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
How much weight can a horse safely carry? In this episode of the Fifth Gait Podcast, we sit down with equine scientist and certified trainer Johannes to discuss one of the most debated topics in the Icelandic horse world: rider weight and horse welfare.
Johannes recently defended his master’s thesis at Hólar University, where he studied horse-to-rider body weight ratios in Icelandic horse sport. His research collected data from riders and horses at the World Championships, giving rare insight into how rider weight, horse conformation, training level, and workload all interact.
In this conversation we dive into the science behind rider weight limits, common misconceptions about how much weight Icelandic horses can carry, and why the conversation is far more complex than a simple percentage rule.
Johannes also shares what surprised him most during the research process, the challenges of collecting data from elite riders, and how science can support — rather than criticize — riders and trainers.
We also explore the future of Icelandic horse breeding and horsemanship, including whether horses should be bred bigger, how conformation affects weight carrying capacity, and why education and research are critical for maintaining our social license to operate in equestrian sport.
If you’re passionate about Icelandic horses, equine science, training, and horse welfare, this episode offers an in-depth look at one of the most important conversations happening in the horse world today.
Topics Covered:
- Horse and rider weight ratios explained
- What the science actually says about how much weight horses can carry
- Data collection at the Icelandic Horse World Championships
- Common myths about rider weight limits
- Horse conformation and weight carrying ability
- The future of Icelandic horse breeding
- Why equine research matters for the future of horsemanship
Subscribe for more conversations about Icelandic horses, training, breeding, and equine science.
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