|
Stonehaven Icelandics About our horses Stonehaven Icelandics About our people Health issues |
STONEHAVEN ICELANDICS The Modern Icelandic Horse The modern Icelandic horse is an exciting way for adults and children to enjoy riding as an alternative to the more conventional disciplines of eventing, dressage and jumping. The Icelandic horse is a challenging riding experience that inspires the highest standards of horsemanship, and most people who own and Icelandic horse finds it opens up a whole new world whatever their previous experience.
The modern Icelandic horse stands around 13.2 to 14.2 hands high and should have a strong and compact appearance without looking heavy. The emphasis is on riding and so the horse should be able to move athletically and fluidly. The temperament of the modern Icelandic horse is important, meaning not just that it is friendly, bold and so on, but that it should be enthusiastic and willing to go forward as a riding horse suitable for adult riders. Sure the Icelandic horse is not as tall as the usual horse for adults, but its strength and enthusiasm to go forward make it an exciting and rewarding ride. People who do not know the Icelandic horse sometimes assume that it is an animal only suited for the nervous, novice or infirm. This is a myth and far from the case. There are certainly types within the rich variety of Icelandic horses to fulfill these needs, but by and large the Icelandic horse is an enthusiastic forward going animal that demands good balance, kind hands and a sense of fun from its rider. In return the modern Icelandic horse rewards its owner with a tremendous riding experience and great companionship to own. |
|
In Iceland there is only one
breed and so it has had to fulfill a number of functions over the years, such as
riding, transport and farm work often in difficult weather and terrain. In
modern times the very best qualities of the Icelandic riding horse have been selectively
bred to produce a fine riding animal for today's discerning owners around the
world. Even today within the breed there are a range of types and characteristics
and so are not "typey" in the traditional sense of having a fixed
colour or look. The main emphasis in Icelandic horse breeding is their
performance under saddle and its assessment against a standard international
scale. This scale is sufficiently widely drawn to allow a variety of types
to develop and flourish to cater for a variety of uses and tastes.