The Icelandic Horse: 10 Facts That Make Them Unique - #4 & 10 Shocked Me!

[@nessazee]

When my husband came back from visiting Iceland in January a few years back, he could not stop talking about the fuzzy horses 😂

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂 He’s right! It’s so cute how “furry” they get in the winter.

[@Ravenesque]

Hi, horsy person here with some additional points that might be interesting to know :) Gaits - In tolt, the horse is essentially trotting with its front feet and walking with its back feet. This is very similar to the running walk of the Tennessee walking horse and the the rack of the Saddlebred. Its a great gait because it is very smooth for the rider, since the horse is holding its back flat and level, and the horse can cover uneven ground surefootedly and very quickly, which is very useful in Iceland terrain :) Flying pace is a lateral trot, the same as pacing racing horses like the American Standardbred. if we compare the difference with the trot and pacing - Trotting is diagonal, with the feet moving in diagonal pairs while pacing is lateral meaning both feet on one side move at the same time. As the horse can take giant strides with this configuration, with a lot of training, an icelandic horse can get up to 48kmph (30mph) in flying pace! Uniquely, Icelanders ride their pacing horses to race them, most other countries race pacing horses using a buggy or a sulky. Compare the footage at 3:18 and 3:38 to see the difference :) Colours - the brown body with a blonde mane and tail is called a flaxen horse. A brown body with a black mane and tail is a bay. Brown all over is called a chestnut :) A black horse much be truly black to be called so, othewise its a dark bay. The brown and white horse at 6:19 is a skewbald. :) Other colours include - blonde all over with a gold/white mane and tail (Palomino), any shade of white (always called grey in the horseworld due to the actual skin colour), black and white (piebald or pinto), bay or chesnut with a red-ish sheen or a blue-ish sheen (strawberry or blue roan), and light sandy coloured with a black mane, tail, muzzle and legs (dun). You also have a variety of white markings on the face and legs: legs go from socks to stockings depending on the size. Face markings go from a spot on the forehead (star), a thin stripe down the face (a stripe), a thicker stripe (a blaze), a spot on the nose (a snip). Horses vs ponies - the conventional definition of a pony vs a horse is based on size (under 14.2 hands with a hand being 4 inches or 10cm), but factors like temperament, spirit and conformation (their physical proportions) play a factor. The icelandic horse is known for carrying more weight than you'd think, which is due to their body ratios. One riding company I looked up had a max weight of 110kg or 220lbs for their horses!. Either way, they're certainly not the only small horse breed - the Falabella is the smallest equine in the world and is most definitely also a horse :) Thank you for showcasing these amazing animals. They're the oldest and most pure-bred horse in the world. If you want more information, please may I recommend an excellent video by a horse KZbinr called This Esme at a farm called Hestaland, talking to the owner and riding some of the horses :)

[@mercedes4328]

Incredibly interesting! Thank you.

[@AllThingsIceland]

Wow! Thanks for sharing all of this. ❤️

[@tobbi11]

wow... just wow...

[@dukejay3594]

instablaster...

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Horses vs Ponies is not just a height thing. Ponies: stronger per kg than horses, thick manes and tails, can withstand large ranges in temperature, full of personality. Horses are known for being more docile but also weaker than ponies. Isnt it more of an insult to the breed to call them horses?

[@anna4939]

Icelandic horses are just so wonderful! I own a beautiful white one, his name is Odinn and he is the light of my life! Such a gentle, loving friend☺️

[@AllThingsIceland]

Aww, that’s lovely. Thanks for sharing.

[@anjaladenice7249]

As a black woman it is so beautiful to see you in Iceland with amazingly beautiful horses. Thank you so much for this video!! Love it.

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thank you for the lovely comment. 😊

[@anjaladenice7249]

@@AllThingsIceland No thank you for your time your energy!!!! I absolutely love what you have created here. I look forward to seeing the environment the culture, and hearing you speak Icelandic.

[@exafjerf]

hello from sweden. very good research and straight to the point. do i sense a new passion? :)

[@AllThingsIceland]

😊

[@blissful1689]

Horses can recognize a kind soul 🥰 They are such hearty little horses. Love them, what a national 🇮🇸 treasure 👍🏻 Thanks for sharing! Blessings from NC 🇺🇸

[@AllThingsIceland]

😊 My pleasure and thanks for the lovely comment.

