New Trainer for Britain
Most of you will
not yet know the name of Ísólfur
Líndal Þórisson ( Iso ).
I firmly believe that his name will be one of those that will become a
‘household name’ within the Icelandic Horse community over the forthcoming
years. This young man is an
excellent rider who understands both the needs of the horse and of the rider.
He has an exemplary command of English and can explain clearly the
complex issues involved in the biomechanics of the horse in motion.
Not only is he a qualified instructor and horse trainer but he is also a
qualified and licensed Sport judge.
Allow
him to introduce himself:
My
name is Ísólfur Líndal Þórisson ( Iso ) and I was born in 1978.
I am married
to Vigdís Gunnarsdóttir, a social worker, and we have a son, Ísak Þórir Ísólfsson
Líndal, born in 1999.
Childhood:
I am born and bred at Lækjamót which is in the north-west of Iceland.
Breeding, and the taming and training of horses has been the main source of
income for my family over the last decades. I have competed frequently since my
youth, won many prizes, including several Icelandic Championships.
Career:
-
Aged 16 I opened my first training-centre at Lækjamót and have worked in the
industry, mostly without interruption, since.
-
In 1998 I worked as a trainer for Karly and Rúna Zingsheim in Germany.
-
In 1999 I worked as a trainer for Sigurbjörn Bárðarson.
-
2001-2003 I worked at a rehabilitation centre in Iceland for teenagers that had
fallen into drug abuse. There I used my knowledge of horses and created a
treatment program that, amongst other things, sought to teach the teenagers the
care of horses and riding skills, but above all respect for the horse and
themselves.
-
In 2005 I worked with Sigurður Sigurðarson and Guðmar Þór Péturson in
Iceland.
-
Spring 2005 I graduated from Hólaskóli College, with riding instructor and
training qualification C, topped the class in the riding instructor part and was
runner-up for the riding part.
Other
information:
Recently
I have given private lessons and clinics both in Iceland and abroad.
My
approach to the training of horse and rider is the same, that is: help the horse
to understand what it is that the rider wants to achieve and therefore help the
rider to give the horse the right signals.
All
the training is firstly drawn from the horse, that is: its inherent responses
and physique and secondly from the rider, that is skill-level and understanding
of horse and equestrianism.
I
use dressage considerably in my training of horses in order to improve the
gaits. I am very focused on gaining control of the horses overline, because in
my opinion the overline is the key to the horse.
Generally
speaking, with me “what you see is what you get”. I am positive and
optimistic and take people and horses as they are.
Iso
came to Midfield in March and gave his first clinic in Britain.
The first of many, I hope. It
is always interesting to see how a new trainer/instructor approaches his work. In Iso’s case he has several ‘first steps’ or key
issues that he wants to ensure that his students have and understand.
These could be described as essential riding tools and their grasp
ensures not only that Iso is on the same wavelength as his students but also
that he knows his students have a safe way of controlling and stopping their
horses. Safety is uppermost in his
mind, training as he does, some extremely sensitive and talented young horses.
Some of these riding tools were practiced on the ground and other under
saddle.
As he said in his introduction, he is a student of the
classical methods of riding and horse training.
This was evident in his teaching and in his riding.
He impressed on the riders the need to develop strength and power in the
horses’ backs and hindquarters and was very much against the upside down type
of tolting.
Iso is an example of the new generation of Icelanders that
have studied a more classical approach and who are keen to apply this to their
training methods. Of course this is
all to the direct benefit of the horse as the basis of classical training is to
develop the horse for longevity. Iso
is more than a successful competition rider.
He is also a serious student of equitation and of teaching.
Iso rode a few horses while he was here and as I watched him
ride I was reminded of the riders from the Spanish riding school.
This young man was still and empathetic in his riding.
It was a joy to see.
We
are fortunate to have been able to get Iso to step into the breech when we lost
our judge for the Have a Go Show in June. We
will have to pay him as he does have a young family to support, however he has
given us a very good deal. This
should be a very good opportunity for you to meet him and see him ride as he
will give a demonstration of a tolt and four-gait class.
I am sure that you wil not be disappointed. He will also be available for individual lessons on Monday
19th June.
Janice Hutchinson