Icelandic horses are sweet, strong, and special. They were probably brought to Iceland by the Vikings. They’ve got no natural predators there, but the volcanic terrain is difficult and there’s not an abundance of food, so the ones who survived are strong and resourceful. They look more like ponies, but don’t tell them that! If you take an Icelandic horse out of Iceland, it can never go back. No other horses are allowed into the country, because they could potentially carry diseases that Icelandic horses aren’t immune to. They’ve been effectively isolated for more than 1,000 years.
Icelandic horses are all born with a natural extra gait or two, depending who you ask, that other horses don’t have. Though we didn’t get a chance to experience that extra gait while we were in country, we did get to visit some horses. Next time, I will make sure to ride them. Their coats are so fluffy and delightfully wild.
If you want to see some beautiful photos of Icelandic horses, follow Seriouspony. She posts stunning photos of her horses nightly on Twitter. You’ll want to start your own herd. Or become an exclusive Icelandic horse photographer.
You can read about the rest of our adventures in Iceland in the archives.
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