[@billolsen4360]

Thanks for posting. Haven't seen one of these in a long time.

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure 😊

[@jenniferbarrett3272]

I loved meeting some Icelandic horses on my sisters trip to the land of our an esters. I especially loved how their manes flop over their faces like a fashion statement!

[@AllThingsIceland]

That awesome and thanks for sharing! 😊

[@kaydenpat]

They’re so chill.

[@KristyRadio]

The horse at the beginning checking out the camera 😂

[@darriendastar3941]

All your vids are superb, but this one added a whole new level of magnificence. Thanks for making it. :-)

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thank you!! I had so much fun doing this video.

[@bethflynn5342]

This video cheered me up no end. Your sunny personality is a tonic!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yay!! So glad to hear that. 😊

[@jammiecrowell9096]

I think it is a great idea that they can not be brought back if they leave. The thought of losing such a treasure, would be devastating. We loved Iceland when we went in November 2019.

[@AllThingsIceland]

Glad you enjoyed your trip in 2019. I’m sure it is not easy to lose a horse but it is for the greater good. Most of the best horses leave Iceland because people are willing to pay a lot for them. In fact, I think exports of them are up this year.

[@avalondreaming1433]

I've been fascinated by Icelandic horses since I was 12 and chose them for a school project.

[@elizabethclaiborne6461]

I had a gaited horse. He did that pace, also called a rack or any number of other things. It’s fabulously comfortable! A trot tosses you about until you learn to sit it. That pace is for everybody else.

[@TheFallCoFamily]

this was so calming to me after a really long day!!! adding it to my list of videos to show to the kids. love the variety of colors, their shorter stature and the additonal 'strides'!! really enjoy what you share.💛

[@AllThingsIceland]

So glad to hear that and thank you. 😊

[@spacekiwis]

Love this video so much! Icelandic horses are my absolute favourite horse breed. I used to ride them as a teen and rode one again when I was in Iceland in 2019. All the love I have for these animals came flooding right back ❤️❤️❤️ Thanks for putting them in the spotlight 😄

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yay!! Thanks for sharing about your experience with them. It was my pleasure to share this and I had the best time hanging out with them. ❤️😊

[@spammusubi1607]

They are adorable!! Especially the ones trying to mess with the camera 😂

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂 agreed

[@lorrella8571]

They’re so cute 😍

[@AllThingsIceland]

Agreed! 😍

[@sjofngeirdal9631]

They are unique and I absolutely love them glad they came to you while filming

[@AllThingsIceland]

😊 Me too

[@Rassendhyl100]

Like the paso fino... I just learned about.

[@GeauxGrow]

Another great video about Iceland. The horses are beautiful!

[@myratraney]

Thank you for sharing this great information 💁‍♀️ 👍 🐎🐎❤

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure 😊

[@simonewilliamson6766]

They're total camera hogs, lol. Did you have apples or sugar cubes in your pocket? Or maybe they were just wondering who you were talking to, lol.

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂 yes, they are and it’s adorable. No, I didn’t have anything in my pockets. They were just curious and probably hoping that I had something. 😊

[@sonorajones8626]

when we were in Iceland we tried to feed some horses some apple slices and they just mouthed them and let them drop to the ground. The owner gave us some stale bread and they gobbled it up!

[@MsBabbi]

I learned when approaching Icelandic horses to turn my back to them and do nothing and they would come up to see what was going on😅 they’re very curious

[@KiraiBK]

I love these horses and wish I could befriend one. A bit difficult from the US, but every time I see them, they’re so calm and friendly. Beautiful babies 😍.

[@AllThingsIceland]

They are so chill. It’s amazing to witness in person.

[@asbisi]

Aggressive horses didn´t/don´t get to breed, so the result is that the vast majority of them are calm and friendly.

[@KiraiBK]

@@asbisi Interesting

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

@@asbisi Yep, temperament is passed on like conformation and hair type are. I'm sure tempermental animals were kept from breeding early on in the breed's development. Some breeders of other breeds should follow this example. (Jan Griffiths).

[@1cruzbat1]

There's probably about 4,000 Icelandic horses in the US. Look up USIHC to find one near you!

[@dc12577]

Love these horses - their curiosity is making me giggle. If I ever get to visit Iceland, I'd love to see some up close!

