Avalon Icelandics and Farm

10/05/2026

What a great weekend. 1st time in competition with my 1st foal, Artemis.

10/05/2026

09/18/2026

A short section of my 2nd ride with a drone. This went better as we all (including Mysla) understood what to expect. This ride was super fun, maybe because it was just different. I did a lot of my usual contour riding for gait changes on the bridle path hills, but here I did serpentines for flat work on the road. It was fun and focusing, kind of like in a clinic.

09/18/2026

Got Fall Dapples? Here's why.

This is from the UC Davis equine color genetics section via Gemini:

On a bay horse without the silver gene, dapples are completely normal and are typically referred to as "bloom dapples" or physiologic dapples.
Unlike the distinct genetic dappling tied to the silver (Z) mutation or the transitional stages of a graying horse, dapples on a standard bay horse are an expression of the horse's underlying pigment structure combined with peak physical condition:
Pigment Foundation: Bays possess eumelanin (black pigment on the points) and phaeomelanin (red/brown pigment on the body). Because bays have eumelanin (unlike chestnuts, which lack it entirely and rarely dapple), their coats have the right pigment contrast to display subtle variations in shading along the hair shafts.
The "Bloom" Factor: On a non-silver bay, dapples usually appear as soft, ring-like variations in the summer coat. They are widely considered a visual indicator of optimal health, peak nutrition (particularly adequate protein, essential fatty acids like Omega-3s, and balanced trace minerals like copper and zinc), and good grooming.
Transient Nature: Because they are driven by condition and coat sheen rather than a permanent dilution gene, these dapples tend to fluctuate seasonally—often blooming when the horse sheds out into a slick summer coat and fading or disappearing with the heavier winter coat.

09/16/2026

09/09/2026

I delivered this lovely gelding, long known as one of our Knuckleheads, to his new person, Summer and her husband and their two lovely children. They were amazing clients, buying him as a yearling while Summer was still in grad school, and boarding him with us so he could grow up playing hard with his brother till he was 4 years old. Not many people are that pragmatic and patient. So here's to Rokkur from Avalon, and all the adventures ahead of him with his new family. I met his trainer and I love that he is in great hands.

09/08/2026

A dear friend came over this weekend and we played with me riding with her drone camera. It was really fun and added some zest 🤭😉

09/02/2026

Missing Iceland already. https://www.facebook.com/share/r/19Ubke1ZLh/

09/01/2026

We blasted down to Kentucky (11 hour drive) this weekend to get a few lessons with Carrie and Terral at Taktur Icelandics, and to pick up my 5 year old. I sent Artemis for gait training immediately after her conformation breeding assessment in May. It was lovely to ride her and bring her home. Here's to us getting to know each other as riding partners. Artemis might also be for sale to the right person off in the future. 🤫😉