| The
history of the Icelandic horse is intertwined with the lives of the
Icelandic people, starting with the arrival of the Vikings in the late
9th century. The first settlers brought their best horses from
Scandinavia and Scotland, and no doubt Icelandic horses share some of
their ancestry with native Scottish breeds such as the Shetland and the
Eriskay. The Icelandic horse was honoured in Norse mythology, and also
holds a vital place in the Icelandic Sagas. Throughout the millennium the horse continued to be an essential part of the history of the Icelandic people, serving in war and in peacetime. As early as first half of the 10th century the then Icelandic parliament placed an absolute import ban on all farm animals. Over the next 900 years the Icelandic horse faced the extremes of volcanoes and ice fields, the relentless weather, and some of the harshest conditions for survival. This ensured that only the very best survived, and these are the horses we ride today. The breed is beautiful and versatile, it has a friendly and easy-going attitude, and comes in hundreds of colour variations. Only few Icelandic horses grow larger than 15hh, but regardless of size, all horses are expected to carry a man. The Icelandic horse is truly unique because it display five distinct gaits: walk, trot, and canter as well as tölt, a four beat lateral gait, which is very comfortable for the rider, and flying pace, a two beat racing gait, which can reach speeds of 30 m/h. Today’s horses are sport and leisure horses, which are growing in popularity all over Europe and North America. Riders compete in the five gaits at national and international competitions, including the Icelandic based Landsmót, and the World Championships, which will next be held in Switzerland in 2009. The import ban set by the Vikings still stands today, and any rider from Iceland competing abroad still has to make a tough decision, as once it has left the country, no horse is ever allowed to set foot on Iceland again. All horses coming from Iceland have to find a new home abroad after a competition. In 2007 one such stallion changed hands for £200,000 after the World Championships in Holland. Today there are about 800 Icelandic horses in Britain, and they are gaining in popularity. Their easy-going and uncomplicated nature endears them to the leisure rider, as much as the sports rider is attracted to their eager forwardness and the exhilaration of riding fast tölt or even flying pace. |