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Liz Graves, top gaited horse judge, trainer, clinician
marking "points" of conformation on an Icelandic stallion,
and describing what they mean and how to evaluate them.
Photo by Judy Ryder.
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Origins
When the first Norsemen settled the volcanic island which was to
become Iceland, between AD 860 and 935, they brought their
horses with them. Other settlers followed, leaving the shores of
Western Scotland and Ireland. The horses that accompanied those
early settlers formed the foundation of the Icelandic horse, or
Icelandic pony.
There have been no introductions of other horse breeds for over
800 years, making the Icelandic horse one of extreme genetic
purity.
Appearance
The Icelandic horse stands between 12.2 hands and 13.2 hands,
which officially makes it a pony. However, there is no word for
"pony" in the Icelandic language and so the name comes from "hestur",
which means horse. Although Icelandics are small, they are very
muscular and strong, and are perfectly capable of carrying full
grown men over long distances without tiring.
The head of the Icelandic Horse is typically plain, heavy and
somewhat thick through the jowl. The legs are short and strong
and Icelandics are very sure-footed over all types of rough
terrain. The shoulder is upright, contributing to the elevated
action of gaits such as the tolt. The hocks are set low,
giving a powerful action to the hind legs. |
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Icelandic Horse performing the tolt
Photo by
Judy Ryder.
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Icelandic Horses come in a wide range of colors, including
chestnut (often with a flaxen mane and tail), bay, brown, black,
grey, dun, palomino and pinto. Some breeding farms breed for a
specific color.
Some Icelandics are bred as pack or draft horses, and differ
from the riding or saddle horses, which have been bred for their
ability to perform the gaits for which the Icelandic Horse is
famous. In addition, herds were bred for their meat, in a land
where it is impossible to keep cattle through the long, harsh
winter.
Gaits
The Icelandic Horse has five specific gaits:
The walk or
fetgangur
The trot or
brokk
The gallop
or stokk
The pace or
skeio - a lateral gait
The tolt
or rack - a four-beat running walk |
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Icelandic
horses are surefooted and capable of carrying
full-grown adults over long distances
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Uses
Icelandic Horses are still an integral part of life in Iceland.
They are uniquely suited to surviving in the harsh climate and
are economical to keep. Some are still used as draft and pack
animals. In addition, the Icelandic people are very proud of
their horses and regularly participate in horse shows, with
classes for both four- and five-gaited horses. Horse racing is
also popular, with flat races at the gallop and also the pace,
as well as some steeplechase races.
In other parts of the world, such as in Great Britain and the
United States, Icelandics are becoming increasingly popular and
are used in activities such as endurance riding, dressage and
more.
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