The Icelandic Horse is one of the oldest and purest of equine breeds. Descendants of horses originally brought to Iceland by the Vikings, the breed has remained pure since the 10th century, when a law passed stating that no new livestock could be imported into the island nation. Today, that ancient law still preserves the purity of the Icelandic Horse, treasured in its homeland and, increasingly, around the world.
"Riding Icelandic Horses in Iceland was a horse lover's dream," says Andrea Barber of Mendon, New York. "Next to every main road is a road for horses to travel. If you need a spare horseshoe - you can buy them at any gas station! Everybody rides in Iceland; it's a horse culture. And all Icelandic Horses are trail horses - you won't find any kept just for show."
Barber is the current president of the United States Icelandic Horse Congress. She and her husband, Steve, own Sand Meadow Farm, home to a dozen Icelandic Horses.
The couple's love affair with the breed began 10 years ago when they went trekking on Icelandic Horses in Vermont. Halfway through one day's ride, Steve took Andrea aside to say that he didn't intend to leave without his horse.
"It took nearly nine months, but he finally persuaded the owner to part with [the horse]," she says with a smile. "One of our favorite places to ride is South Haven Park on southeastern Long Island, New York. I'll never forget one early autumn evening, riding on winding trails through pine forest when we rode right into the middle of a herd of deer. Without a pause, my Icelandic continued to run with them for quite a distance. It was awesome!"
Increasing numbers of trail riders are drawn to the Icelandic's naturally smooth gaits, intelligence, and hardy constitution. Read on to learn more about the Icelandic Horse - a big heart wrapped in a small, very handsome package.
Trail Rewards
Amy Goddard of Patterson, New York, owns two Icelandics and oversees the USIHC Pleasure Riding Program. "All USIHC members can enroll in the program; a high percentage participates. The horses must be registered Icelandics, but riders don't need to own the horse that they ride. We have three regions - Western, Central/Mountain, and Eastern - and year-end prizes are awarded to first, second, and third place riders in each one."
There are two ways to log points in the program: the Freedom Ride Time Log and the Special Events Log. In the former, one records hours spent riding, driving, ground driving, or ground training the horse. As hours accumulate, riders earn patches and vests.
Enrollees in the Special Events Log earn points by participating in, auditing, or planning clinics, horse evaluations, or other special events (excluding shows). Those with the highest combined point totals in both the Freedom Ride and Special Events Logs earn annual awards, including Mountain Horse riding jackets and decorative medals.
Avid trail riders also network through the programs. Goddard met Lisa Leeper of New Mexico through the program. When the New York resident took a vacation, Leeper invited her to join a party of 18 trail riders - all onboard Icelandics - to explore high desert country in the Cibola National Forest near Gallup, New Mexico.
"We rode past terracotta rock formations and Anasazi ruins, and tˆlted along 1870s logging roads," she says. "We climbed to 7,800-feet on McKenzie Ridge, and serpentined down the other side. It was a trail rider's dream."
