I remember we spent a good part of our day together talking about them. Icelandics have an intriguing history. They were taken to Iceland by the Vikings over a thousand years ago, and for over nine hundred of those years, they have lived in complete isolation from the rest of the world. No outside horses were allowed to enter Iceland, and once a horse left, it could never return. These restrictions, and the harsh, unforgiving climate and terrain of Iceland have created a wonderful horse.
Icelandic horses are tough, sturdy survivors.
The Icelandic people do not have cattle, so horses have traditionally been a meat source. Horses with bad conformation, or bad temperaments were culled from the herds and eaten. It may sound harsh to us, but the result is an exceptionally sound, even tempered, very goey, level-headed horse. The original Viking horses were gaited, something which the Icelandic people actively bred for. The smooth as silk tolt, and the flying pace lets the horse travel safely over Iceland's rough, volcanic footing.