Care of an Icelandic horse
Caring for an Icelandic horse requires time and commitment, just like for other horse breeds. The coat needs regular brushing to keep it clean and free of dirt. The hooves also need regular care and grooming.
In addition, the horse needs regular exercise and training to stay in shape and maintain its strength and endurance. Imported Icelandic horses born in Iceland can more easily develop eczema due to insect bites and require more care during the summer months with blankets and various ointments/repellents to feel well. One reason for this is that these biting insects, mainly scurvy, are not found in Iceland and the imported horses have not built up an immune system against these bites.
Area of use
The Icelandic horse is a versatile horse breed that is popular in touring, leisure riding and competition. It is used by both children and adults despite its size. It is well adapted to get ahead in varying terrain and to be ridden for longer distances. It is important to keep in mind that even a strong Icelandic horse has its limitations.
For a long time, there has been research into the Icelandic horse's weight capacity. Studies show that the Icelandic horse can carry over 25 percent of its own body weight without being significantly affected, with some variation between different individuals.
Distinctive was that it was not about the size of the Icelandic horse, but more about the shape of the back. A wider back could take a heavier load better. It is important to also factor in other influencing factors, such as the rider's knowledge and balance, as well as the horse's condition.
Training of Icelandic horses
The Icelandic horse is intelligent and easy to learn, which makes it an excellent training partner. It can be used in various disciplines, such as gait competitions, dressage, jumping, distance riding and TREC. Its unique gaits make it a popular horse for both competition and pleasure riding.
Competition with Icelandic horse
There are two types of competitions for Icelandic horses, Sport and Gæðingakeppni (a century old tradition to evaluate a horses riding abilities). Both forms are gait competitions where you compete in tölt (a smooth, four-beat lateral gait), pass, 4- or 5-gait.
Sports competitions are performed on an oval track with three to five judges who judge the team's performance. Points are awarded on a scale between 0.0-10.0, where 0 means that the crew failed to perform at all and 10 is the highest possible performance.
Pass classes are usually performed on a pass course which is a straight course of 100, 150 or 250 meters depending on the program, and can be judged either by time or by a score scale of 0.0-10.0.
Gæðingakeppni is a somewhat freer form of competition that is also performed on an oval track, but it is only the long sides of the oval track that are judged by the judges. The scoring scale differs slightly from sports competition and lies between 5.0-10.0. Colloquially, it is usually said that the horse that wins is the horse that the judges want to take home, that is, a real Gædingur (which means "a really good horse").
A third form of Icelandic horse competition is starting in Sweden, where the Swedish Icelandic Horse Association in the spring of 2024 has a few newly qualified Swedish judges in this new form of competition called Gæðingalist. This form of competition is similar to dressage, but where the team puts together their own program which is performed on a riding track. The team itself decides which elements are included in the program and the more difficult elements, the higher points the team can get. The scoring scale ranges between 0.0-10.0.
The health of the Icelandic horse
The Icelandic horse is generally a healthy and hardy breed. But just like all horses, it can suffer from certain health problems. Colic and constipation are common diseases in the breed. It is important to give the horse regular veterinary care and to keep an eye on any signs of illness or injury.
