Icelandic Horse Size report

The Icelandic horse is the most purebred horse breed in the world and the most unique and excellent horse breed. According to European archaeologists, the Norwegians introduced the breed to Iceland from Northern Europe about 1200 years ago. Icelandic horses have been bred for thousands of years without crossbreeding with other breeds, and then the breed became extinct outside Iceland, thus creating the uniqueness of the species.

Icelandic horses live in nomadic herds like their Ice Age ancestors. These horses often graze in semi-wild environments and overwinter in the severe cold; they can perform various jobs and provide meat. Icelandic horses have been the main means of transportation and agricultural livestock for centuries. The modern use of Icelandic horses is riding and racing, and the only agricultural use is the annual sheep competition.

Icelandic horses are the pride of Icelanders. In order to avoid mixed breeds and diseases horses, the Icelandic government has formulated national regulations prohibiting the import of horses. All horses are only allowed to go out and not allowed to enter. The following post introduces interesting facts about this unique horse breed native to Iceland.

Icelandic Horse Size And Appearance

Icelandic horses are small in stature, with short legs, but they are not ponies. Icelandic horses have long manes and long, bushy tails. There are over 40 colors and 100 patterns of Icelandic horse coats, not only the common black, white, and brown. Moreover, there are more than 100 exclusive words in Icelandic to describe the color and markings of Icelandic horses, which shows that Icelanders attach great importance to Icelandic horses.

Icelandic horses are natural runners. In addition to the common gaits: walking, trot, and gallop that ordinary horses know, Icelandic horses have two additional abilities: one is called "toelt", which is superior acceleration and lateral gait; another is called "flying gait," which means running rapidly and sustainably at speeds of up to 50 km/h. There are about 80,000 horses in Iceland, which is incredible for a country with a population of only 300,000.

Average Size of Icelandic Horse

The average adult Icelandic horse is about 1.3-1.4 meters tall and weighs only about 330 to 380 kilograms. Icelandic horses are slightly shorter than some of the more robust horse breeds, but they are hardy, strong, steady on their feet, capable of crossing rough terrain, and extremely capable off-road. Icelandic horses mature late. The lifespan of Icelandic horses is usually 25-30 years old, and some can live up to 40 years old.

Final Words

Icelandic horses are intelligent, friendly, and good at learning. Because of geographical isolation, Icelandic horses are almost free from infectious diseases. Icelandic horses are the best horse breed for show jumping. Important Icelandic horse competitions and performances are primarily concentrated in summer, and winter snow riding and indoor competitions are also very popular from February to May. Iceland prohibits the import of horses to avoid interbreeding. As long as the Icelandic horse leaves the territory of Iceland, it cannot return. After more than a thousand years of changes, except for Iceland, this strong, durable, and docile horse breed has ceased reproducing in all parts of the world.