I want to share with the readers of the HORSE GAZETTE my abiding love of the Icelandic horse. I first fell for the breed upon reading a fascinating 1968 CHRONICLE OF THE HORSE article, which I found in my riding instructor’s garage in 1969, then spent the next 18 months doing research, trying to find out more. Imagine my surprise when I saw an advertisement for Icelandics in our local newspaper, and I quickly talked my father into purchasing one for me. The whole family loved him (I kept him until the day he died at age 34 — he’s buried on our property), and we went back and bought several more. My family honestly thought that Icelandics would be the next big thing — they were fun, hardy, athletic, charming — what’s not to like? But we were years ahead of our time, as very large horses became popular instead. Now that America is aging, however, people are realizing that it’s a lot more fun to ride a comfortable, short horse with a great personality.

History
Iceland was settled between 870 to 930 A.D., and the original settlers brought a small number of excellent quality horses of various kinds with them. Among these were probably equus scandinavicus (a type of horse which existed all over Scandinavia during the Viking Age), as well as horses from Scotland and the isles north of Scotland, plus one of the Sagas mentions an Oriental racehorse which was brought over from Sweden. In addition, some believe that Icelandic Horses are descendants of Mongolian horses, and there are also horses in remote parts of Norway similar in appearance and gait to Icelandic Horses.

When Iceland was settled, the weather was better and warmer than it is now, and one theory as to why the country was called “Iceland,” when the name was not appropriate at the time, was to discourage further settlement. No new settlers meant no infusion of new horses. (Greenland was also intentionally misnamed, in order to encourage people to go there instead.) In addition, because of the bubonic plague, importation restrictions were in place by 1100 A.D., forbidding the further introduction of horses. So, the native horse in Iceland has been isolated for centuries on an island in the North Atlantic.

I was contacted several years ago by Dr. Gus Cochran, who was with the University of Kentucky, and he told me that his work showed that the Icelandic breed was the purest in the world due to this geographical isolation. As a result, he was using their blood to map the horse genome and he also mentioned that their blood carried a distinctive marker. Later, I was told my an official of the American Saddlebred Association that studies had shown that Saddlebreds had a marker in their blood proving a relationship to the Icelandic Horse.

This is not surprising, as Icelanders settled “Vineland,” part of North America, down to the Baltimore, Maryland area and, in my opinion, would have naturally brought horses with them. Later, when abandoning the settlements, they would have left the horses in North America, as they were not allowed to bring them back to Iceland upon their return. My theory is that these horses could have survived, run wild, and been available to interbreed with horses brought over by later settlers. This could explain the gaited ability of the Saddlebred, and the fact that some Morgan horses also have an ability to perform easy gaits.

Iceland is a rugged country — geologically speaking, it is very young and still being formed by volcanoes. It is crisscrossed by many rivers, has an interior desert, glaciers, permanent snow, rocky mountains, waterfalls, bogs, etc., and the Icelanders quickly realized the crucial importance of horses to human survival and breeding began in earnest. The Sagas, written in the 13th century, cover all the way back to the early 9th century, and they mention horses a great deal. According to the Sagas, the settlers selected their breeding horses by quality and by color. Horses were considered divine creatures, worshipped and occasionally sacrificed. It was quite important for a chief to be properly mounted on a beautiful and spirited animal, especially when he was attending the Icelandic Parliament (called the “Althing,” this is the oldest parliament in the world). Stallion-fighting was a popular sport, one in which two animals were pitted against each other in what could well be a fight to the death, and a good fighting stallion was priceless. A horse was considered the best, most special gift, and this is true even today, when a man might well give his fiancé a horse as the major engagement present.

Influence of Weather

Icelandic Horses are perfectly adapted to extreme weather.  This is the imported First Class stallion Kalman fra Laekjamoti playing during a snowstorm.  Owned by Andrea and Steve Barber of Sand Meadow Farm, Long Island, NY.

In the 12th century, the weather in Iceland took a turn for the worse and became much colder, then deteriorated again considerably in the 18th century. As time passed, the breed adapted to the conditions and became smaller (archeological excavations show that the earlier horses were larger), with less surface area exposed to the weather and therefore shorter legs and necks. The Icelandic horse developed a dense, greasy winter coat with long guard hairs that could shed the rain and deflect the wind, and a yellow fat dispersed throughout the muscles that stored carotene so that the horse could survive on wilted winter grass that was deficient in Vitamin A. The breed also acquired an amazing ability to store fat for the winter (not always an advantage in Texas!) and is capable of remaining outside in winter in Iceland, when the cattle and sheep must be housed.

