The Tölt Tales
Welcome to The Tölt Tales podcast.
This podcast is dedicated to our best friend the Icelandic horses. The show features interviews with breeders, trainers, riders, and enthusiasts who share their knowledge, experiences, and love for these remarkable horses.
Music by Cob
The Tölt Tales
Episode 8 - Horses of Iceland
Have you ever wondered who is hiding behind Horses of Iceland?
With this episode you will get to meet Berglind Margo Þorvaldsdóttir and understand more what are the missions of Horses Of Iceland.
It is already our 8th episode and we are releasing it on 1st of May for the international Icelandic horse day.
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Music by Cob.
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Hello everybody, and welcome to The Tölt Tales Podcast. Hello Berglind, how are you?
Berglind:I'm good, thank you, how are you?
Lionel:Yeah, we're good. We are at the end of our trip to Iceland, and we get to talk to you today. Maybe before we discuss a bit more about Horses Of Iceland and all the things that you do for our beautiful horses, maybe you can present a bit yourself.
Berglind:Sure. So my name is Berglind. I am half French and half Icelandic. Grew up in France until I was 15. Then moved to Iceland, and that's really when I really started to ride Icelandic horses. I went to high school here, then a little bit back and forth between France and Iceland, and ended up going to the Agricultural University and Hålar to study Eko and Sciences.
Lionel:Right.
Berglind:So it's actually a three-year program, where the first two years are in Condele, or the Agricultural University, and the third year is at Hålar. So it's not the teaching program, but it's more...
Lionel:Yeah, all right. Okay, you mentioned you are half French, half Icelandic. You speak both?
Berglind:Yes, I do.
Lionel:And did you learn Icelandic when you were at home in France already?
Berglind:No. Well, actually, I came here every summer and spoke with my grandparents, but my father, who is Icelandic, he speaks perfectly French. So we spoke French at home, really. And I only used Icelandic to ask for candy or whether I could watch TV or things like that. And I didn't really use it until I was, I would say, after 15.
Lionel:And you mentioned horses. You started to ride Icelandic horses in Iceland. But were you riding before?
Berglind:Yes. I started riding when I was, I think, around four. Right. I just decided that I liked horses, and I wanted to start doing that, which was really fun. And then I was, you know, you know how it is in France, I guess every week your parents drop you off.
Lionel:No, no, because I never, I learned how to ride 10 years ago.
Berglind:Okay.
Lionel:So I don't know any words of, like I know a Likol, but is it a bridle or? No, it's the halter. The halter. Okay. And I know more Swedish word, grima for the halter, than French. I have no idea. Don't ask me how to say stirrups in French. I have no idea.
Berglind:Etrier.
Lionel:Eh oui, eh oui, eh yes, eh yes. Well, I know now, indeed I know, but I know all the words I know in equine or like a horse related is either it's a English, a Swedish, a Swiglish.
Berglind:That's really funny.
Lionel:Yeah, I have no idea.
Berglind:But really cool.
Lionel:Yeah, well, that's, yes. Well, I don't know if it's cool, but it's how it is.
Berglind:Yeah, I think so. I think it's fun to learn vocabulary in a language you didn't start with, you know, for the first time, and then maybe find it out in your mother.
Lionel:Yeah, it's really weird. It's like, yes, Etrier, obviously. I knew, yes. Sel, I know as well, it's easy. But no, okay, yeah, but what you mean is like you started at the writing school, I guess.
Berglind:Yes, exactly. So my parents dropped me off there once a week after school, or you know, you have this on Wednesdays, you don't have school in the afternoon. So I'd be going there and they'd pick me up in the late afternoon. And then my mom would put me straight to the bath and my clothes in the washing machine, because she's allergic to horses.
Lionel:Oh, right. Okay, okay.
Berglind:Yeah, so it was a little bit of a struggle for her. But I'm super happy that they allowed me or, you know, like, drove me, enabled me exactly to go into there.
Lionel:And so you passed the teenage years and still love for the horses, I guess.
Berglind:Exactly. Then I moved here and here, where I lived very close to a stable. Yeah. I don't know if you've seen it here. We have these, like, districts where you have many, many, many stables, which is a little bit different than in other countries.
Lionel:Yes. Yeah. There is a pool of stables.
Berglind:Exactly. So it's buildings like this, where they're all privately owned, or most of them. And then you can rent a box in some of them. Or if it's professionals, then they just take your horses for training and have them. But so it's like rows and rows and rows of stables.
