Aside from the wondrous landscapes of mountains, hot springs, and waterfalls, Icelandic horses are about the most iconic thing to represent this country. Being in Sólheimar, there are many farms with horses nearby to visit and form a connection with these, most of the time, gentle creatures. I am always surprised at how good-natured and resilient they are considering the crazy weather they have to withstand with minimal shelter. They also have very voluptuous manes that are amazing to pet, when they are not soaked, which is most of the time.
The Icelandic people are very proud of their horses, and rightly so, they are known as a “five-gaited” breed compared to the three that most breeds have (sometimes considered four if you differentiate between a cantor and a gallop) and they have “a large enough personality” to be considered horses here instead of ponies, which most other countries would register them as. A theory for them being considered horses in Iceland is that their bone structure and weight-carrying abilities are in the classifications of a horse rather than a pony, but whatever you want to call them, they are majestic creatures that absolutely deserve to be a pride of Iceland. The famous gait that Icelandic horses have, called a tölt, sometimes referred to colloquially as “fifth gear”, is such a smooth ride that there is a saying, “fifth gear is when you drink the beer.” Unlike other breeds of horses where a similar gait can or has to be taught, the tölt is a natural gait from birth for Icelandic horses.
Written by Galileo Zen