During 1783-1784, a major volcanic eruption took place, resulting in a period of severe atmospheric pollution and causing the deaths of about 75% of the Icelandic horses due to a lack of food and to fluorine poisoning. The horse population dropped from an estimated 36,000 to only 8,600. It took almost 200 years for the numbers to rebound from this devastating natural disaster. Eruptions are still occurring in Iceland — I trail rode through an area that had experienced one a few years before, and the ground was covered a foot deep with what appeared to be coffee grounds, but was actually volcanic soil.

Traditional Uses
The long distances and tough terrain led Icelanders to select for horses with great endurance and comfortable gaits, as well as the intelligence to be an equal partner in difficult conditions. The Icelandic horse was considered to be the best friend of the Icelandic people and one nickname for the breed was “The Bridges of Iceland,” a reference to the fact that real bridges were lacking, and the many rivers could be forded only on horseback.

Transportation was strictly by riding until the 1870’s, when horse-drawn conveyances appeared, and automobiles weren’t seen until the 1930’s. Horse-drawn agricultural implements appeared about the turn of the 20th century, and then agriculture began to be mechanized after World War II. This mechanization accelerated during the 1950’s and was completed by the early ‘60’s, causing the slaughter of thousands of unneeded horses and a fear that the horse would virtually disappear from Icelandic life.

Alfa Gjoef, a beautiful dun mare, bred, owned and photographer by Elisabeth Haug of Carlsbad, California.

Present Day
Fortunately, the treasure of Iceland was realized for what it was before too late and the horse is doing very well in its native land, as well as worldwide, especially Northern Europe. There are approximately 80,000 horses in Iceland in the official database, and about 70,000 in Europe (upwards of 40,000 in Germany alone, where Icelandics are a popular family horse), with about 2,000 registered in North America.

The exportation of Icelandic horses has long been important to the country’s economy. About 150,000 Icelandics were exported from 1850-1939, mostly for tasks such as pit work in mines, but W.W.II put a halt to that. In the 1950’s, exports resumed, but this time as riding horses. Iceland hopes that the United States will prove to be a major market for their horses.

There are a lot of riding clubs in Iceland, and riding is considered an integral part of many Icelanders’ lives. Towns typically provide community support to a stable and riding area, and some of these are huge. For example, one stable alone in the capital city of Reykjavik houses 10,000 horses! Riding is a way for families to share a common interest, stay in touch with an indispensable piece of their culture and history, and connect to their recent agricultural past. The sport is so pervasive in Iceland that the gas stations carry horse supplies, just in case a passing horseman needs to replace a shoe, for instance!

Showing, Judging, and Evaluations
Horse shows are popular, and the National Show in Iceland, known as the “Landsmot,” is held during the summer every other year, alternating between locations in the north and south of the country. Traditionally, participants rode their horses to the show (some groups still ride cross-country to attend), which is held outside on a large oval track, with a large banked area where spectators can lounge on the ground watching the competitions. I attended a Landsmot, and it is a unforgettable experience to be surrounded by thousands of people (many of them camping at the site) and see so many top-quality horses.

Hrimfaxi fra Hvanneyri, bred and trained by Ingimar Sveinsson of Hvanneyri, Iceland. Hrimfaxi is an evaluated First Class stallion with a combined score of 8.33 (8.16 for conformation and 8.43 for rideability). He received a 9.0 for pace, willingness/temperament, and gallop...excellent scores! Hrimfaxi exhibiting the “skeid” gate.

There is a World Championship, held alternate years in Europe, where teams from the 19 nations belonging to FEIF (“Friends of the Icelandic Horse,” which is the international federation for the breed) meet, judged according to the universal rules governing competition known as FIPO. I was once honored to be selected to represent the United States as our country’s official FEIF delegate. Since the restrictions on the importation of horses into Iceland are still in effect, when Icelanders compete overseas, they must sell their horses and tack before returning home, to avoid bringing disease to their homeland.