Lionel:Oh, that's like a borgarnes. Okay. Yes. And they share, I guess, a riding house.
Berglind:Exactly.
Lionel:And of albana.
Berglind:Exactly. Exactly. That's the common and you have a few common areas and maybe a common building and things like this. But otherwise, yeah, everybody has his or her own stable. And you have a little coffee room in there. And the tack room is really nice. And then maybe you start riding. And then you go and visit your friend in a few streets away, stop your horse there, say hi, go have coffee. And then you maybe go ride together. Yeah, that's really nice.
Lionel:Then when you moved here, then you were riding Icelandic horses, obviously. How different was it from the horses back in France? Did you have a transition period or not?
Berglind:I think I did because, believe it or not, I didn't really know, you know, my parents not being at all into horses.
Lionel:No, you're not from a horse family.
Berglind:Exactly. And they, you know, like for them, it was just, okay, yeah, you're going to some stables, go have fun, you know. And I was just really lucky. I met really nice people that allowed me to come and ride their horses. I was like, can I? And yeah, I guess the difference was I actually didn't know about, you know, tölt or pace.
Lionel:Right.
Berglind:I just came there and was like, I've been, you know, riding all my life for a very long time. And then you just start and the horse does something a little bit weird. And you see that people are not rising trot, you know, and you're like, okay, why? Maybe because the horses are doing something different.
Lionel:And I guess it's weird if, I don't know if it's weird, but you being part Icelander, Icelandic, it must be maybe weird like, well, you didn't know about your Icelandic horses?
Berglind:Yeah. And I actually, I've been thinking about this and I don't know when I started realizing this. I'm not sure, you know, like I think probably actually before I moved here, because I came every summer and did go on writing courses. So I think at some point I must have figured it out. I'm not exactly sure when, but I remember specifically thinking like, why do they not rise the trot at some, you know, like, I don't know how old I was. And I'm like, this must be so uncomfortable. And my writing teacher was like, sit, you know, sit in the saddle. And I was like, why?
Lionel:You come for a classical type of writing. With three gates. This is all you do. And one day they ship you here and you're like, this is Tölt. Good luck.
Berglind:Yeah, or don't say this is Tölt. You know, it's just like, yeah, go, you know, we're going on a ride and they just sit down.
Lionel:Yes, stop rising.
Berglind:So that was a little bit funny. But yeah, I'm not sure exactly when when I realized it, but then it was just pure fun to start thinking about it and thinking about, oh, wait, I have a choice.
Lionel:Five gates.
Berglind:Exactly. And, okay, I thought this was Tölt. No, maybe it's not. It's a little bit lateral. Then you start realizing like the flora and or yeah, if you can call it flora of both the gates and what can be in between.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:And, okay, you know, you have to start thinking and fixing.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:And training in a different way. And I think that was really, really cool.
Lionel:Is the training was different than do you feel? Do you? Yes.
Berglind:Yeah, absolutely. And I think, well, I mostly wrote in writing schools. And what I find really different is the teaching and the teaching methods. Maybe it's changed from when I was a kid, you know, but I remember it being like, yeah, you know, do the opposite of what, you know, if the horse goes left, then you have to go right, show him who's the boss and put your heels down and like... And you do it, you're like, yeah, okay, fine, you know, I'm the boss. And then you come here and it's more, what I thought that this was more like, okay, you know, let's figure it out. Let's figure out why the horse is doing this and how you guys can work together, how we can fix it together. And I think it's, it feels, yeah, more relaxed and yeah, just you think about how you're going to fix a problem instead of just making a, I don't know if you can call it a plan, but like saying like, yeah, I'm just going to do this no matter what and like...
Lionel:But you do, it's okay. But you know, like talking to people during the podcast even, I think it makes us realizing with Ariane is like, there is the, James says is like horsemanship, you know, like you're not a rider really, you need to be a horsemanship. So it's like a horseman, like horsewoman in that sense. Like it's more than just the technique, and Gudmar also mentioned it to us. It's, yes, you have the book, it's good that you know the book, because it's based on thousands of years of knowledge on how the horse reacts, et cetera, et cetera. But deep down, you need to know how to fix it with your horse. And sometimes the book will say, you always have to do this, but your horse will react some somewhere else. Then you need to maybe not use the book anymore. You need to just like, okay, but if I do that, I correct my horse, it may be better.
