The Fifth Gait Podcast
Podcast Description
Welcome to the Fifth Gait Podcast:We ( Carrie Hill & Mackenzie Durbin ) have thrown around the idea of a podcast for years - but we finally made it happen, stuck in the truck together on a 10-hour road trip home from a horse show.Our passion is the Icelandic horse - and all aspects of the worldwide community that surrounds this breed. Here, we come together as equestrian professionals to share our hardest lessons, biggest wins and our future hopes in Icelandic horsemanship.Our conversations aim to educate, inspire and grow all people like us, who love Icelandic horses - from enthusiasts and amateurs, to trainers, competitors and field specialists.Our topics cover all things care practices, training systems, Icelandic horse history, sport competition, breeding and much more.Join us! On The Fifth Gait PodcastWatch Us On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheFifthGaitPodcastFollow Us On Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/fifthgaitpodcast
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
This podcast covers a variety of themes centered around Icelandic horses, including care practices, training systems, history, sport competition, and breeding. For example, episodes may tackle topics such as maturing as a trainer, the philosophical lessons learned from horses, and the evolving nature of horsemanship.
Welcome to the Fifth Gait Podcast:
We ( Carrie Hill & Mackenzie Durbin ) have thrown around the idea of a podcast for years – but we finally made it happen, stuck in the truck together on a 10-hour road trip home from a horse show.
Our passion is the Icelandic horse – and all aspects of the worldwide community that surrounds this breed. Here, we come together as equestrian professionals to share our hardest lessons, biggest wins and our future hopes in Icelandic horsemanship.
Our conversations aim to educate, inspire and grow all people like us, who love Icelandic horses – from enthusiasts and amateurs, to trainers, competitors and field specialists.
Our topics cover all things care practices, training systems, Icelandic horse history, sport competition, breeding and much more.
Join us! On The Fifth Gait Podcast
Watch Us On YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@TheFifthGaitPodcast
Follow Us On Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/fifthgaitpodcast
In Episode 13 of The Fifth Gait Podcast, we sit down with one of the most influential voices in the Icelandic horse world: Þorgeir Guðlaugsson. Known as an international sport judge, writer, educator, innovator, and respected Icelandic horse historian, Þorgeir brings decades of insight into the development of Icelandic horse sport, judging methodology, training philosophy, and the future of our community.
From his childhood on a farm with over 200 horses, learning from his legendary grandfather, to becoming one of the most recognized judges across Europe and the United States, Þorgeir shares extraordinary stories, lessons, and perspectives that every rider, trainer, breeder, and judge can learn from.
We explore:
• How Þorgeir’s early experiences shaped his philosophy on horsemanship
• The psychology of horse training and maintaining the horse’s spirit
• Becoming an international sport judge — and why he never wanted to quit
• Objectivity vs. subjectivity in sport judging
• Biomechanics, gait analysis, and the future of measurement-based judging
• Why Icelandic horse welfare is leading the equestrian world
• The strengths and flaws in today’s competition system — and how to improve it
• The forgotten history of Icelandic horses in America (1880s–1920s!)
• What riders misunderstand most about judging
• The future of five-gait competition and pace tests
• The importance of community, cooperation, and preserving our sport
This is one of the deepest, most insightful conversations we’ve had on the podcast — packed with wisdom, history, and forward-thinking ideas that will challenge the way you look at Icelandic horses, training, and competition.
If you are passionate about the Icelandic horse, this episode is simply unmissable.
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