Description: Icelandic Horse
The Icelandic Horse, native to Iceland, is a breed known for its incredible resilience and versatility. Developed from ponies taken to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, these horses have evolved into a hardy breed capable of surviving Iceland’s harsh climatic conditions. Icelandic Horses are relatively small, usually pony-sized, but are always referred to as horses. One of their most remarkable attributes is the ability to perform five gaits, including the tölt and the flying pace, making them exceptionally smooth riders. Known for their friendly temperament and intelligence, Icelandic Horses are often used for traditional sheep herding, leisure riding, and showing, reflecting their integral role in Icelandic culture.
Properties
The Icelandic Horse, a breed that has lived in isolation in Iceland since the Viking Age, is not only a symbol of national pride but also a direct link to the country’s history. These horses were brought to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, and due to the country's strict policies against importing horses, the breed has remained pure and largely unchanged for over a thousand years.
One of the most distinctive features of Icelandic Horses is their size. Often pony-sized, they usually stand between 13 and 14 hands. Despite their small stature, they are not officially classified as ponies. Icelandic law and equestrian tradition consider them horses, reflective of their strength, temperament, and hearty nature.
The breed is well-known for its five gaits: walk, trot, canter/gallop, tölt, and flying pace. The tölt, a smooth and ground-covering four-beat gait, is particularly valued for its ability to cover rough terrain effortlessly, providing a comfortable ride. The flying pace, a fast and smooth gait that can reach up to 30 miles per hour, is used in pace racing and is only displayed by some individuals. These unique gaits make the Icelandic Horse highly versatile and enjoyable for leisure riding, trekking, and competitive events.
Physically, Icelandic Horses are tough and hardy, with a double coat that protects them from harsh Icelandic weather. They come in a variety of colors, one of the largest ranges in any horse breed, including dun, bay, black, gray, palomino, pinto, and roan. Their personality is typically friendly, intelligent, and willing, making them suitable for riders of all ages and skill levels.
The breed's historical importance and unique characteristics have led to its reverence both within and outside of Iceland. Icelandic Horses are often seen as a family member by their owners and play a central role in Icelandic culture, showcased in traditional festivals, competitive shows, and leisure activities across the nation. Their significance is also underscored by stringent laws that prohibit the return of any horse that has been exported, ensuring the purity and health of the breed remains intact.
Appearance
The Icelandic horse, a breed renowned for its reliability, strength, and versatility, is native to Iceland. Though small, often pony-sized, these horses are classified as horses due to their strength, build, and powerful character. Their stature typically ranges from 13 to 14 hands (about 52 to 56 inches), making them compact yet sturdy.
One of the most distinctive features of these horses is their coat. It comes in a variety of colors, including but not limited to chestnut, dun, bay, black, gray, palomino, pinto, and roan. The variety is so extensive that over 40 different colors and 100 variations are recognized, making each Icelandic horse distinct. This diverse palette not only provides aesthetic pleasure but also adds to the breed's uniqueness.
Beyond color, their coat is well-adapted to the harsh Icelandic climate. It changes with the seasons: thick and woolly during the winter to provide insulation from the cold, and sleeker during the summer to shed excess heat. Another unique physical trait of the breed is its mane and tail, which are luxuriously thick, providing substantial protection against the cold and adding to their robust appearance.
Icelandic horses are also renowned for their gaits. They naturally possess the common gaits of walk, trot, and canter/gallop, but what makes them extraordinary is their mastery of two additional gaits: the tölt and the flying pace. The tölt is a smooth, four-beat gait that offers a remarkably stable ride and demonstrates the horse's agility and balance, while the flying pace, used for races, is a fast, two-beat lateral gait that can reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. These gaits are a spectacle and symbolize the elegance and cultural heritage of the Icelandic horse.
The head, typically well-proportioned and slightly convex, boasts expressive eyes and a straight profile. Small ears and a robust neck further characterize the breed, projecting an image of durability and alertness. The Icelandic horse's physique is well-muscled with a broad chest, compact body, strong back, and hardy legs, which showcases its ability to navigate the rough Icelandic terrain.
In summary, the appearance of the Icelandic horse demonstrates a blend of beauty, adaptability, and resilience, perfectly encapsulated in their diverse colors, luxurious mane and tail, exceptional gaits, and robust build suited for the harsh landscapes of their homeland.
History
The Icelandic horse is a breed with a rich and storied history that dates back to the settlement of Iceland in the late 9th century. The Norse settlers, mainly from Norway, brought their best horses with them across the North Sea, and from these robust ancestors the Icelandic horse was developed. Owing to Iceland’s geographical isolation, the breed has remained remarkably pure for over a thousand years.
During the Viking Age, horses played an integral role in Norse society, being esteemed not just for their utility in farming and transportation, but also for their use in battle and in various cultural practices such as horse fights, a sport highly popular among the Norse. Icelandic sagas, the medieval literature genre of the Norse, frequently mention the horse, underscoring its importance in Norse culture and its status as a symbol of status and honor.
The early laws of Iceland, including the 'Code of Grágás' (a collection of medieval Icelandic laws), imposed strict penalties for horse theft, reflecting the value of horses in Icelandic society. These laws also mandated the euthanization of imported horses to prevent the dilution of the native breed, a practice that effectively insulated the Icelandic horse from crossbreeding and helped preserve the breed’s unique characteristics.
By the 1780s, harsh climatic conditions and volcanic eruptions, which led to widespread famine, had severely diminished the horse population in Iceland. However, the breed survived due to its remarkable resilience and significance in Icelandic culture. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the breed gained international attention and its exportation began, leading to the establishment of numerous Icelandic horse associations across Europe and North America.
Today, the Icelandic horse is not only cherished in its homeland but is also admired worldwide for its unique gaits, notably the tölt and the flying pace, which offer smooth and swift rides. The breed is also known for its longevity and hardiness, with many horses living into their thirties and continuing to be ridden well into old age. The Icelandic horse continues to symbolize the historical and cultural heritage of Iceland, forming an enduring link between the country’s past and present.