FEIF also governs the rules pertaining to the registration of Icelandic horses worldwide, so that there is consistency and a clear paper trail for every registered horse back to the “motherland.” Here in the United States, our national federation recognized by FEIF is the USIHC (United States Icelandic Horse Congress), and I am a former member of the Board of Directors (and was instrumental in writing the Buyer’s Checklist found on the USIHC website). The USIHC maintains the Registry (started in the mid-1980’s, as the original United States registry lasted for only a few years in the 1960’s), sponsors official evaluations, underwrites qualified judges, offers a Pleasure Riding Program, etc. There are also a number of regional clubs across the country which sponsor their own activities, such as trail rides, fun shows, etc.
Icelandic breeding horses are evaluated by a team of judges, according to a very specific set of criteria. These criteria look at the individual parts of the horse, for instance, scores (on a 10 point scale) are received on head, neck and shoulders, back, hindquarters, legs, feet, hoof quality, mane and tail, harmony, etc. The gaits are each separately evaluated, as well as the horse’s carriage under saddle, its character or temperament, and its willingness.

Character and Willingness
No discussion of the Icelandic horse would be complete without a discussion of character and willingness. As might be expected of a breed once bred for fighting until death and adapted to very challenging conditions and depended upon for survival, Icelandic horses are known for their unique character. I personally consider it the most important quality about them, far more vital than their easy gaits. The Icelandic horse has a warm, affectionate personality, while also being strong-minded and opinionated. They are both levelheaded and sensitive, and can get their feelings hurt, while at the same time being capable of great forgiveness. This is the wrong breed for control freaks!

They can be exceptionally easy to handle on the ground, when it comes to the day-to-day business of horse-keeping, but that same horse that seems so quiet can be a whirlwind ride under saddle. The biggest misconception, in my almost 35 years of experience, is that people see the cute, fuzzy exterior and instantly think “Big Stuffed Animal!” They see the calm demeanor and good ground manners and think “Perfect Child/Novice Horse!” Usually, this is seriously erroneous thinking, as Icelandic horses have been bred through the centuries for willingness. When an Icelander had to ride across a road-less country (the asphalt and/or gravel “Ring Road” around the country, equivalent to one of our county FM roads, wasn’t completed until the early 1970’s), the situation required a brave horse that liked to get-up and go. A very “goey” horse is still highly valued in Iceland, and a horse truly suitable for a child or beginner is no more common than in other breeds.

Icelandic horses are somewhat “one person” animals, in my opinion, and it is crucial to happiness and safety to select a

Hrimfaxi exhibiting the “tolt” gate. Icelandics are shown on a track with hillside viewing versus an arena setting.

horse which is suitable for the rider, not just in way of moving but in the character and degree of willingness. Very forward horses, considered “equine volcanoes,” are often found in sport or competition horses, while a “family horse” is less of a volunteer, and a “grandmother’s horse” is the type which can be ridden by most.

Physical Attributes
Iceland horses are relatively short in stature, ranging from about 12.2 to 14.2 hands, with most in the 13 to 14 hand category (larger horses are considered stiffer and less flexible). They weigh several hundred pounds (and up) and have been shown in a study to be 1.6 times stronger (in terms of pulling power) than a larger horse, so an 800 pound Icelandic is as strong as a 1250 pound horse of another breed. They have about 35% slow twitch muscle fibers, which is probably part of the secret of their great endurance. They are big movers and are considered horses, never ponies.

This breed has some other physical differences as well. For example, a study showed that the stomach of the Icelandic horse is a fraction of the size (by both size and percentage) of that of other breeds, and the intestinal tract is larger. This may mean that they are more suited to fibrous diets than to high-concentrate rations (grain fed to horses cannot be grown in Iceland’s climate). In fact, in Iceland, the traditional supplement to the diet is salted fish, provided free-choice in open barrels in winter pastures. Icelandics don’t have to change fat to glucose to use it for energy and are very fuel-efficient compared to other breeds. Their fat is dispersed throughout their muscles, so they don’t overheat easily (in my experience, they do just as well in Texas as any other horse). They are also sure-footed and frequently known for good swimming capability, and some have tremendous jumping ability (the first Icelandic I ever saw was competing in an open hunter/jumper show, and my original horse jumped an amazing 7 feet at his prime).

Icelandic mare’s milk is also unique in composition, with a significantly higher fat content. Once, when visiting Iceland, I stayed at the same farm as a German pediatrician, who told me that she was arranging for the importation into Germany of a large quantity of Icelandic mare’s milk on a monthly basis, as it was an excellent substitute for breast milk.

