Icelandic Horse Connection, Frequently Asked Questions about the Icelandic Horse

Q: Can Icelandic Horses carry a heavy man?

My standard reply to potential buyers who quote that Icelandics can carry up to 300lbs is: "Maybe they can, but they sure don't like it!" I definitely think a heavy rider takes a heavy toll on his horse's body and I would like to see Icelandic horse promotion get a lot more realistic in this respect. It may be true that some Icelandics are better suited for weight carrying than taller breeds, by having broader loins and shorter, thicker cannon bones, but their muscles still hurt when they have a top heavy, unbalanced rider on an often ill-fitting saddle (using the reins for balance, ouch!!). Of course things are better for the horse when the heavy rider is flexible and well balanced, and good saddle fit also helps. But often times it seems that promotion actually targets the first type.

Just worried I might come back as an Icelandic in my next life. Want to make sure the 300lbs myth is dead by then.

I agree that there should be a weight limit on Icelandics. I have heard some breeders say that Icelandics can carry up to 300 pounds, and maybe SOME of them can, but I think most can't and even if they can, it makes a big difference if a horse carries a heavy rider every once in a while and is ridden by a lighter person in between or all the time. Yes, I believe that is one of the reasons why they change horses often in Iceland. It also makes a big difference how a heavy rider carries himself when on a horse. if you just sit there as dead weight it is much harder for a horse to carry you than if you are carrying yourself lightly and are balanced. Think of the little kid who wants to be picked up by his mother and is light and 10 minutes later when he throws a fit and does not want to be picked up he weighs almost twice as much.

Q: Are all Icelandic Horses easy to ride?

I shy away from potential buyers who are interested in Icelandic horses because they are so sweet and easy that "anyone can ride them". They are spirited, smart, athletic horses who can move very quickly. Future owners should have their eyes wide open and realize that their own commitment to learn to understand and ride their horse is the only way to realize their "happily ever after" Ici riding goals. There are no short cuts...

Q: Do the horses stay hairy all year?

They shed out in the summer and look as sleek as regular horses, except for their full manes, tails and some fetlock hair.

Q: If a horse tolts, can it also trot?

One gait is not usually dependent on the other. Some horses will only walk, trot, canter. Some will only walk, tolt, canter. And again, some do all four gaits nice and clean.

Q: Can all Icelandic Horses tolt?

No, not all Icelandic Horses tolt. For some it is much easier than for others. Some will never tolt; some need to be trained for tolt.

Q: If an Icelandic Horse will pace, does he also trot?

Usually - there are a few who find it more difficult to trot but I would say that is not the majority of horses in NA anyway.

Q: How does a tolt differ from a rack, if at all?

The rack is basically the same as the tolt in that in the three legs are off of the ground and there is one supporting leg during 4 of the 8 phases of the gait.

Q: When applying the aides for a tolt, is it similar to collection or an entirely different feeling altogether?

Yes, similar; again depending on the horse. Some horses tolt on a looser rein and others may require more collection. In order to get the best of the gait a certain amount of collection is usually required - that does not mean that you have to just pull the horses head up.

Q: If an icelandic is described as having 4 gaits, which gait is he probably lacking?

An Icelandic described as 4 gaited is typically capable of tolt, walk, trot, canter. An Icelandic described as 5 gaited is typically capable of tolt, walk, trot, canter, flying pace. So I guess a 4 gaited horse would be lacking "flying pace". This is not always set in stone though. I have heard people talk of 4 gaited horses that later in life developed flying pace:)

Q: What is the cue for "trot"?

The most common way to give an Icelandic Horse the command to trot is to lighten your weight in the saddle and bending a little forward, and maybe loosen up on the bridle a bit, most of the time you can't see an experienced rider give this command because he has trained his horse to know what to do as soon as the rider changes "his seat" in the saddle. On tolt one often sits "deep" in the saddle but on trot it's the other way around . If your horse does not understand when you ask him to trot you stop him and try again, and you keep stopp ing him until he trots on your command, that' s the best way to teach him. The horse does not learn anything if he reacts the wrong way to what your are trying to make him do. You may have to give him the bridle completely while he is learning this command, often when horses are very easy on tolt it's easy to confuse them with the bridle because they are used to go on tolt when you pull the briddle a bit. It' s all in the training, but as always no two horses are a like.

Riding your horse uphill with strong leg aids can make him trot. The other way is to ride in tall grass and on uneven ground and push him on with your legs and/or crop. Your weight should be slightly forward and give him a looser rein with no pressure on the mouth. It sometimes takes a while, but since I really enjoy the trot (posting, of course) I get all of my horses to trot.

OK, this is what I'm going to try - "slight" forward inclination of the body, lower hands and maybe touch the neck, loose reins. On Thursday when I tried to get the trot (loose rein, lean forward), my horse shot off in a full gallop and eventually I fell off! Too much leg, right? Of course I was wearing my helmet, so even though I hit the fence with my head, the only casualty was my glasses.

Q: Are all Icelandic Horses gaited?

Not all Icelandic Horses have a smooth intermediate gait such as the tolt

Q: Are all Icelandic Horses smooth to ride?

