Iceland and horses: how horses appeared in the island state.

Icelandic horses trace their origin back to the Viking Age when Norsemen brought some ancient horses to Iceland. Later, immigrants from Scotland and Ireland crossed ancestors of Connemara, Highland, and Shetland ponies with the horses previously imported.

The horses were treated with great respect, and they played a role in Norse mythology. They represented fertility while the white horses were sacrificed during feasts and ceremonies.

During 1300 - 1900, selective breeding became less popular, as 70% of the horse population was wiped out after the eruption of the volcanic fissure Lakagigar. Their population gradually improved during the 1900s, and in the next century, selective breeding was reestablished. The first breed societies were formed in 1904 while breed registry was set up in 1923.

The “International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations,” set up in May 1969, now serves as the parent organization represented globally in 19 countries. Its objective is to promote the breed and focus on Icelandic horse welfare.