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The origin of the horse in Iceland is exactly
the same as the arrival of the first settlers
from Scandinavia in the ninth century. Clearly,
the horse was the catalyst that allowed the
settlement of Iceland to go forward and prosper.
Since no other breed of horse has ever been
imported to Iceland, this special animal is a
pure-bred "Viking Horse".
The horse was used for everything. They worked
tilling the farmlands from dawn to dusk and
provided transportation between the farms as
they were settled. They went on scouting
expeditions into this new territory in search of
everything from water to grazing areas. Strong
and sure footed, the Icelandic horse adjusted
and adapted to this new land certainly as fast
and most likely faster than the new settlers.
Viking battles were fought on horseback and the
animal quickly adjusted to any situation that
was presented to it. Is it any wonder that many
of the slain Vikings warriors of the many
battles in earlier times were often buried with
their horses as a sign of honor and respect?
Purebred since the 10th century, the Icelandic
horse has many characteristics unique unto
itself. Perhaps the most noticeable would be its
intermediate size and the mane of shaggy hair.
While most other breeds have only three or four
gaits, the Icelandic Horse is renowned for its
five natural gaits. This special features
that sets it apart from all other horses. These
gaits are the fetgangur, the walk or step, the
brokk or trot, the tölt, which is a running
walk, the skeiğ or the pace and the stökk, or
gallop. Tölt is a
very smooth four-beat gait which, while
reaching speeds similar to fast trotting, is
much less jolting to the rider.
The Icelandic Horse has a thousand year history. the Icelandic
Horse is renowned for being hardy, athletic,
independent, spirited, friendly, adaptable, and
sure-footed, with five natural gaits. These are
the Walk, Trot, Canter, Tölt, and Pace.
Averaging 13 to 14 hands tall, the Icelandic
Horse is a versatile family riding horse, bred
to carry adults at a fast pleasing gait over
long distances. It is distinctive for its thick
and often double-sided mane and long tail, and
remarkable for its wide range of colors. In
addition to formal horse shows and competitions,
Icelandic Horses are widely used for
cross-country rides and long-distance trekking.
They have also competed in dressage, jumping,
and endurance races.
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HISTORY
The first horses came to Iceland in the
ninth century with Viking settlers from
Norway and the British Isles, and horses
remained the main form of land
transportation in the country until the
first roads for wheeled vehicles were built
in the 1870s. Since approximately 1100,
import of horses to Iceland has been
forbidden by law, so the breed has remained
pure.
The Icelandic Horse is renowned for being
hardy, athletic, independent, spirited,
friendly, adaptable, and sure-footed, with
five natural gaits. Averaging 13 to 14 hands
tall, the Icelandic Horse is a versatile
family riding horse, bred to carry adults at
a fast pleasing gait over long distances. It
is distinctive for its thick and often
double-sided mane and long tail, and
remarkable for its wide range of colors.
In Icelandic mythology, Loki the
Trickster god, once became a breeding mare
to lure away a giant's stallion and so
prevent the giant from winning the hand of
Freyja, goddess of beauty. The result of
that union was Sleipnir, the supreme god
Odin's eight-legged steed. "Amongst gods and
men, that horse is the best," says the
13th-century Prose Edda written by Snorri
Sturluson. Sleipnir is shown in one famous
image with its eight legs extended in the
ultimate flying pace. Other gods also owned
horses. The goddess Gna the messenger had a
horse that ran "through the air and over the
sea." Called Hoof Flourisher, it was sired
by Breaker-of-Fences on Skinny Sides. The
gods of Day and Night drove chariots drawn
by Shining Mane and Frosty Mane: The
brightness of the sun was the glowing of the
day-horse's mane, while dew was the saliva
dripping from Frosty Mane's bit. Horses were
also associated with Freyr, god of plenty,
and sacrificed in his honor.
Other medieval Icelandic works depict
racehorses, saddle horses, packhorses, and
fighting horses. The first Icelandic Horse
known by name, the mare Skalm, appears in
the 12th-century Book of Settlements. The
chieftain Seal-Thorir settled where Skalm
lay down under her load. Horses play key
roles in some of the most famous Icelandic
Sagas, including Hrafnkel's Saga, Njal's
Saga, and Grettir's Saga. The sagas, written
anonymously in the 13th century, look back
as far as the early 800s. In these stories,
horses were first of all riding horses and
beasts of burden. But the sagas also tell of
horse races and horse fights, both of which
often led to violence, and of horses given
as gifts to stop or avert a feud. A fine
horse was often a medieval Icelander's most
prized possession.
In Iceland today, horses are seen as one
way of preserving the country's agricultural
tradition while improving its economy. Long
distance horse trekking is popular among
Icelanders as well as among tourists, as are
horse shows, horse races, horse trading, and
pleasure riding.
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