[@AllThingsIceland]

They are lovely. I hope you do get to visit. 😊

[@tinaquintana9810]

❤️ this video, it was so nice to see the Icelandic horses and your laugh is infectious! You had me laughing along with you.

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂 Glad you enjoyed it. My cheeks hurt after filming this because I was laughing so much.

[@sheilasaxton3836]

I really enjoyed seeing the horses when I visited Iceland

[@PassionateStrawberry]

The horses love your energy. Beautiful video.

[@AllThingsIceland]

😊

[@maryblackburn4929]

They are so amazing. Wow.

[@smurph4959]

Horses are the best 🐎💗🐎

[@AllThingsIceland]

Agreed

[@amandagrayson389]

Thank you for this video. I knew about these horses because Mike Loades did a show, ‘Going Medieval’ in which he featured them and their special gait (tolt). The Icelandic horse is the closest we can get to a type of horse used primarily for transport during the Middle Ages. I really enjoyed learning about them from and from you! Thanks again. 💕

[@AllThingsIceland]

Awesome! 😊

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Not really. Palfreys (medieval riding horses) were Irish hobby horses (breed). Todays kerry bog pony is a direct desendant of that breed, and the garrano horse is a direct ancestor. The irish hobby horse is also the ancestor of icelandics, and that is why they have their gaits tölt and skeið

[@deejohnson4793]

So much fun, they wanted their close ups, Mr. DeMille! Thanks.

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂😂 yup

[@sarahkeppler8043]

Thank you so much! I was going to suggest a video about Icelandic horses! And... No matter where you are, never feed a horse or get on the pasture without the owners permission!

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure and yay!! 🥳 Yes, exactly!

[@Halli50]

It is usually OK to stop and pet a curious horse, but feeding them is not clever - unless you know what is safe for them to eat!

[@7777LORENZO]

Love the Horses there - and you are a sweetheart . Patsy from Canada 🇨🇦

[@veeniev.2890]

Love, love, love this video! Jewells, you have shined once again and your "co-stars" are adorable. My desire to visit Iceland grows and grows with your every video. Did you get to ride one of those darlings? I hope so!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thank you!! So glad that my videos inspire you to visit. I didn’t ride one because that I was ok with that. 😊

[@Windsingerful]

Cool! They’re very friendly!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yup. 😊

[@ericfluellen8957]

They have such beautiful manes, and despite their size, they look quite strong. Thank you for making this excellent video.

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yes, there are very strong. My pleasure. 😊

[@lanilok3696]

After seeing this video, I just might consider seeing if I could ride one of these beautiful Icelandic horses. Thank you.

[@bunnytee4660]

They are so BEAUTIFUL ❤️

[@AllThingsIceland]

Agreed!

[@Cheesus4jesus]

I love these horses and tried to buy one here many years ago. Hard to find back then.

[@MegBookishRamblings]

Such fascinating information about Icelandic horses and they seem really friendly. Would love to meet them some day!

[@AllThingsIceland]

I hope you do meet them one day. 😊

[@trevontadiggs5531]

GREAT video, very impressive facts.

[@MegF142857]

One of my Icies was from Iceland, then went to Canada & then to USA. We need to clip them. They have a personality more like a dog than my other horses have had in my life. I love them so much! Dream horses! As a breed they are very people oriented. They don't kick or bite seemingly by nature, which makes them a safer horse to be around for non-horse people. My neighbors love them too! For horse owners: If you get an Icelandic, then make sure to learn a lot about the breed. I thought I had, but I still made mistakes on feeding. Can be susceptible to laminitis from eating grass. Suppose Icelandic grass / hay is less sugared than USA grass.

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Having a canine like personality is just a pony characteristic. All ponies are like that, even icelandics. Because the vikings brought pony breeds from norway ireland and britain to iceland. After all, icelandic horse ARE indeed ponies in reality. Even if some people dont want to admit it

[@helenpruzan6970]

That was the best!!I am in love with them now as well!!They are so beautiful and seem so sweet.And the hair !!🥰🥰🥰

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yay!! They are adorable.

[@helenpruzan6970]

@@AllThingsIceland And I'm only 5 feet tall,so I can gaze into their eyes!🤣🥰🤣

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂😂

[@Расскажу]

What a lovely video❤️Thank you

[@maryblackburn4929]

Ok. I asked too soon. So they are owned. They are beautiful.

