| Icelandic horse | ||
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 Icelandic horse performing the tölt |
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| Distinguishing features: | Sturdy build, heavy coat, height from 1. 20 to 1. 45 m. Performs five distinct gaits including the tölt and the flying pace. This is an article on horse gaits for other meanings see gait (disambiguation. | |
| Alternative names: | Icelandic Pony | |
| Country of origin: | Iceland | |
| Breed standards | ||
The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse that has lived in Iceland since the mid-800s AD, having been brought to the island by Viking settlers. See Breed (song for the song by Nirvana. See Breed (video game for the video game by Brat Designs The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas A settler is a person who has migrated to an area and established permanent residence there often to colonize the area The Icelandic Horse originated from pony breeds taken from Scandinavian and European countries to Iceland during the original and subsequent settlements but has now been bred for centuries without the addition of outside bloodstock. Terminology and usage As a cultural term "Scandinavia" has no official definition and is subject to usage by those who identify with the culture in question as well Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Because they are often pony-sized, they are referred to as "Icelandic ponies" in some countries. A pony is a small Horse with a specific conformation and temperament However, in other places, the breed is considered a "horse" and to call it a "pony" may offend many breeders. mtDNA studies link them to other European pony breeds. Mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) is the DNA located in Organelles called mitochondria. [1]
Regardless of size or horse/pony designation, Icelandic horses can easily carry the weight of a grown adult.
Contents |
Overview
There are roughly 75,000 Icelandic horses in Iceland, and up until recently relatively few abroad[2], owing in large part to centuries-old Icelandic legislation that prevents any Icelandic horse from returning to the island once it has been taken to another country.
They are considered small (averaging 12. 2 to 14. 1 hands/125 - 155cm in height and 600 to 900lbs. See also Hand A hand (or handbreadth) is a unit of length Measurement, originally based on the breadth of a Male Human hand /270 to 400kg in weight) but very strong for their size. They can carry roughly one-third of their weight, but should be at least four and a half - better five - years old before being broken to saddle. Cannon bone girth ranges mares usually are around 17 to 18 cm and stallions are typically 19 to 20 cm.
It is thought that the horses the Vikings brought with them had a broad variation of looks and many colors, and as such there is today a large variation in color in the Icelandic horses. The horse has been very important as a means of transport and a work animal throughout Iceland's history. Transport or transportation is the movement of people and goods from one place to another Since around 1920 the horses have been recorded in pedigrees. Jeeps and tractors have largely replaced the horse as a work animal after World War II. Jeep is an Automobile Marque (and registered trademark of Chrysler. A tractor is a Vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high Tractive effort at slow speeds for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including These days the only work related tasks horses are used for is rounding up sheep from the highlands and herding livestock (sheep, cattle and horses) on farms. The Highlands of Iceland cover most of the interior of Iceland. Most horses are mainly used for leisure riding, gaited competition, and for an Icelandic brand of horse-racing. This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics.
Icelandic horses are bred in closed pedigrees because they must be traceable back to Icelandic ancestors. Icelandic horses have been bred only with horses from Iceland since the Middle Ages. Icelandic words are used as names for Icelandic horses, words which describe their color etc. Icelandic ( is a North Germanic language, the language of Iceland. Sometimes names from Norse mythology and Icelandic nature are used. Norse mythology comprises the indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and Legends of the Scandinavian peoples including those who settled on Iceland Some examples include Grána which means "grey mare"; Teitur, which means "the happy one" or Hrímfaxi which means "the one with frost in his mane".
According to FEIF, the International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations, the general aim for conformation is to breed light-bodied Icelandic horses with an emphasis on strength, flexibility, and a muscular body. The conformation should facilitate exceptional gaits, a naturally good head carriage, and also take into consideration other aspects that are generally accepted as aesthetically pleasing.
Behavior
Probably the most beloved trait of the Icelandic horse is its unique character. FEIF's breeding aim for spirit describes a horse that is very willing, brave, happy, cheerful, confident, and offer its best with very little encourangement. A horse that tries to please the rider, is sensible, easy to ride, and easy to handle.
Iceland has never had any predators large enough to be any threat to a horse. Iceland, officially the Republic of Iceland ( ( Ísland or Lýðveldið Ísland ( Instead it is a country with tremendous environmental dangers, such as harsh extremes in weather, volcanic activity, extremely varied and treacherous terrain, quicksand, rock slides, rivers with changing currents, etc. Quicksand is a Colloid Hydrogel consisting of fine Granular matter (such as Sand or Silt) Clay, and Therefore, the ability to assess a situation rather than the instinct to flee has been central in the survival of the horse. Even today Icelandics seem to lack the “spookiness” of most other breeds and are more inclined to think through a situation before making the decision to run. They also seem to have a much higher pain tolerance than other breeds and have a strong will to survive even the toughest conditions. There are many old Icelandic tales of horses that overcame tremendous obstacles to carry their riders safely to their destination.
