Icelandic
Horse History
The history
of the Icelandic horse can be traced all the way back to
the settlement of the country in the late 9th century.
Vikings who settled in Iceland brought with them their
horses of various origins, though mostly of Germanic descent.
Some sources claim that at the time of Iceland's settlement
there was a breed in Scandinavia and Northern Europe called
Equus Scandinavicus. Due to the isolation of Iceland, this
stock remained pure while it was crossbred elsewhere. Other
sources claim that the Icelandic horse is closely related
to the English Exmoor pony. Whoever its cousins may be
the Icelandic horse is pure-bred and unique today, over
a thousand years after first coming to the land of fire
and ice.
The Icelandic
horse has played a vital role in its home country from
the beginning. The horse played a big part in Norse mythological
stories. Several Norse gods and their enemies, the giants,
owned them The most famous of all these mythological horses
was Sleipnir, the eight-footed pacer. The influence of
the Norse myths is still visible, as many riding clubs
bear names of mythical horses, as do herds of horses in
modern Iceland.
For centuries,
the horse was the only means of transportation in Iceland,
as well as, being the most important working animal in
the days before machinery. The horse was called "the
most useful servant" and literally followed man from
birth to death, fetching the doctor and midwife to pulling
the coffin to the cemetery. The first automobile arrived
in Iceland in the year 1904 and almost immediately the
horse became redundant. Enthusiastic individuals, however,
kept breeding good horses and Iceland's first horse breeding
association was formed the same year the automobile arrived.
Today,
there are around 80,000 horses in Iceland, no small number
for a country with 270,000 inhabitants! Thousands of people
ride in cities and towns as well as in the countryside.
The only practical role of the horse today is during the
annual roundups when farmers use horses to round up sheep
in the highlands. Most horses in Iceland today are used
for leisure and competition. The first breeding shows were
held in 1906 and since then horse owners in Iceland have
concentrated on breeding an excellent stock of a unique
horse, suitable for children and adults alike.
Because
of Iceland's geographic isolation, the Icelandic horse
has remained virtually disease-free so far. To keep it
that way no import of horses, or other livestock is allowed.
All imports of used riding wear, tack and other things
used around livestock are also forbidden, unless fully
disinfected. As a result, the World Championships can never
be held in the home country of the Icelandic horse because
once horses have been exported they can never return.
There
are around 100,000 Icelandic horses abroad, most in Europe
but also a growing number in the United States and Canada.
Germany holds the largest number of Icelandic horses, with
close to 50,000 horses along with active riding clubs and
breeding societies. |
