For Fireblossom Friday at Real Toads

Photo above by Kay Davies, 2014. Photos below from Wikipedia.

I’m gonna sit right down and write myself a letter

and make believe it came from Shay,

who wants us all to write about a letter

but I have no idea how, today.

Tell us about your travels

Shay will say

and show us photos

of Icelandic scenes.

Tell us where you went

and how you did it

and if you’d like to

go back there again.

I fell in love in Iceland,

I will tell her,

in a very unexpected way:

I hugged a horse

who nuzzled up

and kissed me,

and all my fear of horses

went away.

Both elegant and rustic

and oh so very trusting

Icelandic horses see

us all as friends.

They want us to love them—

they’ll love us in return,

and carry us

through ice

and snow

and sleet.

Although they may

look shaggy in the winter,

in a riding ring

they’re oh so swift and fleet.

I didn’t even want to go to Iceland,

but my husband says

I always change my mind.

Animals will often help me change it

and this one is a very special kind.

Posted for Fireblossom Friday in the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.

My husband is very busy right now, so I'm very glad Wikipedia had so many lovely photographs to illustrate its article on the wonderful Icelandic Horse.

I often tried horseback riding when I was younger, but the horses always felt my fear, and threw me. That was no fun at all, so I've always been wary of horses up close, while admiring them from afar.

We had neighbours who owned several Shetlands, and my younger sister was happy to ride, but I was nervous even feeding them an apple, because they could sense how I felt.

Other friends, who worked as cowboys, tried to teach me, but my emotional connection with their horses was always negative, on both sides.

Icelandic horses, however, which are larger than Shetlands but smaller than quarter horses, let me pet them and hug them until my fear was a thing of the past. And they are so doggone cute. Look at this one in its shaggy winter coat.

The five-gaited Icelandic Horse performs well in the ring, and amazes onlookers with its dexterity and its characteristic tolt gait.