Farandi Farms Background
I've been riding and working with Icelandic horses for about 30 years, starting in Germany where I grew up. I was lucky to meet Linda Tellington-Jones in Germany and thanks to an invitation from Linda, ended up in California.
My first six American years were spent without a single Icelandic horse around and I missed them terribly. I had another stroke of luck and met up with Elisabeth Haug again. I had worked at her Icelandic horse farm in Denmark before coming to the US. Once I found Elisabeth in California, I made up for my deficit and then some. At her Viking Saga Ranch in the Solvang, California area, Elisabeth had a very fun group of interesting, strong-minded horses. Since then I've met lots and lots of great Icelandic horses from all different origins, but still, of my six most favorite horses today - five of them have 50% or more Viking Saga breeding.
In 1991, I started Farandi Farms Icelandic Horses on an old dairy in the outskirts of Sebastopol in Sonoma County, California. At one time we had up to 46 Icelandic horses on the 110-acre property, about half belonging to boarders, and the other half of the horses belonged to me and my significant other, Roger. I had just taken an early "retirement" from Hewlett-Packard where I had been an electronics engineer.
I increased my herd over the next ten years by breeding a couple of mares per year, took on project horses, and purchased some young Icelandics from domestic breeders, who did not want to do their own training and selling. Then we purchased Bleikur fra Icelandic Horse Farm. 
A hit with our mares, he's sired many beautiful colts and fillies. They are tall, well balanced, intelligent horses.
Usually my mares gave birth in a large pasture, unattended by humans. The foal babies were handled as little as possible while growing up. I've found that when they're older, and it comes time for lessons and training, the horses are more sensitive, alert and attentive to my movements and requests. It seems that the other horses do a much better job teaching them respectful behavior than most people can. All I have to do is to prove to the young horse that I am trustworthy.
For me the training of the young horses just happens naturally, with the few interactions that basic herd management requires, such as regular worming, vaccinations and trims. The horses were moved around to different pastures during the year and learn about hills, forests, water, difficult terrain etc. By the time they were 4 years old, they were agile, sure footed and strong. From my own training experience, I know what a huge difference it is to ride a young horse who was raised this way versus one that spend its first years in a flat paddock.
Now the Farandi Farms Icelandics live on two different locations. The majority of the herd lives at Two Rock Ranch of the Krinard family in Petaluma, California while Bleikur, Lettir and Bastian live with Roger and myself in Lake County. Bleikur sired most of the Farandi Farms foals over the last 10 years. I am still on a quest of reducing my herd slowly while finding the perfect new permanent home for the horses that leave. All my horses have been raised under ideal circumstances in a herd environment. All would prefer pasture over small paddock, the company of other horses over being alone and a knowledgable owner who will love and care for them. Please use the links below for more information, or email me at farandi@starband.net with questions.
Thanks - Jo Larmour (Jo is pronounced "Yo")