Traditionally in Iceland, young horses and those not under saddle were allowed to run free, in large herds in the highlands. Because of environmental concerns, this practice is only continued in parts of Northern Iceland today. Even in other parts of Iceland the horses are often left in vast pastures, largely on their own, for long periods of time. All horses in Iceland are given an annual vacation in late fall of each year, where they can be in herds left alone. The Icelanders feel that it is important that the horse grow up learning how to be an independent thinker, to take care of itself, and to not be too dependent on humans. The Icelanders want their horses to be thinking partners. They also believe that horses allowed to run free at least part of the year grow stronger, become more sure footed and are more self-confident.
In general, Icelandics are trained to be spirited under saddle. Almost all Icelandics tend to be very calm and easy going on the ground, but most will be surprisingly forward when ridden, when trained that way. Icelanders call this spirit “willingness. ” And a willing horse, by Icelandic standards, is a forward horse indeed. A willing horse will always offer more energy to the rider. However as in all other breeds, the amount of willingness varies from individual to individual, some being very willing, others not. Some Icelandics even seem to have the talent to adapt to the skill level of the rider.
In the early days, the rugged Icelandic climate meant that keeping only the best horses was worthwhile. Cramped quarters meant that people, horses and other animals would often share tight spaces. Therefore, any horses that showed faults in character were quickly culled and used for meat. This practice continues today in Iceland and horsemeat is exported regularly to mainland Europe and Japan. Horse meat is the culinary name for meat cut from a Horse. It is slightly sweet tender low in fat and high in protein This is probably the strongest reason that, today, you will rarely find an Icelandic that would ever kick, bite or even lay its ears back at a human for any reason. This sort of behavior is simply not tolerated.
Although some Icelandics are more friendly than others, the majority still enjoy the company of people. And most Icelandics are known to form very close bonds with their owners.
Icelandics are considered quite intelligent. As such they often learn new things very quickly. However, as they are bright they usually do not like to be drilled and they must constantly be challenged with new and different tasks to stay interested and willing. Although Icelandics are sometimes schooled in a ring or on an oval track, most like to be trained out on the trail enjoying nature.
Distribution to Europe and America
Early documents show that horses were exported from Iceland quite frequently during the period of the Icelandic Commonwealth (930-1262) and into the early days of Norwegian government. The Icelandic Commonwealth or the Icelandic Free State (Þjóðveldið was the state existing in Iceland between the establishment of the Althing in Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Many Norwegian kings received horses as presents from Icelandic chiefs and bishops, mostly stallions to take part in horse fighting, a popular entertainment among the Vikings and their descendants until as late as the end of the 17th century. A Viking is one of the Norse ( Scandinavian Explorers Warriors Merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar
It is believed that there was no import of breeding horses to Iceland after the end of the 13th century. This article is about the region of Denmark. For the World War I naval battle see Battle of Jutland. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe The only known exception to this was an experiment in the early 20th century when a Norwegian Fjord stallion was brought to Iceland. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on This stallion was kept in isolation on the small island of Viðey and used on an experimental basis to cover a few mares. Videy ( Viðey) is the largest island of the Kollafjördur Bay in Iceland, near the capital of Reykjavík. The experiment was a failure and both the stallion and the few offspring he produced were sold abroad. There is a widely spread belief outside Iceland that import of horses to the island was prohibited by law as early as in the days of the Vikings. No documents or other proof to confirm the existence of such a ban has been found, though, and both historians and jurists agree that this must be merely a legend. The fact that there was no import of horses to Iceland after the 13th century is not based on legal grounds as the first laws prohibiting horse import to Iceland only date from 1882 but on the fact that there was a lack of transportation facilities. Moreover there was probably never any demand or need for more horses on Iceland than were bred there by the inhabitants themselves.