[@AllThingsIceland]

😊

[@loulou_9999]

Very informative! Thank you!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Glad to hear that and my pleasure. 😊

[@timothey_sullivan]

This was so hilarious and incredibly informative! Def going to look into this place for our 2022 trip!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yay!! 😊

[@cynthiagale5403]

Informative lesson. Thanks

[@caprisep8631]

OMG, this is a great video! Thank you for sharing these facts.

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure. Thank you for watching and commenting.

[@dollface5424]

Loved meeting your friendly, new friends. If I could give them 100 thumbs up, I would! Thank you!

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure and so glad you enjoyed meeting those cuties. 😊

[@welcomwelcom9882]

More fascinating facts all things Iceland. The horses are magnificent and such chilled characters. U're looking so beautiful and luv your gorgeous outfit. Thank u Jules for the beautiful video

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure and thank you. I agree, they are magnificent. 😊

[@sunrise2day462]

They are so pretty!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Agreed. 😊

[@jonathanhandy6504]

Thank you Jules, love the video. Can't wait to meet these horses🤗

[@richardrybicki749]

Mary on Richards phone. I had an Icelandic horse named Rodney he was sorrel which is the red ones with a white blaze he matched our Belgium draft horse in color and blaze my husband was 7 ft and I am 5'3 we caused quite a stir. Rodney was quite the character.

[@swaywhite4644]

Makes me miss my horses, from my youth! Nr 8. Very true ...horses may Look smaller but can be anything from young untrained to old kiddy riders to wilde ones ment for breading and those can be dangerous. Great job. Love the horses

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thank you! 🤗

[@johnlomax2502]

Beautiful Jules. 😍✨

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thanks, John.

[@johnlomax2502]

@@AllThingsIceland you are welcome. I always enjoy your adventures. xx

[@pjesapjes]

awesome video ! keep it up ! the icelandic horse is amazing.. when i were younger i went bareback riding on them with the permission of the owner. they love apples but you have to be careful about your fingers haha.. they have a really strong bite. greeting from fellow icelander ;)

[@pjesapjes]

also.. the most famous icelandic horse is Sleipnir, the horse of Oðinn. and the horse were 100x bigger than Oðinn and had 6 legs ;) old norse is purely 100% icelandic sagas. but it happnes all around scandinavia.. also old norse is almost excactly like icelandic today

[@AllThingsIceland]

Oh wow!! How was riding bareback? 😂 Yea, I stayed away from feeding them anything but they were still trying to see if I would give them something. 😊 Hæ, hæ!

[@pjesapjes]

@@AllThingsIceland the bareback was fun but the owner didnt tell us which horse was tamed and who wasnt... so we got throwed off a couple of times. but we survived.. one horse almost stepped on me hahha

[@Halli50]

@@AllThingsIceland, bareback riding is perfectly OK, even if you are a novice. Just go slowly. My most memorable riding moment (I was a novice) was wading across a creek to fetch some horses with only a bridle in hand. Riding bareback across the creek was an experience - the horse hesitating when entering the creek and then deciding to go for it. I could feel every emotion of the horse, sitting bareback. Feeding them is perfectly OK unless you go 'Murican on them. A bit of bread or a grass pellet never goes amiss. The important bit is never to feed them more than "a bit". The owner controls the general diet.

[@HennabyMaryam]

I have loved all your videos but this one is my absolute favorite!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Yay!! It was my favorite to film. Thanks for watching.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

These horses are so cute!!! They remind me of my mini horses, but of course, much larger. My minis have long and thick manes and tails, and they get really fuzzy winter coats. Love the tolt and flying pace. I wish minis could perform those gaits. (Jan Griffiths).

[@AllThingsIceland]

Aww, it's sweet that you have mini horses!

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

@@AllThingsIceland Yeah, thanks. They're really lots of fun. My mare is 13 years old, 37 inches tall, and solid black. My gelding (used to be my stallion) is silver bay, 12 years old, and 33 inches tall. My mare's filly is 5 months old, also black, and has a small blaze and socks on her back feet. I use them mainly for driving, but they can jump. The filly is learning driving---her harness is hooked up to her mom's when I drive her. She's not pulling weight yet though. She's doing really well. (Jan Griffiths).