Berglind:Yeah, exactly. You adjust a little bit more. And I think we do try to understand the horse also.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:And not just like I've seen this with maybe, you see it with a horse that's shaking its head when it's attached, when you're preparing or something. And I remember seeing it, like, hey, stop, you know, like, you know, it's being really like, you have to stop this. Nothing violent, but just, you know, maybe a little bit raising the voice at the horse and like, oh, you have to stop doing this. And I remember coming here and coming into a stable and actually some horse was a little bit excited. There was something and the my first reaction was just to go like, hey, hey, you know, and then someone told me, no, just stay home.
Lionel:All right.
Berglind:And then, yeah, OK, that works. And you're like, OK, wait, maybe that's, you know, yeah, just stay home, just be calm yourself. And if you're calm, the horse will be calm. Well, yeah, most likely. Yes.
Lionel:Yes. Or try to fix it in another way after.
Berglind:Yeah. Yeah.
Lionel:All the people we talk to who own horses, we ask that, how many horses do you have? And what is the last time you bought a horse? Because, you know, having one horse is never enough. Am I right to assume you have more than one horse?
Berglind:Actually, you're not. Oh, no. God damn it. I actually only have one.
Lionel:OK, it's good. It's a good number, just so you know.
Berglind:It is a very good number for me. I tried to have two last year. I thought, OK, you know, and then I just didn't have time. I, you know, I try to travel a little bit and I also work full time. And it's the same, you know, I found myself a husband who's not at all into horses. So when I have to come home at some point, you know, and not just be in the stable. So, yeah, only one for now. OK, yeah, and the last time. So the last time I bought a horse was one and a half year ago. No, it was this horse. OK, when I had I moved back from I was living abroad for quite a long time and moved back to Iceland, couldn't take my horse that I had had for 12 years.
Lionel:Oh, wow. OK. An Icelandic.
Berglind:An Icelandic. Oh, wow. OK. And and yeah, so after a while, I was thinking, should I just, you know, maybe borrow a horse from someone else or am I going to get one? And I just happened to find one. And there you go.
Lionel:Yes, yes. So you have them. That must be something, though, to leave your horse, because there's nothing you can do about it.
Berglind:Yeah, exactly. It is. And this is, you know, I think, I guess it's the same, you know, when you have many horses and then they come and go. And when you train them, it's like this. That's one thing. But yeah, this one, so I moved back to France in 2014, after finishing my degree in university. And then I did have four horses.
Lionel:I was not entirely wrong, so that's good. Okay, good. Four horses, four ones.
Berglind:And I sold two of them. One, my first horse unfortunately died, got kicked and broke his leg.
Lionel:Nothing you can do about it.
Berglind:No, exactly. And then, so I still had one, and he was quite young. I thought, okay, I just take him to France. And so he came and followed me for a long time, like I said, and yeah, two years ago, we were actually living in Spain.
Lionel:Okay.
Berglind:And yeah, I got this job here, which was a dream job and it was a tough decision, but one I had to make. But now he's in Germany and has an amazing owner who gives me news and sends me pictures all the time. So it's really, really nice.
Lionel:Okay. Before I'm asking about your job, because this is also why we're talking to you today, you had an Icelandic horse in Spain.
Berglind:I did.
Lionel:How is that working?
Berglind:Actually, it's very funny. First people are like, yeah, yeah, okay, you come with a pony. And then they slowly realized that it's a cool, you know, yeah, it's a cool pony. If I can say that, you know, because you don't really change their mind about it being a pony. Like they will indulge you, you know, they will call it a horse because you tell them, no, it's an Icelandic horse. But if you're not there, I'm sure. But no, it was really fun. And it was fun to show them, tell them to see like first, you know, they, you talk a little bit about it and they're just like, okay, you know, and then they see it and you can see the curiosity.
Lionel:Okay, okay. Yes.
Berglind:So it was really cool. And yeah, a few of them tried and but they're still, you know, at least, yeah, the place where I was, it was really, it was a dressage.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:It was sort of stable. Not everybody, of course, you also had people who like leisure and just riding in the forest. But yeah, it's they they're curious from afar, at least.
Lionel:Yes. Yeah, yeah. They're not rejecting you and probably calling them ponies. But they like they leave them. But how is the horse cope with the warmth?
Berglind:Actually, quite well. The warmth is okay. It's always more, of course, maybe insects.
Lionel:Yes, yes, obviously, yeah.