Even though transportation between Iceland and other countries was poor, there was obviously some trade in horses from Iceland during the 16th and 17th century. In 1563 the Danish authorities made a rule saying that no horses were allowed to leave Iceland unless the king’s deputy had been given the first right of purchase. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Despite this there were Icelandic horses in other countries; Sir Thomas Browne (1605-1682) mentions, for example, an Icelandic horse that was grazing in a pasture near the English town of Yarmouth. Sir Thomas Browne ( October 19, 1605 &ndash October 19, 1682) was an English author of varied works which disclose his wide learning England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland According to Sir Thomas this horse would not eat oats for months and finally he went so homesick that he jumped into the sea and tried to swim back to Iceland. During the 17th century Danish royalty showed interest in smooth gaited Icelandic riding horses. As a means of recording the passage of Time, the 17th Century was that Century which lasted from 1601 - 1700 in the Gregorian calendar In 1637 King Christian IV wanted his deputy to buy four pace horses on Iceland and a few years later he ordered two good riding horses. Christian IV ( 12 April, 1577 &ndash 28 February, 1648) was the king of Denmark and Norway from 1588 until his death His grandson, King Christian V, also ordered his deputy to send one horse with every ship coming from Iceland to Denmark. Christian V ( 15 April 1646 in Flensburg &ndash 25 August 1699 in Copenhagen) was king of Denmark and
Due to the Danish trade monopoly, established in 1602 and not fully abolished until the mid 19th century, little horse export from Iceland took place during this period. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Still, there are documents showing that breeders on the Orkney Islands got permission to buy up to 80 breeding horses on Iceland and the Faeroe Islands as early as 1828. Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap In 1851 British horse dealers finally got a permission to purchase horses on Iceland and ever since then horses have been exported from the island on a commercial basis. During the first years only a few hundred horses were exported but the yearly export grew in a few decades to several thousand, with the largest number in one year being about 5700 animals. During the period 1851-1939 more than 148,000 horses were exported from Iceland. Most of the horses went to England and many of them were sold as pit ponies for the coal mines. However, there were other purposes as well, like transporting goods and supplies in the rapidly growing cities and even riding, as Páll Zóphóníasson, later president of The Agricultural Society of Iceland, put it in his report from 1910: ". Year 1910 ( MCMX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting . . a few of the horses that have been sold to England are used for riding by those who have nothing better to do with their time than ride horses for their pleasure. "
The large number of Icelandic horses exported to England apparently made them quite well known in certain circles. The English author and social reformer George R. Sims, mentions them in his book Off the track in London, published in 1911:
"A little way from the scene of the sailors' frolic, lays Prince's Square. George Robert Sims (2 September 1847 - 4 September 1922 was an English Journalist, poet dramatist novelist and bon vivant It is a picturesque old place still, with its quaint Swedish church in the centre, and its old eighteenth-century houses standing cheek by jowl with glaring examples of twentieth-century "improvement. " As we turn into it the note of strangeness which dominates it is emphasized by the fact that against the railings of the square a number of little Iceland ponies are standing, surrounded by a group of admiring boys. The connection between the Swedish church and the Icelandic ponies is not obvious, and the spectacle startles us, until we remember that one of the depots of the famous horse dealer Jamrach is close by. Then the situation is at once explained. These ponies have been imported by Jamrach, and it being a fine day, they are taking the air in Prince's Square. "
At the beginning of the 20th century a new market was established for Icelandic horses in Denmark. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Most of the horses were used for draught and other working tasks on small farms, especially on the peninsula of Jutland. In the period 1910 to 1920 Denmark was the biggest importer of Icelandic horses and in 1915 more than 3600 were sold to Danish buyers. During this period of booming imports two associations for Icelandic horses were established in Denmark and several publications about the breed saw the light of day. In the first decades of the 20th century buyers from various countries started to purchase horses directly from Iceland. In 1901 documents show that 81 horses were sold to Norway and in 1914 some 74 horses went to Germany. At this moment the first German breeders, like the Wahrendorff family in Hanover and the Traut family in Leipzig, start breeding with horses from Iceland and still today some German horses can trace their roots all the way back to those early bred Icelandic horses. Hanover (i ( haˈnoːfɐ on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony ( Niedersachsen This sort of fix restores section edit linkpoints to where they belong In the 1920s a number of horses were sold directly to the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Sweden and Finland and in the early 1930s a transport of 200 animals went to Germany. The Faroe Islands or Faeroe Islands or simply Faroe(s or Faeroes (Føroyar meaning " Sheep Islands" Færøerne Old Norse Greenland (Kalaallit Nunaat meaning "Land of the Greenlanders" Grønland is a self-governing Danish Province located between the "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. In 1935 the German government was even working on a plan to buy more than 1000 horses from Iceland but this huge transport was never realized. Towards the end of this decade the first Icelandic horses were sold directly from Iceland to both the Netherlands and Italy. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest
In the late 19th century Icelandic horses were brought to North America. It is most likely that these horses came from England because the first direct export of horses from Iceland to the United States did not take place until 1917. Furthermore it is a well known fact that American horse dealers imported large amounts of various horses from England in the late 19th century. In the book The Centennial Atlas of Warren County, Ohio, published in 1903, this can be read:
"In 1886 a company was formed at the town Corwin, which imported a large number of Shetland, Welsh and Iceland ponies. A. P. O'Neall was one of the heaviest stockholders and had personal charge of the stock on its arrival. A few years later he bought out the other members, and the pony business has been carried on under his name and that of his son ever since. A great many ponies have been sent out from the farm, and it has become widely known as The Pony Farm. "
In the 1890s livestock dealers from Pennsylvania and Iowa offered "Iceland ponies" for sale in various American magazines and The Cyclopaedia of American Agriculture, published in 1909, underlines the existence of Icelandic horses in America at this time, as L. H. Bailey says:
"The Iceland ponies are sometimes imported into America, although few are bred here. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Liberty Hyde Bailey (1858-1954 was an American horticulturist, Botanist and cofounder of the American Society for Horticultural Science They are strong, sturdy, useful little animals, rarely exceeding thirteen hands, often reaching only eleven and one-half or twelve hands. They are used for light driving purposes and as children’s ponies, and in England often as pit ponies"
Not much is known about those early Icelandic horses in America but it is believed that some of them were crossbred with other breeds. The most famous of those half-blood Icelandic horses must be the skewbald pony Algonquin who belonged to the children of President Theodore Roosevelt and was kept at the stables of the White House in Washington at the beginning of the 20th century. Theodore Roosevelt (ˈroʊzəvɛlt October 27 1858 January 6 1919 also known as T See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Washington ( is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
The Icelandic horse of today
By the 1940s and 1950s, roads and bridges became more common, and although the horse’s traditional role began to fade the horse never really lost its popularity. Today the Icelandic horse is held in high regard in its homeland as a horse for sport, recreation, and family. Travel on the horse is still often seen and next to most automobile roads in Iceland you will find a horse road as well.
