What Is an Icelandic Horse? 12 Things That Make the Breed Unique

People meet my herd and the first question is almost always the same. "Are those ponies?"

They are not ponies. They are Icelandic horses, and if one of mine heard you call her a pony, she would judge you for it. I have six of them at HestaRokk Farm here in Wisconsin, which is basically a small piece of Iceland that wandered off and settled in the Midwest. After years of living with this breed, I can tell you they are unlike any other horse you will meet.

If you have ever wondered what an Icelandic horse actually is, here are twelve things that make the breed one of a kind.

1. They are one of the oldest and purest horse breeds on earth

The Icelandic horse arrived with the Vikings more than 1,000 years ago, and the breed has stayed remarkably pure ever since. Around the year 982, Iceland passed a law banning the import of horses. That law still stands today. No other breeds have been added to the bloodline in a thousand years, which makes the Icelandic one of the most genetically pure horse breeds in the world.

2. Once a horse leaves Iceland, it can never go back

This one surprises people. If an Icelandic horse is exported, it is gone for good. It can never return to Iceland. The rule exists to protect the island's horses from disease, since the population has lived in near-total isolation for centuries and carries very little natural immunity. Every one of my horses made that one-way trip. They are Wisconsin residents now.

3. They have five gaits, not three

Most horses walk, trot, and canter. The Icelandic does all three, plus two more. The famous fourth gait is the tölt. The fifth, found in some horses, is the flying pace, a fast two-beat gait used for short racing bursts. A horse with all five is called five-gaited, and it is a point of real pride.

4. The tölt is the smoothest ride you will ever sit

The tölt deserves its own moment. It is a four-beat gait with no suspension phase, which in plain terms means the horse always has at least one foot on the ground. There is no bounce. People say you could carry a full glass of water at the tölt and not spill a drop. It is quick, it is smooth, and it is the reason riders fall hard for this breed.

5. They are pony-sized, but never call them ponies

Icelandic horses usually stand between 13 and 14 hands, which on the measuring stick would put them in pony territory. But they are always called horses. Their build, their bone, their strength, and their temperament are all horse. A grown adult can ride one comfortably all day. Mine carry me over hills and through rivers without a second thought.

6. They grow up slowly and live a long time

Icelandic horses are usually not started under saddle until they are four or five years old. The breed matures slowly, and good breeders are patient with it. The payoff is a long working life. It is normal for an Icelandic horse to be ridden well into its twenties and to live to thirty or beyond. You are not buying a horse for a season. You are buying one for decades.

7. They wear two coats and live outside all winter

This breed grows a thick double coat every winter, a soft insulating layer beneath a longer weatherproof one. It lets them live outdoors through brutal cold, exactly as they did in Iceland. Then spring arrives and they shed it in dramatic, fluffy clumps. If you have ever groomed an Icelandic horse in April, you have worn its coat home.

8. They are remarkably sure-footed and tough

Iceland is not gentle country. Lava fields, rivers, mountains, and hard weather shaped this horse for a thousand years. The result is an animal that is calm, sure-footed, and almost unbothered by rough ground. On the trail they pick their way through things that would rattle a much bigger horse. Hardy is not a marketing word for this breed. It is just the truth.

9. They have big personalities and strong opinions

Anyone who owns Icelandic horses will tell you the same thing. They are smart, social, and full of character. They form tight bonds within the herd, and they absolutely have opinions about how the day should go. My mare Glytja runs our herd with the authority of a woman who has never once doubted herself. Fróði has feelings about everything. You can meet all six of them here.

10. They come in an astonishing range of colors

The Icelandic horse comes in more colors and patterns than almost any other breed, somewhere near forty once you count all the variations. The Icelandic language even has a rich vocabulary built just for describing horse coats. Black, chestnut, palomino, dun, pinto, roan, and shades most people have never heard named. No two of mine look alike, and that is part of the fun.

11. Their names mean something

Icelandic horses are given Icelandic names, and the names are chosen with care. Many come from nature, from weather, or from the old sagas, and each one carries a meaning. My herd is named in that tradition: Glytja, Kommi, Gössi, Hermi, Fróði, and Stjarna. The names are a small way of honoring where the breed comes from.

12. They are woven into the heart of Iceland itself

For most of Iceland's history, the horse was not a hobby. It was survival. It carried people, hauled goods, and crossed country that had no roads. Icelanders have an old phrase for the horse: the most useful servant. This breed is stitched into the sagas, the culture, and the identity of an entire nation. When you bring one home, you bring a little of that history with you.

Bringing a piece of Iceland home

People ask me why I fell for this breed, and the honest answer is that I never really had a choice. Icelandic horses are sturdy, funny, loyal, and a little bit stubborn, and once they are part of your life, they do not leave it.

If you want to meet the horses behind everything we do, come say hello to the herd. Glytja, Kommi, Gössi, Hermi, Fróði, and Stjarna each have a story of their own. And if you would like those stories in book form, you can find them here.

Wherever you are reading this from, thank you for spending a little time with us. We will see you on the trail.