Icelandic horse: The beauty of the purest breed in the world!
The Icelandic horse is a luxurious breed of small horses brought to Iceland by the Vikings in the 9th Century. No other breed of horse has ever lived in Iceland since then, and those that have been removed from the island are not allowed to return. This means you will encounter the purest breed in the world here!
“The Icelandic horse is the embodiment of Icelandic nature: unique, pure and authentic.”
These beautiful horses are fast, temperamental and the rough terrain is a piece of cake for them. They are used at farms, as a luxurious embellishment at many exhibitions, they are fast runners at races and are used for recreation.
The charming breed opens a world of adventure
Horseback riding trips with these horses are very popular in Iceland. They offer a unique opportunity to discover beautiful nature, enjoy astounding views of the panoramic landscape and grazing sheep. Outings can be found all across Iceland, and many start near to Reykjavik.
The flying tempo of the Icelandic horse
Unlike other horse breeds, the Icelandic horse is particular for its 5 different gaits: walk, trot, tölt (four-beat ambling gait), gallop and flying pace. The last mentioned flying pace is a two-beat lateral gait during which the horse can attain a speed of up to 50 km/hour!
The purest horse breed is also the most colourful: it can have up to 40 different colours and more than 100 variations.
Today, there are about 80,000 of these luxurious horses in Iceland, which is quite a lot, considering that Iceland has a population of about 330,000. It is the most colourful breed in the world – it has up to 40 different colours and more than 100 variations.