Berglind:And this, I remember he didn't have eczema, but he didn't like the flies.
Lionel:Yes, yes, yes.
Berglind:Yes. So, but the heat itself, I mean, of course, they get hot, but he didn't see more bother than any other horse that was there.
Lionel:No, okay, okay, okay. They cope with that.
Berglind:Yeah, absolutely.
Lionel:Showing the versatility of this breed, right?
Berglind:Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So, yeah, I never had problems. And you yourself are hot, so you come early in the morning or quite late to train. You don't train in the middle of the day. It's just, yeah, not good for you either.
Lionel:No, no, no. This is true. Yes, yes. This is cool. So come back to your work. Can you tell us, why are we talking to you today?
Berglind:You tell me.
Lionel:Ah, god damn it. Okay, you're the woman behind Horses Of Iceland, I guess social account, but more than that, obviously. Can you describe a bit, what is Horses Of Iceland and what are you doing in this?
Berglind:Absolutely. So Horses Of Iceland is a project that started in 2016. And so it works in a way where, so the company I work for here, Business Iceland or Islamsdóðar, the Trainers Association, the Breeders Association, and the National Riders Association, talked together because they wanted to promote Icelandic horses a little bit, especially abroad. And together they went to the government, found out that, okay, maybe we can do something about promoting and come together around it. And the government said fine. And so this contract saw the light, where we can work with up to 50 million Icelandic kroner per year.
Lionel:Okay.
Berglind:Where, or actually we can have more, but we need 25 million from the industry. Yes. And then the government matches it. Of course, if we get less, the government matches as well, but it's less.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:So that's how it works really. And with this money, we go and promote Icelandic horse.
Lionel:Everywhere.
Berglind:Yeah. Everywhere we can. So we try to have it focused, of course, and focus a little bit on different markets or countries. For different reasons. Maybe every year we try to think, okay, can we do something different?
Lionel:Right.
Berglind:But this is really how it works and how it started.
Lionel:But it's like a business plan as well, right?
Berglind:Yeah.
Lionel:It's like, where do we have opportunities? Where we can increase the knowledge around Icelandic horse? And what are the actions? And you work with a limited amount of money, so you need to choose, right?
Berglind:Exactly. Yeah. You have to just, yeah. And you have to have a plan because, yeah, we could, of course, do like a little bit here, a little bit there, but it wouldn't be as impactful. Yes.
Lionel:Yes. Can you give us an example of what you did last week, maybe, or last year?
Berglind:Yeah. Yeah, of course. So, yeah, I just came home yesterday from being two weeks in Germany. So first, we were at Equitana.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:So Equitana is a big trade show with, I think it's this year, we had seven halls, just full of horse things. Yeah. And we had a corner of a hall that was dedicated to Icelandic horses and Icelandic horse companies.
Lionel:Yeah, because you bring also, you bring other company, or it's just you just all together in that hall or corner of a hall.
Berglind:Yeah, so we have, so the partners that come into the project and fund the project, really, they can sometimes come with us, or I will just take material from them. So I will have this TV with their promotional videos, I will have their flyers. And if someone comes and asks me something that's in their field, I will tell people, okay, here is, check out those websites, or talk to this person and try to get people in touch.
Lionel:I saw like, Estakóvý, yes, yes. Is it the type of things that you do, for instance? Or he was coming there anyway, or you just brought him along and...
Berglind:No, he was going there anyway, Tim, but he is a partner and is a very active partner. Yes, yes.
Lionel:So if he was not to come, for instance, you will bring with you like leaflet materials from him.
Berglind:Exactly, and I did anyway because I was there and he was at the other corner. And then if someone comes and says, oh, listen, my horse has some skin problem or something, I say, well, go ahead, go talk to Tim over there and hopefully he can help you.
Lionel:Yes, okay. That's cool.
Berglind:Yeah, so that's how it works.
Lionel:Why Cuitana, for instance, there is a goal behind it, I'm sure. It's in Germany also. I guess it matters.
Berglind:First of all, we chose three markets for this year. Right. The first one is Germany. Germany has sort of always been a focus market because it is already big, but we still need to keep catering to it and taking care of it, of course, and keep the relationships. Yes. So that's one. And then the second is Sweden. And if we have some budget, we will always go to Austria. Which is a little bit of a new market for us, for Horses Of Iceland. Equitana happens every two years. And I think since the project started, Horses Of Iceland has been there every time. And it's the biggest trade show, they, I think, they say in the world, at least in Europe.
