. She was sold at age of 5 years, just started under saddle for 3 month, but very easy to ride and no problems have been with starting her at all... I can go on the ranch-trails with her alone by the time of leaving us. She was a fast learner because she loved to do things and go places with me!
Our Horses that spent their life here and went over the rainbow bridge
Frá "Fraueli"
Fra von Schlossblick CH2000202098
My beloved breeding mare Fraueli went home after I had her only 3 years. She was a wonderful, very pretty and talented 5-gaited breeding-mare out of excellent Von Sporz bloodlines from Switzerland, Hrafn v Holtsmula & Ofeigur v Flugumyri, Stigandi v Kolkuosi & Battur v Kirkjubae.
She is the mother of Eylimi and Hind. Her tölt and pace was easy to ride, and she also had good trot and nice gallop. All of her five gaits have been well separated but also easy to find. Very nice riding horse with a sweet personality. She left us in winter 2008 at Christmas time. You always will be in my mind, I will always love you Fraueli and I still miss you.
Eclipse
Manar Mirkui from Rhythmhill US1992100479
Spring 1992 - Aug. 2019
Called Eclipse, he was a 5-gaited gelding, with natural tölt, good trot, flying pace with med. speed, nice canter & good gallop. All 5 gaits are well separated and easy to find. He was well trained including neck raining, and he liked to pony young horses. He also likes to splash in the river or ponds. He was a show off in the river! He let any student ride him, he was a very good teacher to teach students how to gait, because he goes in trot if his rider does not do it right. Eclipse was the Boss of the whole herd until he died. He let Eylimi have the mares, such a smart boy! He was still very pretty and in good shape for his older age, although he was only suitable for a light rider in his last year, so he was almost retired and a happy boy until his last day in August.
Hekla
Hekla from Hestar Ranch US2007203586 She left us very unexpected on Dezember 2. 2019
She was a 5-gaited daughter of Elding and Hördur 2007. She stand 13.3 hands and was a natural tolter. She had a very energetic walk, good trot and offered flying pace under saddle. She also showed all 5 gaits when running in the herd. I loved her good motivation and nice temperament. She stoped dependably with a verbal "ho-o". She was great fun under saddle, and she learned to stay in tölt within only 2 or 3 days. She was made for a lighter female rider, because she was built very fine in her legs. I have been riding her on the trails for a couple of years, and she was ready to be sold, but God decided different. Look for her tolting and pacing in the ranch movie, that was done just after starting her in tolt and it was her first time in pace under saddle! She was amazing and I am missing her. She was a sunshine and I miss her badly, now she will be in my dreams.
Héla
Héla from Hestar Ranch US2006203716
She was a 5-gaited mare, 2006 daughter of Bláma and Hervar from Schmalztopf. She has had one colt, Hreindýr. She has a solid, easy-going temperament, nice movement and well-separated five gaits. She is very forward under saddle, with an extremely good walk and big movement, and her tölt and trot are easy to find. She liked to go out on the trails, even by herself. She had a lovely, soft-hearted personality. She did have grade 1 heaves and therefore could only be a light riding horse and/or companion for another Icelandic. Then she started to have bad liver values and lost weight... She was a total sweetheart and I am missing her now. Be in peace my darling.
