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History of the Icelandic Horse

The horse was introduced to Iceland by the first Viking settlers between the 874 A.D. and 930 A.D. The Vikings bestowed great value on their horses as they had brought prosperity to the Norse people by allowing them to travel long distances and carry heavy loads. It would have been unthinkable for the Vikings to travel to Iceland without their horses. The Viking boats were small, so only a few of the very best horses could be taken. These horses had origins in Norway, Sweden, and the British Isles.

Iceland is a volcanic island in the North Atlantic ocean. Because of the harsh climate and the fact that the island is, in places, devoid of vegetation, the Icelandic Horse had a very difficult existence. Many horses died; only the strongest and fittest survived the winters. These compact, sturdy animals became even smaller and stronger over years of traveling long distances searching for scarce food sources. Since the Icelandic Horse has no natural enemies, they eventually lost their flight instinct and conserved energy to stay warm. They also fine-tuned their high-stepping gait (called tölt) to carry them safely over rough terrain.

To the Icelandic people the Icelandic Horse became indispensable. Transport without horses in a country so rough was unimaginable. Until the late 19^th century there were no roads or bridges in Iceland. Therefore, the horse was the only means of transportation over wide lava fields, rough mountain trails, and through powerful glacier rivers. The horse became an integral part of life and a good riding horse was a symbol of dignity.

As a result of the plague that killed Europeans in mass numbers, Iceland quarantined itself from the world for many years. In 930 A.D. a law was passed that banned the import of horses or any other animal into Iceland. This was necessary to preserve the purity of the horse and to keep out diseases. To this day, if a horse leaves Iceland for a competition, it cannot return and must be sold after the competition. Following the discovery of a disease brought to Iceland on a bit, the law was revised to include all forms of tack in the list of items that cannot reenter the country. These laws had great impact on the Icelandic Horse. The breed has never crossbred with any other horse and has remained pure for over a thousand years.

The Icelandic Horse possesses unique characteristics which have contributed to its increasing popularity in the United States. These include conformation, gaits, and character. Icelandic Horses normally stand between 12 and 14 hands. By U.S. standards, this technically classifies the Icelandic Horse as a pony; but they are very unlike any other ponies.