Lionel:In Europe, for sure.
Berglind:So last time, so in 2023, there were over 110,000 guests. I think it was 112,000 guests. So it's really big, it's also many days. And you get to meet a lot of people. So that's a little bit how we choose, we try to choose. And also, so we will have people who already know and have Icelandic horses, but we also get people who maybe they've heard something about the Icelandic horse, or they know nothing about the Icelandic horse. And we try to catch them.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:Of course. And say, hey, look at our community, look at our world, look at our horses. This is what you want.
Lionel:Yes. This is what you want.
Berglind:Exactly.
Lionel:You want to jump?
Berglind:We can jump. But yeah, of course.
Lionel:You can show the versatility, like how the Icelandic horse is, et cetera, and Iceland, I guess, as well.
Berglind:Yeah, exactly. I think Iceland always, it does sell it a little bit as well, because we have these amazing landscapes, these open spaces. And so people are attracted to it as well as the horse. So if you have these beautiful pictures of Icelandic horses in Iceland and the beautiful landscape, that catches the eye also. And a lot of riders that get into Icelandic horses start this way. They come here on a horse trip, and then they just fall in love with the horses as well.
Lionel:This is how we ended up having Icelandic horses.
Berglind:Oh, really? There you go. So, yeah, it's really funny. Great, great.
Lionel:You mentioned Germany, I have another question for that, but Germany, Sweden and maybe Austria, but you didn't mention Iceland. You don't look inside Iceland, or do you?
Berglind:So, not really.
Lionel:Not really.
Berglind:Of course, we will try to support initiatives and things like this, but our focus is really on foreign markets. And then, so like I mentioned, we have the Trainers' Association, the Breeders' Association and the Riders. And their job is to do something in Iceland. And they're just super nice to support us in also going and looking abroad. Because the idea is that in the end, it also benefits them and us. You know, like if other markets get stronger, we get stronger and they get, you know, so it's an endless circle.
Lionel:Yes, yeah.
Berglind:And that's really the idea. But yeah, we use at least most of our resources abroad.
Lionel:Yes, abroad. You look outside to bring obviously things back to Iceland as well.
Berglind:Yeah, Iceland or the Icelandic also. Yeah, just in general.
Lionel:In general. Equitala doesn't last two weeks, right?
Berglind:No.
Lionel:So, you didn't just stay through Equitala.
Berglind:No, I didn't. But it was...
Lionel:It was the main focus.
Berglind:Yeah, and it's also... I'm trying to remember now. My head is a little bit... So, it started on the Wednesday and finished on... Oh, no. Or, yeah. It started on the 6th and finished on the 12th.
Lionel:Okay, no, but it's still a week.
Berglind:So, it's still a long time, and then you stay, and you take everything down.
Lionel:Okay.
Berglind:And I came a little bit earlier also. So, it did take most of the time.
Lionel:Yeah, okay, okay. You see, I was...
Berglind:I did do more, though.
Lionel:Oh, you did do more.
Berglind:I did do more. So, then I had one and a half day where I just went and visited. So, it's called Ipizitváó. It's the German association for Icelandic horses. So, I visited their office. They are partners of us as well. So, when we go on a market, we try to work with the national association, always. So that we can also learn from them and we don't just come and say, okay, here we go, we are going to come and market the Icelandic horse in your country. We try to see exactly what do you need, what can we do together, how can we make this work, because all the cultures are different and places are different.
Lionel:Yes, and they know their country and they can direct you to breeders maybe or other shows.
Berglind:Yeah, exactly. And exactly, you want to do something, okay, let's talk to these and those people and do something together. So that's really cool. So I went to visit their office for the first time. It was really nice. I had a little bit of time. And then we had the Viking Masters this weekend. So yeah, I don't know how much you know about the Viking Masters.
Lionel:But talk to us about Viking.
Berglind:I can tell you. So last year, Maki Ben from EFAXE and Henning Drath from EIA, they started this indoor competition series in Germany. So I know that you guys have been to my Stadteilt. We did, yes. I hope I will not say something wrong, but their idea was to make something a little bit similar, but to also incorporate young writers and a little bit more writers that are not professionals.
Lionel:Yeah, okay.
Berglind:I see what you mean.
Lionel:So everybody could potentially participate?