[@carlamowell6239]

Hearing you talk about settlers makes me wonder about original people of Iceland. Maybe you have talked about this - I think I’ve seen all your vids tho! Keep up the great work!

[@lisabuckner243]

OMG, that was too cute!! ❤️❤️. Just curious since you seem to know so many random facts, which i love; do you know if they cantor?? I did English style riding growing up. They start with walking, then trotting, then cantering, which is like leaping, then galloping is the fastest & the most advanced level was jumping. Just wondering if they cantor? It’s like fast leaping/ feels like your bouncing while riding. I miss it! great video!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Great question. I’ve never heard of them doing that. On the “Horses of Iceland” site they only mention the 5 gaits i talk about in the video.

[@1cruzbat1]

Their natural canter and the canter they compete in is closer to what we would have called a "hand gallop"when I rode English as a kid, (many years ago), though it is a proper 3 beat. With more advanced training the horse can taught a more collected canter that you are probably referring to. They also come in 4 or 5 gaited and in general the 4 gaited horse is a little easier to round up the canter.

[@dirgniflesuoh7950]

Thank You! They are adorable! Icelandic dogs next?

[@AllThingsIceland]

Hmm, good idea. I’ll look into that. 😊

[@unnargardars438]

I saw you in a icelandic vegan show a couple of years ago i also live your videos

[@sunrise2day462]

Love the content of your channel!!! Such a variety of subjects! Love your curiosity! (Donna Banks, just under Sunrise2day as well).

[@AllThingsIceland]

Hi Donna. Thank you! 😊

[@rochellemckinney3220]

They are very beautiful 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽😁

[@AllThingsIceland]

🥳😊

[@2RiverPower]

Love this!

[@AllThingsIceland]

🥳🥳🥳 Thanks.

[@kennethw7831]

Very informative thank you

[@AllThingsIceland]

My pleasure and thanks for watching.

[@irinaurlan7480]

Hey! I wanna start by saying i love your videos, Iceland is my dream and im seeing it everyday thru your channel. Btw, fact 2 about them not being allowed to return is really interesting I wanna take my first trip there this summer, I thought of either volunteering in a SEEDS Iceland workcamp for Photography and Environment or solo traveling. Have you heard anything about the program i mentioned, or do you have other low cost alternatives of volunteering or camps? I dont have a lot of money and i heard Iceland was pretty expensive. About the solo traveling, is Iceland a good place to do that or I may feel alone? Thank you and keep doing what you r doing cus u r an inspiration to us all

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thanks! I’ve heard of SEEDS but I don’t think I know of anyone that has gone through their volunteer program. There is a FB page called “moving to Iceland - q&a”. They might be able to help you with that. Iceland is definitely a good place to solo travel. I think feeling alone kind of depends on if you consider yourself a social person. There are normally a lot of travelers here, so if you like to meet people then you’ll be fine. In terms of safety, it is definitely safe to solo travel here. 😊 Thanks you for the encouragement. 🤗

[@psyolytesaille]

I love this so much. They are so pretty :)

[@AllThingsIceland]

Agreed! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@psyolytesaille]

@@AllThingsIceland Thank you, miss o/

[@msteaguer1908]

Learning this about these horses is fantastic. How does the hair feel vs the mane? and again things NOT TO DO in Iceland reminder. Was that the same horse, at the end, that had been around you ?

[@AllThingsIceland]

The hair felt a little softer. I’m not sure if it was the same horse. There were tie that look similar that kept coming back to see what I was up to. 😊

[@Ravenesque]

The two nosiest horses there were both brown (chesnut), but one has a white stripe down half of its face (called a snip) and one didn't. maybe that will help identification? :P The plain faced one was the most persistant XD

[@TwixyNo]

Very cool! What time of day did you record this please?

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thanks. I filmed this between noon and 1:00 PM. :-)

[@Halli50]

Daylight in late November or early December? Easy - around noon. Plus or minus 3-4 hours at this time of the year and you are in the twilight zone...

[@karikeller9810]

So cute! Enjoyed the animal and history lesson. Brrrr, tho!