As far as the smooth ride of the Icelandic Horse, all I can say is try alot of them. They all move very differently. All tolt is not created equal. I have a wonderful large 14 hand gelding that has an extremely nice powerful and smooth tolt, however, all his gaits are equally large. Canter is big and trot is even bigger. Some might call his trot bone-jaring in comparison to most Icelandic's trot which is usually very easy to sit.

Q: Do they trot?

Q: Do they all have a natural perfect tolt?

Q: How much weight can they comfortably carry?

Q: No really, how much weight can they comfortably carry?

Q: Where do I place the saddle on an Icelandic Horse?

Any saddle should sit behind the shoulder blade. I have seen many riders of all disciplines move the saddles more forward. The hunter/jumper world is infamous for this problem. Any saddle maker measuring a tree would place the tree behind the shoulder blades when measuring the size. With a western saddle the skirt may be over the shoulder blade (the shoulder blade should have enough room to move back and forth under the skirt) but the front of the tree is still behind the shoulder blade.

Actually by placing the saddle further forward other problems often occur. It often causes the saddle to sit - downhill (especially with horses with withers) and that actually creates more pressure more towards the weakest part of the horses back (where the vertabrae change direction) - so I have seen that sometimes moving the saddle back an inch or two actually moves the weight of the rider further forward away from the weakest part of the back.

I sometimes show people the different between placing the saddle on the shoulder blade and behind them by placing my palms on their shoulder blades and asking them to move their shoulders back and forth and then place your hands below (in the case of a person standing) the shoulder blades and notice the difference of the ease of movement of the shoulder.

Icelandics often have a rather deep shoulder which is also why saddles may look further back on them than on some other breeds. While on occasion I see saddles sitting so that the girth is in the middle of the torso and the saddle sitting back on the loins - this is usually only with riders in competition and I have also seen judges with courage give those riders a yellow card for the saddle being too far back.

Q: Do they shed out all that hair?

Yes, they do.

Q: Can they be ridden western?

We have several horses that we have ridden with a western saddle. We have aCircle Y - equitation saddle with rounded skirt so it is short enough. The main thing, I think, as with an good western saddle is that it should have enough rocker to avoid pinching in front and having the skirt make contact behind. I think there would be a market for them and we have not had a problem with the gaits in a western saddle - as long as the weight distribution is okay. See the Versatility website pages.

Q: Are they a good horse for children?

I have been asked several times whether I would conside an Icelandic to be a good adult or child beginner's horse. I know opinions will vary, but I usually don't recommend one for this kind of rider.

Q: What is so special about them?

Q: Do they have any health problems unique to the breed?

Q: Can they tolerate hot weather? How do Icelandic Horses manage in warmer climates?

I live in NY, but it can be quite hot and humid here in the summer. Their summer coats are as short as any TB. They are not crazy about the heat and like to stay in the shelter to avoid the bugs and sun, but they seem to adapt to it.

There are some doing well in Arizona, but I do not have experience in how they deal with these extremes.

Q: I note that in a lot of the photographs the rider's legs are pretty far forward. Is this because the horses are small? Is there some special technique with icelandics where this posture is more effective?

Nope - this is just the "old-style" Icelanders riding! PLEASE avoid it! :) Legs should be more or less under you - ala centered riding , classical riding etc. Nothing special about the seat. Classical is the best, for Icelandic Horses as well as most others.

Q: Can I ride with my friends on big horses and keep up?

The Icelandic Horse can travel very quickly at the walk (you may have to train him to dog-walk!), so the answer would be yes, definitely.

Q: Do they need special care unique to the breed? Shoeing, tack, feed?

Q: Can this horse fulfill my need to ride, with a bad back?

Q: What is the biggest difference in riding an Icelandic Horse as compared to the more common breeds?

You're closer to the ground. In my experience you will experience a greater connection to an Icelandic.

I too came from a dressage background. The hardest thing I found was trying to figure out what those little legs were doing - they were going so fast! With a warmblood you KNOW your trotting, you KNOW your cantering - with an Icelandic things are not that clear cut.

I also find Icelandic to be a lot more individual than either warmbloods or TB. It's hard to find any two Icelandics that are similar in riding qualities or personality. Maybe that's why people always end up with more than one - who you ride depends on your mood :) With other breeds like TBs and warmbloods I found that although of course there are individuals the personalities were less "strong" - I'm not sure that will make sense unless you experience it.

I think one of the most positive things (compared to other breeds) is that I cannot think of a situation where any of my Icelandics would buck or otherwise try to get me off their backs - rather they try to keep me on :) Most other horses I have ridden of other breeds had the occasional freak out. Icelandics are more level headed - they treat you as more of a partner.

Q: Are there any Icy-specific traits I should know about?

One thing is summer eczema which is an allergy to gnats. It's not Icelandic specific, but about 30% of all imported Icelandics get it to some degree. Effected horses show symptoms of scaly eczemas most often on their face, mane area, belly and tail - which many times they will rub until bloody. It can be quite difficult to manage. However, if you do not have gnats in your area it is not a concern.

