Where Did Icelandic Horses Come From?
Most settlers in early Iceland came from the west coast of Norway, but also from Ireland Scotland, Denmark and Sweden. With them they brought their best horses. Many people assume that the Norwegian Fjord Horse formed the basis for the Icelandic Horse even thought the Fjord Horse has neither tolt nor pace, but actually studies have now shown that the 2 breeds do not share the same heredity. The results of a 2001 study show that the closest relatives to the Icelandic Horse are the Shetland Pony and the Lyng or Norwegian Norland Horse, which makes sense because the Vikings brought selected riding horses to the Shetland Islands in about the year 800. The same study also showed that the Icelandic Horse is related to Mongolian Horses, which are similar in size, endurance, gaits and colors.
Molded by Environment and Function
The original qualities of the riding horse were preserved in Iceland because of the unique isolated circumstances of the island. In pagan times Icelandic horses were buried with their owners and recent excavations show that those ancient horses were an average of 134cm tall. Environmental factors such as volcanic eruptions and harsher that average winters resulted in widespread loss of livestock and probably contributed to a decrease in the size of the Icelandic Horse that was seen in the past several hundred years. The average size of Icelandic horses has increased by 8.5cm in the past 40 years and is now 138.4cm. Disposition has also been molded by the confines of island life. Willing, cooperative and intelligent horses are the most desirable. There simply are not enough resources to keep bad horses, whether it is bad attitude or poor conformation or lack of riding talents. Culling of 30% of foal crops in still common today, insuring only the best pass along their traits to the next generation.There were very few roads or bridges in Iceland and so the horses were the primary source of transportation. Since wagons were little used, riders desired the horses with smooth gaits, which would make their long rides comfortable.
The Gaits
The Icelandic horse as a breed possess 5 distinct gaits. Talents in the various gaits are influenced by conformation, heredity, how the horse was trained and started and the skill of the rider. The horses are classified as either 4 gaited or 5 gaited depending on whether the horse possesses the Flying Pace.
Walk is a gait with no suspension in which 2 or 3 hooves are on the ground at all times. The basis for all gaits is a good walk. The horse should be relaxed, on the rein, with a good beat and taking long steps.
Trot is a diagonal gait with suspension. Horses should be relaxed at the trot and have correct beat and good suspension. Horses with a strong tendency to pace (such as horses that show only pace when running free) may have difficulty finding trot, as can natural tolters (those that prefer tolt even when running free). Those horses may need more training to perform a good trot. Some horses have a very soft trot that is easy to sit and comfortable to ride, others have wide suspended movements that make sitting the trot difficult. There is debate among breeders as to which type of trot is best, but the horses that score highest in sport and breeding competitions have the wide suspended movements and riders who may want to learn to post the trot.
Gallop is a 3 beat, more or less lateral gait with suspension. Horses should have a clear beat at canter and show good “uphill” movement. Gallop is usually shown on a loose rein with very free movement which also demonstrates the horse’s willingness. Breeding horses are now being asked to show a slow collected gallop (canter) also.
Tolt has been called the “step of delight”. It is a 4 beat lateral gait without suspension. One or two hooves are on the ground at all times. The beat of tolt is 4 equally spaced hoof beats in the same sequence as walk. Tolt differs from trot in that the horse collects himself, rises up in the front and steps farther underneath his weight with the hind legs. The horse is encouraged forward, while the rein resists the forward motion. Tolt can vary in speed from just faster than a walk up to almost gallop speed.
Pace is a 2 beat lateral gait with suspension. Trainers must be cautious and not start training pace while the horse is too young. He must wait until the other gaits are good and the horse must be physically and psychologically prepared as part of the training. Pace is used as a racing gait and requires the utmost of cooperation between horse and rider.
A Letter from Carly O’Connor
My time at camp was one of the greatest things that I did this summer. This was my first year at the camp so I was a little scared about what we were going to do. After the first day we were all having the best time with each other, and, even though I was new I was included in everything.
The riding was fun even though we didn't have a lot of space, and Alex took us out on a couple of great private and group riding lessons. I learned so much that I can use on horses in the future.
We didn't just work, we took the horses to the river and took them swimming for an hour when we had time, we played cards all the time and we tried to play night games but that didn't work out. I know that I will be coming back next year and having fun again, and I hope that Alex had such a good time that she will come back next year and teach the 2nd level of the riding badge to us 7 kids again.
Carly O'Connor