[@AllThingsIceland]

Glad you enjoyed it. It was a little chilly but not that bad 😊

[@onejourney]

🎬 1 📽 🎞 🗣 🎙 🗺 🌎🌍🌏 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Review❗️ Outstanding, thank you so much for sharing.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Love watching 🤔🧐 👁👁 👍🏿 👩🏾‍💻 Good teaching,✅✅✅✅✅ One Journey🗺🌎🌍🌏 Let's Make It Count❗️

[@AllThingsIceland]

Glad to hear that and thank you. 😊

[@santosteffano]

super curious how you navigate filming videos on some of these locations? do you have a press pass or were the owners just super nice and didn't mind you filming at their location?

[@AllThingsIceland]

Most of the locations I go to are open to the public so I don't need permission. In this case, I reached out to Íshestar about filming with their horses and they were happy to have me. A couple of the staff were there while I filmed and I was grateful for that because they helped me keep the horses from knocking over the camera. LOL.

[@miralwoloncy2009]

Nice

[@sarabjarnveig87]

I miss fluffy horses.. living here in south of Norway (am from Iceland) I see horses a lot.. but since the winter here is so mild the horses here don't get winter coats.. so they aren't fluffy..

[@AllThingsIceland]

Thanks for sharing.

[@sutash9043]

Jewels: Icelandic horses are .... Cute horsie: It's myyyy showww! Move, girl!

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂😂

[@1abc219]

When I was in Iceland, I made the mistake to call the Icelandic horses ponnies!! The local people corrected me immediately, they are horses, not ponnies!!

[@AllThingsIceland]

😂

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Its ok to call them ponies because in reality, that is what they are. Biologically and physically YES they are in fact ponies. Calling them horses is just a human tradition, doesnt make it true

[@sylkebambilke1364]

this horses are great could you tell us about dogs? just asking

[@AllThingsIceland]

I can definitely look into that. 😊

[@maryblackburn4929]

Are they wild, or are they raised and owned by farmers?

[@asbisi]

I just read that there are 80,000 Icelandic horses in Iceland, but there are 100,000 abroad, Germany has half of them, 50,000. I am wondering if semen from horses abroad for breeding in Iceland is also prohibited. Does anyone know?

[@hutchly2rimmer725]

I really enjoyed this video about the icelandic horses. I recently learned about icelandic chickens that were brought over to the country in 10th century. The local efforts to protect the chickens is The Owners and Breeders Association of Landnámshænan haena.is/ I know you're not a wildlife expert but for people interested in chickens it would be nice to see these birds in iceland. Happy New Year

[@nikkirockznikkirockz4158]

#AdorbS! I wonder how much they cost, on average?

[@HrRezpatex]

Its not horse related, but anyway. Have you made a video of the Icelandic currency? I think that will be a thing that will shock most people. And if they don`t know about it, and you for example tell them how much Icelandic kronur you payed for your new sweater, they will think you are a millionaire.. lol

[@AllThingsIceland]

That’s a good idea. Yes, it’s true that the amount makes it sound like you have a lot of money. 😂

[@garyhammond2213]

The horses were brought to Iceland by the Vikings.

[@susanholl5994]

Where I come from a horse shorter than 14.2 hands at the shoulder (58"/4'10"/147 cm) is a pony. Height is the only difference between a pony and horse, breed is irrelevant. So please know we are not insulting the Icelandic horse when we call it a pony.

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Isnt it horrible that people think the word pony is an insult? Ponies are great ❤

[@threewins3]

Our Icelandic tour guide told us that Icelandic horses have 5 stomachs and so they can eat only hay. If tourists try to feed them (apples, carrots, etc) this will poison the horse, making it very sick. Have you heard of this?

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Thats not true 😂. All horses and ponies only have 1 stomach. Your tourguide was just kidding with u guys! Probably doesnt want tourists to feed the ponies surgary snacks

[@jellybee68]

there are 4 gaits for normal horses....walk, trot, canter and gallop

[@ravenstormchild6491]

Shetland has ponies…Iceland has horses…😆

[@ifjchsiwocjcjs4378]

Icelandics are technically ponies

[@DrGlynnWix]

To be fair, it's not ok to engage with other people's animals without their permission, even dogs and cats, because you might startle them, they might have some sort of trauma you don't know about, and ultimately they are animals who could react in a way that is harmful to you, which would be your own fault because you didn't check with their human beforehand but the animal tends to pay the price for humans' poor choices.