Berglind:Exactly. And so they started this. And so it's three events first. So you have the North, the South and the Middle of Germany.
Lionel:Yes. Okay.
Berglind:And then you qualify for the finals that are in Münster. Wow. And this weekend, we had the final of the second edition of this. So last year, we also supported them into getting this going. And this year again, and so I was there this weekend to promote and to see. And we also tried this year to incorporate riding schools. So on two of the events, some riding school in the area came and brought horses. And we advertised it so that people who are not here for the competition, because usually if you go to an Icelandic horse competition, you already know something about the world. So we thought, okay, how can we also bring new people?
Lionel:To broaden a bit the people who will be interested.
Berglind:Yeah, so we worked with riding schools to do that. And it was a little bit of a shy start, I will say. But still, it was a start. So I hope if we do this again next year, then I really want to go a little bit more into that, like, incorporate this into those events.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:So that we get a new, yeah.
Lionel:I think what is interesting is to do competition over the winter as well, right? Which is, I don't know, Mr. Edirén is doing that for many years now. But having big or bigger competition during the winter is also something that, I guess, that means all year long you can have Icelandic horses.
Berglind:Yeah, yeah. And it also, I think it gives a little bit of a goal to people because often, you know, winter comes and you're, okay, whatever. I don't know what you're talking about.
Lionel:You mean rain, cold, wind? Oh, no!
Berglind:Yeah, exactly.
Lionel:Lack of light.
Berglind:Exactly. And the motivation goes a little bit with that, of course. And so this is to keep people motivated and give them something to work towards. Yeah.
Lionel:You mentioned Sweden. Can you talk a bit about Sweden? I'm just curious.
Berglind:That's purely because we live in Sweden. So we have also been working with Sif. Yes, Sif. I guess you know them. And it's their 50th birthday this year. So we're planning things together, of course. Yeah. Usually, what we have done is we've come to Sweden, Sweden International Horse Show in December and collaborated on that. I think we will do it again this year. And maybe we're looking at some other projects, but I'm not 100% sure yet. But I think it's a, what I really like about going to Sweden and about Sweden International Horse Show is that there, everyone seems to know Icelandic horses.
Lionel:Oh, okay.
Berglind:Yeah. It's, you know, like you have, of course, one in one person who doesn't know it. But usually, they're like, oh, Iceland, Iceland has, Iceland has. And then, you know, everybody just wants to come and join. You know, we have these VR glasses. I don't know if you've seen it. Yes.
Lionel:I've seen it on Instagram that you're showing people that.
Berglind:Exactly. So it's very fun. It's they go on a ride actually here just outside. And they're tending away and then they go and walk. And the landscape is really, really fun because it's it goes a little bit up and down. It's nothing crazy, but people really feel it.
Lionel:Yes. Yes.
Berglind:And and when we throw water at them to take the rain.
Lionel:Oh, yes.
Berglind:I've had two requests. One was to have wind and the other one was to have this smell.
Lionel:Oh, okay.
Berglind:Well, I'm missing this now. I should have some perfume and spray. And I thought, well, you know. But so the bit water could also be. Actually, we picked a very nice day.
Lionel:Oh, okay. So no, it will not work.
Berglind:It's sunny.
Lionel:Yes.
Berglind:Good on you to do that.
Lionel:But wind definitely.
Berglind:Yes, exactly. And there and and in Sweden, it's so much fun because we just have rows waiting and kids, adults and a lot of just everybody is like, yeah, I want to come and ride in Iceland. And so that's it's really fun. And they always have questions.
Lionel:And yeah, so we talked about the initiative that you had over the last this year and mainly in Germanic style. But can we talk about like a bit of numbers? Like, do you know how many Icelandic horses in the world at the moment, for instance?
Berglind:Yes. So from WorldFinkler, the numbers that we get is that there are a little bit over 300,000 horses, I think. Yeah, close to 310,000.
Lionel:Right. Is it growing?
Berglind:Alive.
Lionel:Alive, yes. Yes, it is.
Berglind:No, no, it is growing slowly, but steadily, but it is growing.
Lionel:Another weird question, where can we find Icelandic horses? I guess you can give us some country, but what is the weirdest place where we can find Icelandic horses?
Berglind:The weirdest place.
Lionel:What do we expect the least, I guess?
Berglind:I think there are Icelandic horses in Jamaica, which I think is very funny. At least I heard the story. I have not been in touch or witnessed or confirmed this, so don't shoot me if it's not true. But I remember being super surprised there.