Gaits
They are probably best known for their quality of movement. The Icelandic is the only naturally five-gaited horse in the world with five distinct gaits. The first three are the same walk, trot, and canter seen in other breeds (which are of very good quality in the Icelandic horse). The additional two are the “tolt,” a lateral four-beat gait, and the “flying pace,” a lateral almost two-beat gait, which is unlike the pace of the Standardbred racehorse. However, not every Icelandic possesses the flying pace.

The tolt is a comfortable, non-bouncy gait which is ridden at anywhere from walking up to canter speed, and has various degrees of expression. Some horses have a tolt similar to the running walk of the Tennessee Walking Horse, while others have one that resembles the rack of the Saddlebred, etc. The tolt is inborn, seen in foals immediately after birth, and manipulative training devices, heavy shoeing, etc., are not allowed in competitions. A “natural tolter” simply means one that prefers tolt to other gaits.

The Icelandic is the sole horse in the world that can do the flying pace (called “skeith” in Iceland). The flying pace is performed at a full gallop, and a high-class pacer approaches the speed of a racehorse in the Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred worlds (and this is with a full-size Icelander who may weigh well over 200 pounds riding in a regular saddle, instead of a jockey-sized individual in racing tack). There is a moment of suspension in which all four feet are off the ground that gives the “flying” feeling, and riding the flying pace has been described as being like “a bullet shot out of a gun.” Being able to ride a pace horse at top speed is a skill considered the ultimate test of horsemanship in Iceland, where pace racing is a popular equestrian sport.

Color
Virtually all colors seen in other breeds, with the exception of Appaloosa markings, are found in Icelandics. So, besides the typical black, bay, and chestnut, there are grays, duns, palominos, buckskins, roans, silver dapples, and tobianos (including a very rare one in which neither color is white, for example, the horse has large areas of chestnut and black).

Maturation
One important thing to note about the breed is that they are relatively slow-maturing, like warmbloods, and are typically not started under saddle until at least four years of age. They continue growing and filling out for quite some time, and tend to improve for years, then stay at a good performance level well into their mid to late twenties. In Iceland, older horses are generally put down in their mid to late twenties, as soon as they begin to decline or a broodmare has an open year. One Icelander friend with top horses told me that there would be no room in the barn for the young ones if all the old ones were kept and, of course, the harsh winter climate could be impossible for an old horse to manage. We have had three horses live to mid thirties here in Texas, a friend in California had one live to late forties (and I have heard of another out there that attained that age), and one mare in Denmark was documented to live until 57.

This same Icelander mentioned to me once that there are three kinds of horses: one third should be slaughtered right away, one third are good enough to ride, and one third are too good to ride and should be put in the breeding herd.

Slaughter
While on the subject of slaughter, I have been told that 25-30% of all foals born in Iceland are slaughtered — it’s not uncommon to see foal steaks in a grocery meat display case. Horsemeat has been eaten in Iceland since the days of settlement, but was banned at the time of the introduction of Christianity (about 1000 A.D.). Gradually, horsemeat became acceptable in Iceland towards the end of the 19th century, due in large part to a lack of other kinds of meat. Horsemeat is significantly less expensive than beef in Iceland, and it has a good nutritional profile, as it is low-fat with a lot of Omega 3 fatty acids.

Horsemeat in Iceland is a tiny percentage of total meat consumed, but a quantity from old horses has been exported to Japan (the illustrations I saw at a lecture showed a lot of “sushi-type” items done with horsemeat in place of fish). At a seminar I attended in Iceland in 1996, the figures given were about 6,000 foals and 3,000 adult horses slaughtered every year. At the seminar, a banquet was prepared for us with a wide selection of horsemeat cuts cooked a number of different ways. As luck would have it, I was called away just as I was reluctantly starting through the buffet line (trying to quickly think of a diplomatic way to refuse the meal). I had received a fax from home in the college office, concerning a veterinary emergency with one of my horses. I was never so glad to get that kind of news in my life, and extremely relieved when I returned late enough to the dining hall that the food had been picked up and I had to be provided with something else to eat!

As repulsive as the idea of horse slaughter, especially for human consumption, is to most HORSE GAZETTE readers, the ready market for horsemeat means that breeders in Iceland cull their herds rigorously. People are not motivated to keep bad-tempered or talentless horses, and there are phrases that reflect this, such as “that horse should be under knife and fork,” or “meat for the freezer” as comments to describe undesirable horses.