Q: Are there any Icelandic-Horse-specific lameness/illness problems that crop up that should be watched for?

Mostly just your basic horse stuff. You will see the same things in Icelandics that you will find in any performance horse. Summer Excema is a skin condition that seems to be more prevalent in horses that are exported from Iceland as opposed to those domestically bred.

Spavin is something to double-check on.

Q: How common are the larger horses?

Q: Would I likely be more comfortable on a larger Icelandic Horse or do older riders adjust quickly to a smaller horse?

On most of them you will not even notice that you are on a smaller horse. I had always ridden big horses for 20+ years before riding an Icelandic and I was amazed at their horsepower and "Big" horse feel.

I would say that size does not matter at all. Try riding a few and see what you like. I think the biggest difference for me in coming from other horses is that some Icelandics can be very wide which, being a short person with short legs, can be a bit uncomfortable. But as far as height, I think once you are into the horses it becomes a non-issue. I usually think the smaller ones are more sporty and fun to ride - but my primary riding horse is a large Icelandic (14+) and he is a LOT of fun to ride.

Q: As dressage has become my new interest, has anyone competed in an open dressage competition against other breeds?

I know of a couple of Icelandics who have shown in NA against other horses successfully in dressage. Lisi Ohm's horses are beautifully trained and she may have competed, or certainly could. We sold a horse about 15 years ago who scored 62%- 65% in 2nd level.

Q: How do Icelandic Horses get along with other breeds?

I've found they get along with everyone quite well - but they do seem to prefer their own kind. I've NEVER seen an Iceland I would describe as wicked - he would have been Sunday dinner long ago!

I have several Icelandic Horses and one other breed. Often the Icelandic Horses stay together excluding the solo horse .

Q: Do Icelandic Horses fair well spending most of their time stabled, or do they fair better pastured?

We generally keep them in pasture with other horses, which I believe is the way most horses are happiest. If the weather is bad in the winter and you are riding them they need to be stabled so they can dry off.

Q: Are the dreams I'm hanging on the Icelandic horse reasonable.

I think your dreams are very realistic - you just need to find the right horse for you. Like I said earlier - these horses are so individual. Some do have that huge warmblood trot - others have no trot at all. Some are very quiet under saddle - others are atomic fireballs. It all depends on what you enjoy riding.

The best advice I can give is ride as many as possible. Through that you'll begin to learn what kind of gaits you like and what you don't - as well as what type of personality suits you best. And then one day you'll fall in love with a horse that you just can't leave behind :)

I would not want you to further injure yourself because I said Icelandic Horses are wonderful, but they are; and if you are bent on riding again (as I know I would be in your situation) my first choice would be an Icelandic Horse.

I also think that for the most part, the breed itself is a very smart and independant thinking soul. The majority are steady going and effortless to ride and you should be able to find something that you would be equally comfortable and safe on and still get an exhilarating ride. There are also, however, the more competative minded Icelandics. Some may be more willing to go than stop. In fact, stopping is very much talked about on this list as are half haults.

Q: What is the cost of an Icelandic Horse?

Q: Why are the prices so high?

Q: Do I need a special saddle to ride an Icelandic Horse?

The only thing that needs to be special is the fit of the saddle. It has to fit the horse well to enable him to move freely and carry a rider without pain.

we used a Swedish saddle called a Hector - an endurance style saddle with no horn in this case - on a mare in Sweden and it improved her way of going and gaits so instantly that I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it. This mare could not stand still for mounting from the left side, had no flat walk, trotted with her head in the air and dropped back and had a very stiff, but high actioned tolt. We saw her go in her regular saddle and then switched to the Hector. She stood completely still for mounting from the left (her own saddle had been pinching badly in the withers); dropped her head and walked beautifully, when asked to trot - she brought up her withers, dropped and rounded her head and stopped rushing; and in the tolt the action was still there but there was lovely elastic movement instead of the chopping dropped back.

Q: Are Icelandic Horses ever ridden with no bit or using a bit without a cavasson?

Q: What is the purpose of the cavasson anyway? I have been told is absolutely necessary. Necessary for what?

We like the hackamore and regularly go without the cavesson with bitted bridles. I don't think it is completely necessary however it can be handy on certain horses. It restricts the amount the horse can open it's mouth. Only on some horses is it necessary to tighten it down. Icelandics tend to run through pressure so don't use restricting tack with the intent to control your horse, it may blow up in your face. Instead use exercises and drills to train your horse to get what you want.

Q: Can Icelandic Horse semen be imported?

The exporting of frozen semen has not been allowed in Iceland so far but possibly it will be allowed in the near future as the Horsebreeding Association in the South of Iceland has built facilities which fulfill standards set by the EU, when it comes to exporting of semen. The Icelandic Horse Breeding Advisory board is currently investigating the legality of exporting semen, since this topic is hotly debated here in Iceland with lots of folks against and lots of folk approving. I should think it would be easiest for you to get frozen semen in the US or from Europe, and I seem to recall that the famous stallion Týr von Rappenhof (Germany) has some offspring in the US out of mares artificially inseminated.