Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Icelandic Horse

The history of the Icelandic Horse can be traced right back to the settlement of the country in the late 9th century. The breed has remained pure for over a thousand years and thus today there is only one breed of horse in Iceland – The Icelandic Horse.

The Icelandic Horse has played a key role in the life of Icelanders from the beginning. In heathen times the horse was highly regarded and renowned in Norse mythology. 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. Therefore the horse was called “the most useful servant”.

When the first automobile arrived in Iceland in 1913 the horse rapidly became redundant. Iceland’s first horse breeding association was formed the same year the automobile arrived, but up until that time horses had mainly been bred with strength and stamina in mind, rather than riding abilities or gaits.

For further information on the Icelandic Horse read more here

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