Gaits
Icelandic horses are known for their special gaits. This is an article on horse gaits for other meanings see gait (disambiguation. Apart from walk, trot and canter, and gallop, some Icelandic horses are able to tölt (rack) and some can go in skeið (pace). Walking (also called ambulation) is the main form of Animal Locomotion on land, distinguished from Running and crawling The canter is a controlled three-beat gait performed by a horse The term Amble or Ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of Horses All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a This is an article on horse gaits for other meanings see gait (disambiguation. Skeið is a gait where the horse moves both legs of one side at the same time; it is considered a gait for racing, and ridden at the proper speed is called flugskeið, loosely translated as "flying pace". A slow pace, like that used in riding certain Peruvian horse breeds, is considered undesirable in Icelandic horses, and is called lull (piggy pace). Peru (Perú Piruw Piruw officially the Republic of Peru ( reˈpuβlika del peˈɾu is a country in western South America. Not all horses possess pace. Those that do are called "five-gaited" horses. Those that do not are called "four-gaited" horses. Although the breeding goal is for the perfect five-gaited horse, in reality four-gaited horses are no less prized. There are also three-gaited (non-gaited) Icelandic Horses.
Tölt is a gait possessed by the overwhelming majority of Icelandic horses. Tölt is the same gait as the rack; the horse moves its legs in the same sequence as while walking, with alternating one foot / two foot support, which is done at speed from 5 to 25 mph. The tölt is very smooth and is a pleasure to ride. It is a different gait from the running walk of the Tennessee Walking Horse. Many horse breeders work to breed high quality into these gaits.
It is thought that Icelandic horses have become about 10 cm higher during the second half of the 20th century, but that probably has less to do with selective breeding and more to do with increased quality of fodder. In Agriculture, fodder or animal feed is any Foodstuff that is used specifically to feed Domesticated Livestock, such as However, one of the breeding goals is to have a taller, more refined horse.
Competition and breed evaluations
Many things have happened in Icelandic horse sports during the last thirty years. Riding clubs and associations now exist in so many countries that, in addition to the national championships, championship competitions are held at the world level every two years. In championship competitions, the horses' gaits (among other qualities) are judged. Breeding horses are also evaluated for their conformation and ridden talents in official breeding evaluations. IceTölt competitions are also held, an exciting display of the gaits of the breed which are often held on public ice rinks. These competitions are held regularly in Iceland and Europe. The first IceTölt in Great Britain was held on April 19th 2008 in Basingstoke. [3]
The next World Championships for Icelandic Horses will be in Switzerland in August 2009. A world championship(s is the top achievement for any sport or Contest. Switzerland (English pronunciation; Schweiz Swiss German: Schwyz or Schwiiz Suisse Svizzera Svizra officially the Swiss Confederation
Media
References
- ^ reiðarsdótti, Gunnfríður Elín. Uppruni íslenska hestsins.
- ^ Morgunblaðið. "Sívaxandi vinsældir", 08-08-2007.
- ^ "http://www.ihsgb.co.uk/latest_news.htm", 19-11-2007.
See also
- Norwegian Fjord horse
- Faroe pony
External links
- Icelandic Horse magazine
- The Icelandic Horse Society of Great Britain
- Studbook of origin of the Icelandic horse
- United States Icelandic Horse Congress
- International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations
- The Icelandic Horse, from International museum of the Horse
- Some Icelandic horse articles
- Background information, History, Ancestors, Myths
- Canadian Icelandic Horse Federation
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