The real dangers to a horse in Iceland come from the land itself - raging rivers, immense snow fields, rocky volcanic slopes. The Icelandic horses who survive have had to be able to work their way around danger, rather than simply running away from it. Running might just take the horse into a worse situation. This has developed a logical outlook, not always seen in horses. Herd life in Iceland's huge valleys and fields shapes the horses' early years .
Young horses spend their first four or five years with very little contact with humans.
Life with lots of horses in nature is thought to teach them the value of cooperation, and gives them the space to grow strong, and to develop those unique gaits, the pace and the tolt. It's not until their fourth winter that farmers usually start training their horses, when they are physically developed, and mentally prepared to work. The quality of a riding horse meant a lot more to Icelanders than it did to most other peoples . While many of the world's horses were gaited at one time, the development of roads, favored the trot, for pulling wagons and carts. A good walk, trot and canter was nice, but the tolt and pace made them really useful.