IcelandicHorse.ca
Title
Icelandic Horses, Maple Leaf Leaf Icelandic Horse Farm
Description
About the Breed
The rough climate of Iceland and ten centuries of pure breeding developed a strong, powerful horse, tough and independent, a horse that a rider can rely in any situation. Riders in Iceland had to trust their mounts completely during long journeys, in bad weather or when crossing fast-flowing glacial rivers. Hence they bred a horse whose reliability, good character, quick wit and strength have saved many lives in dangerous situations — a real partner. Icelandic horses are extremely versatile and are treasured both as a family horse and a sport horse.
The Icelandic is a five-gaited horse, making it exceptional in comparison with other breeds. In addition to the three basic gaits — the walk, the trot, and the canter — the Icelandic horse also masters both the pace and the tölt.
Tölt is a four-beat gait without a moment of suspension. The horse always has either one or two feet on the ground, which gives a very smooth ride and allows the rider to cover long distances without tiring. Icelandics tölt naturally, and much of their popularity is due to their ability to tölt. The picture below shows how the horse's feet move in tölt.
