NM Talks

Get smarter at the NM Talks a the Nordic Championships

What can you do at the Nordic Championships besides watching top notch horses and riders on the tracks? You can get to know your own horse better at the NM Talks. These talks take place on the 9.8.24 and are included in your entry ticket.

11am “Bit associated challenges and The Icelandic Horse.”

Are there any differences between The Icelandic Horse and any other horse in terms of bit challenges? What do we need to focus on to make The Icelandic horse comfortable and avoid bit related injuries?
Many trainers and riders focus only on the bit when the horse seems to have bit issues but there´s much more to it.
This talk will help you through the understanding of direct and indirect bits and how to fit these on the Icelandic horse. We’ll look into the anatomy of the oral cavity and also the biomechanics of the horse, which greatly affect the bit problems we see in the ridden horse.

Dr. Med. Vet Christina Suntum Sørensen is specialized in equine dentistry and ridden bitfittings of horses. Since 2011 she has helped riders and their horses not only finding the right bit but also helping the rides understand different bit associated behavior. In 2012 she wrote the book “Bag om Biddet” (Around the bit) and has held numerous speaking’s on bits and bridles. She is a rider herself and has tested a lot of bits on her own horses.

1pm “How do horses perceive their world? – Equine perception and the link to welfare and emotions”

What can horses hear? Do they see colours, and if so, do they see all colours the same way as we humans? Can horses smell fear? And is there any truth to the common saying that chestnut horses are more sensitive than other coat colours? These are some of the questions Asso. Prof. Rørvang will answer during her talk. Asso. Prof. Rørvang will take us on a journey through the horse’s sensory abilities and current knowns and unknowns about equine perception. We will explore aspects affecting how horses interpret sensory information such as experience and personality. Lastly, the talk will stimulate discussion on how to better adapt training and handling methods for horses’ perceptual abilities, which will provide an avenue for refining horse welfare.

“If we able to understand how horses perceive and interact with their environment, we may be able to 1) optimize and ensure applicability of our training regimes, 2) refine management routines when handling horses, ultimately leading to 3) safer and kinder work environments for both horses and humans involved”.

Associate Professor Maria Vilain Rørvang, PhD & Docent, is an ethologist and senior lecturer at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Alnarp. Asso. Prof. Rørvang has, apart from her research, been actively involved with the International Society for Equitation Science for several years, and teaches animal behaviour and equitation science on under graduate, graduate and post graduate level, as well as internationally. She grew up on a horse farm with Icelandic horses, where she was fortunate to be riding professionally for several years before leaving for academia. This has resulted in several national and international championship titles, and a practical angle on equine research.

3pm “Social transmission of behaviour in horses”

Can horses learn new tricks by observation? Anecdotally, we may have heard of horses copying behaviour from other horses, or we may have experienced situations in which a horse seemed to have learned a new behavior by observing other horses or humans. This fascinating topic has also attracted research interest, and horses have been tested in various creative situations designed to explore their social learning abilities. This presentation will give you an overview of the creativity of horse researchers and current research results, from actual copying of behaviour to the broader concept of social transmission of behaviour and mental states.

Janne Winther Christensen is Associate Professor at the Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Aarhus University, and senior vice president of the International Society for Equitation Science. Her research focus is within animal behaviour, stress biology and welfare, primarily in horses. She has conducted a large number of research projects in relation to social behaviour, learning and cognition as well as the effects of various types of training on horse welfare.

10.8.2024 2pm All about Gæðingakeppni

In this lecture about Gæðingakeppni, we will explore the key criteria that judges assess during competitions. We will cover aspects such as the horse’s gaits, the partnership with the rider, and the overall performance. Attendees can expect to gain insights into what characterizes a successful presentation, as well as how we evaluate both the horse’s quality and the rider’s abilities. Get ready to deepen your understanding of this unique competition format.

Valdimar M Ólafsson has been a national judge for many years and has judged both Landsmót and the nordic championships several times.

Cecilie has also judged Gæðingakeppni for several years. This years Danish Championships being one of her competitions this year.

Both Cecilie and Valdimar are also active competition riders.

You can follow the event on Facebook and Instagram and get your ticket HERE