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NEW RIDER

Upkeep has just gotten a new rider. Please welcome Frederic Hanson aka. Freddy. He is from Norway, where this stable is located, and 22 years old. He is an experienced rider for his age, and Icelandic horses (and gaited horses in general) isn't new to him.

Actually when he arrived and I wanted him to show what he could do, he picked our newest horse Floki fra Ísdalur (by Samantha Strasser), and rode him to perfection!

"Let me see a tölt then!" I requested of the newest rider. I wanted to see what he could do on a horse, especially one who was new to the area too.

"Sure thing!" he replied, his tone light as he indeed showed off.

"Was that okay?" he asked, seeming a little unsure of himself, which he had no reason to be.

"It was very good!" I replied, and smiled at him, "Looking forward to see you and Floki in an actual show in the near future!"

At that he just laughed and smiled back proudly.

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RAIN, RAIN AND MORE RAIN...

Been raining all day but with no indoor arena we had to make do with the outside! Our Icelandics has nothing against the rain, but the two Pasos doesn't like it apparently xD

Nikolette and I (Soffía Hagen in this small story) took turns switching horses and teaching each other today. These two are Gråravn's Turning Table (Peruvian Paso Chestnut Roan boy) and Gråravn's Epando (Grey Paso Fino boy) btw., by @Rune Aksnes.

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S-SHOW FEBRUARY 2024 BRIDLEPATH

BOE Barmur - Icelandic Gelding - Bay Dun (EE Aa Dd)

Ridden by Nikolette Anderson in Tölt at Gæðingakeppni.

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JUST A LIL GAIT TRAINING!

This beautiful baby arrived to Upkeep a just around a week ago. Her name is Kolubleik frá Upkeep, but we just call her Bleika. She is a dunskin Icelandic mare. When I saw her sales add, I actually thought she was a stallion, as she looks sooo tanky!

But mare she was, and me and Froya went directly to Finland to get her home.

Having been here for a few days now, I found that she would be ready for a little riding. We haven't been told much about how well ridden she was. For all we knew she could just the saddle broken and had had a rider on her back a few times.

She was standing so nicely beside the mounting block, as I got onto her back. Such a sweetheart!

When I got to the arena, I saw Nikolette who was riding Happa (Happadís frá Upkeep) in the arena in a VERY nice trot. She just brings the best out in that gentle mare, and she seems less with her feelings on the edge of her skin, when Niko is riding her - so she will probably keep doing that as long as Niko wants to.

Then I turned my attention back to Bleika.

Bleika showed me a very good, powerful and steady walk. I was really impressed in how stable she actually was with a new rider, as she was kind of a chance horse. We knew that when we bought her.

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S-SHOW FEBRUARY 2024

Hofna frá Upkeep ridden by Nikolette Anderson at Gæðingakeppni doing Pace

BOE Solvei ridden by Nikolette Anderson at Gæðingakeppni doing Tölt

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2024 WINTER ENDURANCE CHALLENGE

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SAY HELLO TO NIKOLETTE AND PEYTON!

Please welcome two new staff members: Peyton and Nikolette Anderson. They are mother and daughter, and has boarded their horse BOE Solvei at our facility.

While Nikolette is new to Icelandic Horses, Peyton (the daughter) is a little bit more experienced with those, since she has ridden quite a few of them back in Denmark at a place near her father's house.

Nikolette, or Niko, was born and raised in Australia, and hasn't had much contact with the breed before she moved to Denmark, and fell in love with the small black mare Solvei and had to own her. So she is still learning, but eagerly so!

Today I tested Peyton's basic riding abilities, with her mother Niko overlooking the situation. She gave her daughter some basic instructions once in a while, but otherwise Peyton was doing it by herself.

She is clearly an experienced young rider, and a very good addition to our small staff team!

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BOYS IN THE SNOW

The boys are enjoying the pastures near the new facilities!