Strákur frá Vatnsleysu
IS2005157315
S: Glampi frá Vatnsleysu
SS: Smári frá Borgarhóli
SD: Albína frá Vatnsleysu
D: Sonata frá Vatnsleysu
DS: Jarl frá Búðardal
DD: Silja frá Vatnsleysu
Meet our stallion - Strákur frá Vatnsleysu. For years since our beloved Kalman passed we had our eye out for another distinctive stallion to call Sand Meadow home. But none felt right until Strákur. Strákur is everything we want in a stallion – and more! We are thrilled to have this very special stallion in the US.
Strákur, ridden in tolt by his breeder
photo: Hindisvík
Strákur is a son of the famous Glampi frá Vatnsleysu. Strákur is the only breeding son of Glampi in North America and has inherited many of his sire’s talents. Glampi was a first prize stallion evaluated with a total of 8.35 and an amazing 8.68 for rideability. Known as “The People’s Horse” he was a very successful competition horse with the extremely high and flashy movement that the Vatnsleysa line is known for. He was a finalist in both the 1998 and 2000 four gait competition at Iceland’s national show, Landsmót. Glampi has been a very successful and popular sire receiving 1st Prize for the quality of his offspring. Strákur’s dam is the first prize mare, Sonata frá Vatnsleysu. Sonata is a daughter of the first prize stallion Jarl frá Búðardal. Sonata has had two other offspring with Glampi (full brothers to Strákur) that have achieved first prize evaluations. We are excited to introduce the proven Vatnsleysa lines into North American breeding.
Strákur is a very large Icelandic standing at 14h tall with great bone and substance. He is a horse that immediately gets noticed! He has high withers and a long, high set neck. His long legs, cylindrical body, strong hooves, and lush mane and tail complete the picture.
Strákur himself was, unfortunately, never formally evaluated. His previous owners don’t evaluate their horses. However, Strákur’s talents are evident to all that have seen him and have ridden him. He is a naturally tolting five gaited horse with well-separated gaits. His movements (in tolt and trot in particular) are naturally high and wide and it’s not unusual to see him tolting out in the field. He is an exceptional riding horse - brave, smooth, willing, and calm. He also strongly passes on his natural tolting ability and flashy movements to his offspring. Strákur has been genetically tested for the gait gene and is confirmed "AA". This means all his offspring will get at least one copy of the gait (tolt) gene.
But the strongest reason we chose Strákur was for his very special character. He is so gentle and easy going – with almost a human like quality to him. Nothing phases him and he is about as bombproof as a horse can get. He enjoys the company of people and even when out with his mares he will run up to you in the field for attention. He is calm and easy to handle in all situation and seeks to please his people. The mares also find him polite and well-mannered. He has stamped this character on many of his offspring and they are proving to be very easy to start, train, and ride - even by novice riders. Exactly what we need here in North America.
The icing on the cake for this amazing stallion is his extremely rare and striking color – splash white. This is not to be confused with “normal” pintos as this gene inherits differently. Both parents need to have the gene to have it fully expressed like Strákur. Then it gives an unusual “dipped in white” appearance with blue eyes. This is one of the rarest colors in Icelandic horses. Because Strákur is a full splash, he will always pass on one copy of the gene to his offspring. So when bred to full splash mares the offspring will always be full splash, when bred to mares with the splash gene 50% will be full splash and 50% will have one copy of the splash gene (this usually shows through unusual blazes, socks, and blue eyes). When bred to non-splash mares the offspring will have one copy of the splash gene. So no matter the color of the mare Strákur should produce some very interesting markings.
To view many more photos of Strákur
please visit his
photo album.
To view photos of Strákur's offspring
please visit their
photo album.