Lionel:Wow, okay.
Berglind:And of course, you always think other side of the world, Australia, New Zealand.
Lionel:And you will find Icelandic horses there. And breeders as well?
Berglind:Yeah, you do have… There you go, Jamaican Icelandic Horse Association.
Lionel:So there is an Icelandic Horse Association in Jamaica.
Berglind:But yes, there are breeders in Australia. Yeah, I think there is mainly one, which name I cannot remember right now. And they actually… In Germany, this weekend at the Mikey Masters, I met the team leader for team Australia. They will be competing at the World Championships. So they're not bringing the horses.
Lionel:No, I bet they're not.
Berglind:That would be too much. But they have a team that is training and doing all they can to get to the World Championship this summer.
Lionel:This is cool, though. I guess they will use European horses. They just need to train them.
Berglind:So they would come around and get…
Lionel:This is cool.
Berglind:It is. It's really cool. And I think it's just amazing. You have some people at really the other side of the world that are training to go to the World Championship for Icelandic horses. That's pretty amazing. Yes.
Lionel:Are you going to be in Switzerland?
Berglind:Yes, I am. Yes, of course.
Lionel:That's a date that you need to pin on your calendar every time, I guess.
Berglind:Yeah, pretty much. We don't always do the same. We have had a booth in the past years. And this year, we're thinking about either having a booth again or taking journalists from those three markets that we named. So then we would take journalists that write about horses, but not Icelandic horses.
Lionel:Ah, wow. OK.
Berglind:Get them to discover this a little bit and discover the competition world.
Lionel:This is an interesting take on that. OK.
Berglind:So we do things like this also. Some PR and both have invited journalists to Iceland or, how do you say it? Hosted. Yes.
Lionel:Are you going to ban pony from the article?
Berglind:Of course. Well, they do get a memo with impacts and things like this. Yes. Yes. And they get some also information about our partners and things like this. And yes, we do kindly remind them that we do not have Icelandic ponies, but Icelandic horses. It is one of the things.
Lionel:It's one of the first lines.
Berglind:Yeah, it's there, at least.
Lionel:It's there. Yeah, it's good. I mean, yes, those are horses. Just to go a bit further, is it common to have something like Horses Of Iceland for other breed? Is it a common thing to have?
Berglind:Not that I know of. I have not come across a project like this. You know, of course, you have associations. Those types of things. But I think this project is quite unique.
Lionel:Unique, okay.
Berglind:Without, you know, yeah.
Lionel:No, no, but not to your knowledge.
Berglind:No, exactly.
Lionel:Do you happen to work with other breed? Do you collaborate with other breed?
Berglind:No. We do not. We haven't. However, we do, you know, of course we want to go to places where there are other breeds.
Lionel:I mean, Equitana had all the breed in the world.
Berglind:For example, yes, yes, they had like many, many breeds. And me personally, I always like talking to people who also have other breeds and learning about, oh, okay, so your horses are these types of horses. And things like that. I'm a curious person, I think, in general. But we don't promote any other breeds or...
Lionel:Or even like, not even promoting, but talking to other breeds, or it's not something that you need anyway, I guess.
Berglind:Yeah, I mean, I guess we could always learn, of course, if they are doing some things and some projects. And of course, when you go to places like Equitana or other types of shows, you see maybe things that others do.
Lionel:Yeah, initiatives that are, oh, it's clever.
Berglind:Maybe we should try that. And then, yes, you maybe go and talk to them and say, how did you come up with this idea? And was it difficult to put it all together and things like this? That, of course.
Lionel:But it's more your curiosity.
Berglind:Yeah, and just trying to find out the best way to put our horses forward, I guess. It's good.
Lionel:Thank you, Berglind, for talking to us. And thank you, everyone, for listening. We will come back very soon with a new episode. In the meantime, do not hesitate to share this episode. And if you do not already, which would, I would be surprised, follow Horses Of Iceland on Instagram, Facebook, everywhere.
Berglind:Yeah, absolutely.
Lionel:Yes. Thank you so much again, Berglind.
Berglind:Thank you for coming all the way to Iceland.
Lionel:Yes, yes. What do we do to record an episode, right? Before leaving you, we would like to mention that you can follow us on Instagram and Facebook, The Tölt Tales, for more news, stories. Goodbye.
Berglind:Bye and thank you so much again.
Lionel:Yeah, thank you.
