Fun, Friendly, & Five Gaited!

Veterinarian Rikke Mark Schultz, born in 1967, has been an enthusiastic rider and owner of Icelandic horses since the age of six when her dream of becoming a veterinarian was born.

She became interested in competition fairly soon after starting to ride. She first competed in dressage and jumping, then later in the classical Icelandic gaits.

After graduating from high-school she trained Andalusian horses in Germany and then Icelandic horses in Northern Iceland. Some of the very wild young Icelandic horses provided great experience in the horses' behaviour and handling of horses on their terms.

Parallel to her studies at the Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Denmark, she was also a board member of the breeding section of the Danish Icelandic Horse Association and for a period of time she was the Chairman. During this time she worked as a riding instructor and trainer of Icelandic horses and was on the Danish team at the European Championships in 1989 as a standby rider.

After graduating Vet school in 1992 she moved to Skagafjord, Iceland, and established her own mixed veterinarian practice, working with all kinds of animals as patients. The next 5 ½ years brought many exciting experiences , where it was a matter of getting by with whatever means were at hand. The experiences were often similar to the TV series "All Creatures Great and Small" starring James Herriot.

The interest in alternative methods of treatment arose early in Rikke's studies and she participated in courses on acupuncture and homeopathic medicine. She has been to the Unites States several times to learn chiropractics. In 1996-97 she took a post-graduate course in acupuncture for animals under the auspices of The International Veterinary Acupuncture Society I.V.A.S., and in 2002-03 in osteopathy (a kind of chiropractic) at the International School of Osteopathy, ISEO.

Her interest in the alternative methods led Rikke to alternative methods of training and she applies the TTEAM Method by Linda Tellington-Jones extensively in her daily work. She often refers to the book "Centred Riding" by Sally Swift, when a rider problem arises.

In the autumn of 1997 Rikke moved back to Denmark and became employed at Hørsholm Hestepraksis (The Equine Veterinarian Clinic in Hoersholm), where she practices. Her main focus is examination and treatment of horses with reduced performance from a holistic perspective. They are often treated by means of acupuncture and manipulation and the rider is informed of the importance of the correct riding equipment.

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