#Soffía Hagen POV

[upkeeptolters]

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.

[upkeeptolters]

TWO DOWN, THREE MORE TO GO! (OR)

Nikolette's POV

Well, technically only two foals was born today. The last baby was born yesterday when we were fortunate to not have snow, so this is not three snow pictures in a row sadly d:

Anyways, first baby up (showed by my love Soffía) is the only tobiano and the probably only dun of the total bunch. His name is Fákur frá Upkeep, and he is after Floki fra Ísdalur and Upkeep's own Kolubleik frá Upkeep! He is Grulla Tobiano (Ee aa Dd nT) and a colt.

He is a spunky little fellow, most energetic and not that gentle. He is not a big pack animal, and prefers to be alone, though he has bravery enough for three fluffy foals!

Next one is Reginn frá Upkeep. He is after Raudur frá Upkeep and Blágrána frá Upkeep. He is a guarantied grey as his dam is a Grey GG mare, and we will be very sad to see that lovely Liver Chestnut (ee AA Gg) coat grey, but well... what is Upkeep Tölter's next generation without a foal that is greying with time?

And then there is the only girl as of yet. Please welcome Sibba frá Upkeep (owned by me personally) with her mother BOE Solvei (also owned by me). Her sire is Apall frá Upkeep that I was lucky enough to be allowed to use as stud for Solvei's second and last foal.

She is such a little star, but knowing her father I know that she will grow into a grey coat by the time she is an adult, which kinda sucks as she is the spitting image of her mother right now. But we will see, we will surely love her anyway! Oh the joys of using a Grey GG stallion! xD

Being Solvei's baby she is of course mostly calm and collected and very friendly. She is also very outgoing and loves being amongst the other horses and foals.

And then a single picture - with a pretty rainbow! - of Reginn being annoying, Sibba being annoyed and Fákur being his usual curious self, late to the party as always xD

[upkeeptolters]

STORY FROM A JOURNALIST

Unnamed Journalist’s POV

When now retired soccer player Declan Rossi was asked what he would do now that he had injured his hamstring so badly that he wouldn’t be able to play professional soccer ever again what he would do with his time now, he quite confidently replied: “Well, I have always liked horses, so maybe something with horses?”

That made the crowd and the interviewer laugh. What they didn’t know though was that he had been helping breaking in quite a few young horses throughout his earlier years as a teen and young adult, until he made a career for himself as a soccer player that is. He even had a horse of his own, throughout his career, the now 15 year old Sportshorse gelding Dynamix, whom he had bought with the money he had saved from his first few paychecks.

What he hadn’t thought about was: who would hire an ex soccer player with a hamstring injury? Apparently Soffía Hagen would, as she was on the lookout for rider who could help break in and train her youngsters. And when Rossi saw the horses he would be training for the first time, he had laughed, loudly: “Those small ponies? You want me to train ponies?”

One of the youngsters had then tried to take a bite out of his arm, which made him flinch and pull back: “Okay. Feisty youngsters, I can do that.” And just like that he was hired, even if he had never ridden an Icelandic Horse in his life before.