Manageability
The quality I most appreciate about the Icelandic horses is their manageability. By that, I mean that they are, day in-day out, a pure pleasure to be around. Easy to take care of, with loads of commonsense, they are smart but not smart-alecs, have a sense of humor but are not particularly mischievous, are very responsive but not very spooky, sensitive but never bratty. For example, my horses come running when they are called, I don’t usually halter them at our place — I usually just point to where I want them to go or lead them by the chin, they get along in very tight quarters (actually preferring that to isolation), rarely suffer even the slightest injury from doing anything stupid, they don’t kick, don’t buck, etc.

I will never forget the time when my father and I went out to see our first herd of Icelandic horses. The breeder called them and a large number came swirling in, all ages and genders. We were surrounded, but never felt afraid, as there was no kicking, no pushing, nothing but an aura of peace. My husband became a convert when I took him out to a friend’s place at sunset and she called her horses — 150 ran in like the tide and we were floating in a sea of serenity. This was years ago and he still talks of it and what the occasion meant to him.

In Iceland, I rode on a cross-country trek in which 60 young horses accompanied us, free and unfettered, choosing to run alongside. When we stopped for a rest, riders reclined on the ground while the horses grazed. The experience of true companionship with another living being is an everyday occurrence with Icelandics.

These horses inspire loyalty and devotion. In an episode recounted in HORSES IN ICELAND 1870-1930, during a 1912-1913 expedition over the Greenland glacier using Icelandics to pull the sleds, gross miscalculations meant the horses lacked sufficient feed to survive. When there was one last horse, the men tied him on the sled so that he could ride and eat while they pulled!

The Incurable and Contagious Icelandic Horse Disease
I was fortunate to discover the Icelandic horse as a youth, and it has been an influence on my life ever since. My love for them guided me to attend Texas A&M, majoring in Animal Science, and I even took three horses with me to college (where I played polo on two of them!). My first job was with an equine publishing firm, and I always hung on to at least one Icelandic, even when my siblings grew up and lost interest in horses. I got used to the fact that other people never recognized the breed and that, once I was no longer a junior rider, everyone asked me why I didn’t get a “big horse” (never mind that my little one could outdo any of their mounts).

Finally, word started getting around about this great breed and it has been refreshing to interact with other Icelandic horse owners and lovers. I have been to Sweden for an Icelandic Horse World Championship, to Iceland multiple times to study at the Agricultural Colleges and visit farms, to ride with top trainers (such as many times champion and two-time Breeder of the Year Gunnar Arnason), and to simply enjoy the Icelandic horse in its stunningly beautiful native habitat. I have been lucky enough to meet, learn from, and become friends with such authoritative and generous individuals as Ingimar Sveinsson (the former long-time Equine Science instructor at Hvanneyri Agricultural College, whom I sponsored in the U.S. for a lecture and demonstration tour).

Over the years, I have imported well-bred mares from a top farm in Iceland, as well as bought horses from a domestic breeder with as many years invested in the breed as myself. My husband and I own a small farm located just outside San Marcos, known as Permanent Vacation, which produced two foals this year, both by highly-rated evaluated stallions (and both gaiting from the moment they hit the ground!).

I like good horses, but can’t afford to buy a high-quality, already trained horse as good as those I was lucky enough to start with long ago, so have raised and trained my own (not to mention that, for decades, there was really no supply readily available in this country). This is no hardship, as then the horse and I know each other inside and out. I started a young horse last year (I trained his mother and his grandmother and helped with his aunt) and am starting one later this year (I trained her brother and uncle, helped with another uncle, rode a third uncle, another brother, her father and grandfather). We will finally have some horses for sale soon, for the first time in a long time.

So, from the moment I read that article back in 1969, I was infected with the incurable “Icelandic Horse Disease!” And for all that it’s all-consuming — both time and money — it’s also such a big part of our lives that we can’t imagine what existence would be without them. I invite anyone who is kind, considerate, consistent, and responsible (plus willing to listen to his or her horse), who wants to share their life with a loving, talented creature, to consider the wonderful Icelandic Horse. This is one disease that is worth catching!

Helen Mehan has also written for the ICELANDIC HORSE QUARTERLY, TRAIL BLAZER, and GAITWAY, and she has been interviewed by HORSE ILLUSTRATED about Icelandics . Information in this article was derived from a variety of sources, including her own personal knowledge, lecture notes from courses in Iceland, especially those taught by Ingimar Sveinsson, and material provided by the USIHC. She suggests checking out the USIHC website, for more information. Helen can be contacted at via email or by calling 512-392-4600 (daytime) or visit: Permanent Vacation Icelandics!

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