I am not currently in the market but I dream of owning an Icelandic when I am through showing. Does anyone have one? What are they like as far as personality? What do you do with yours?
I can’t speak to Icelandic’s other than they are a smaller, rugged gaited horse. If you go due East from Iceland to Norway you will find Fjords. I’ve had horses for 50 years but just recently acquired a Fjord and I’m 100% a fan. Sturdy, smooth and fantastic temperament.
I do not own one, but I have ridden them a few times locally on long trail rides. They are very fun to ride and their special gaits are awesome. They feel much larger than they are - when you dismount it’s surprising how close to the ground you are. The ones I rode had very calm personalities but I’m not sure if that’s an overall trait or just because they were chosen for possibly more novice riders. I would love to actually ride one in Iceland one day.
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Anybody remember back in the day at Equine Affaire…a troup of like 20 Icelandic’s in the Fantasia.
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We had a couple in the school horse ranks. I found them patient, choppy, and famously able to tolerate the bigger kids.
I have nothing to add- I’ve never even seen one in real life- but they do look adorable like fluffy teddy bears! When the time comes for me to start horse shopping they’re a breed I’m considering.
Yes! They are so cute!! I think that is what attracts me to them. They look athletic too. I was hoping to hear from some people that have them but I guess nobody on the board does…
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Well, I do not HAVE any Icelandics, but, back in the late 60s, I rode some of the first Icelandics in the US.
The Iceandic government imported about 20 of them, and our Pony Club was tasked with presenting some of them in a musical rode.The first one I was assigned to had been a racing horse in Iceland. He was not “hot”, but he had NO brakes and NO steering. Not suitable for a muscal ride. They switched me to another one, and he was fine.
For animals who had never done AYTHING like it, they learnd very quickly, and produced a perfectly credible Musical Ride.
The ones I’ve ridden were happy, quiet little guys. Across the board I found their trots very uncomfortable. They all seemed to have a middle gait preference - either trot or tolt. If I were in the market for a trail horse, I’d pick one that likes to tolt.
I care for 8, 5 are under saddle. Temperaments vary thru the full range. Some gait more easily, some will find it difficult to gait. They are generally ridiculously cute.
Imported individuals are notorious for significant allergy issues. Seasonal skin itching (allergic reaction to gnat bites) lead to raw under bellies, rubbed away manes, raw rubbed chests, etc. the allergy issues are a big pain. Monthly shots help, and a vaccine is supposedly imminent. But I would definitely recommend buying one born in North America to increase the likelihood of avoiding the allergy troubles
The hair is significant. I will usually clip 2-3 times in Fall and 2-3 in Spring…
I am 6’+ -and 185lbs without tack. I allowed them a 6 month period of walk undersaddle, outside, with Low to moderate hills. To build muscle, before I started seriously seeking out tolt, trot, and canter.
I ride treeless, have a significant Mary Wanless mechanics education, and have a DVM Chiro to confirm that the little critters are coping well with the work.
Happy to answer more questions. I have had 2 years of experience now.
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Friend of mine has 2 Icelandics, older gentlemen now. When they were younger, she kept them in San Diego, and they really suffered from the heat. Now she lives in Oregon and they are happier. Consider your climate.
Years ago my sister had one, named Kögur, that was just a great little guy. I rode him on several treks (14 days, from shelter to shelter) with a group of friends on various other horses (warmbloods etc) and he was always effortlessly in front. He was very green when she got him and I basically trained him on our first trek, and it was pretty funny, he had a big spook in him and at times I felt like we were a Thelwell cartoon ROFL but he got over it and ended up to be her go-to trail horse, above her WBs. He also had a natural, effortless tölt and flying pace that were just dreamy to ride.
When he passed (old age) she got another one that she gave away after a few years because he wasn’t as forward as Kögur and didn’t naturally tölt.
Now she has a new one, 8 yo but very green, and very cute and fluffy with the personality of a friendly dog. I rode him some this summer on trails. He learns fast, isn’t spooky at all, but isn’t very forward and it takes A LOT to bring him to tölt. He doesn’t do well with hot weather or hills yet, he needs to be conditioned. But he’s so friendly, cute, and easy going, I think he is a keeper.
She needs to find him a true icelandic saddle though. Her regular trail saddles don’t fit him at all.
Yes! The great days of the Pfizer Fantasia at Equine Affaire. The two all-time greatest performers: The Icelandics and the Canadian Cowgirls.
Google it, there is a YouTube video of Icelandics. The audience went wild when they tolted around the Coliseum arena, beer mugs raised, never losing a drop. They always ended the show with each horse and rider tolting across the center of the arena in a blur. It is the most amazing thing you will ever see a horse do. Likewise the Canadian Cowgirls, the best drill team anywhere. They always opened the show. The first year I saw them was in 2001 a couple of months after the 9/11 tragedy. An inspired patriot evening.
The Pfizer Fantasia was an amazing show and if either the Icelandics or the Cowgirls missed a year we were all terribly disappointed. When Pfizer’s sponsorship ended the Fantasia continued and is still a great show. But the Icelandics and the Cowgirls? Nothing even comes close.
They were there about 5-6 years back-
The troop is called the knights of iceland if anyone wants to look them up.
Iceys are a blast, but some lines can be unstable/spooky/have
no use for humans. I started one like that, got him going but I doubt he was ever reliable.
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