Reykjavík Grapevine - 29.07.2016, Blaðsíða 62

A glorious, wise and spiritual
creature stands calmly in the
stable. His eyes are focused, his
carbon-black fur is shining under
a bright light, and his posture is
perfect.
After being properly washed,
brushed and pampered like a real
star, this beautiful Icelandic horse
and his colleagues are waiting to
perform a show called ‘Night at the
Farm – Legends of Icelandic Cul-
ture’ at the Icelandic Horse Park,
Fákasel. The show brings together
history, old Norse mythology and
exhibition riding to demonstrate
the beauty and unique qualities of
the Icelandic horse.
A family affair
Fakasel is owned by a married
couple, Guðmundur Ólason and
Bryndís Mjöll Gunnarsdóttir. This
is their fourth summer hosting
thousands of guests at Fákasel.
There are about 80 horses in the
horse park, and 30-40 of them are
included in the shows. Bryndís is
keen to emphasise that their horse
theatre shouldn’t be compared to
the circus, no matter what. “We
are doing this to honour the Ice-
landic horse,” she says, “because
Icelanders are very proud of the
breed. Show elements are really
easy for the horses and they like it.
Our horses are never forced to do
circus tricks.”
When asked why Icelandic
horses stand out from other
breeds, Bryndís cites their full-
bloodedness and unique tem-
perament. “They are very will-
ing, friendly and kind,” she says.
“What’s more, even though they
are small—Icelandic horses weigh
between 330 and 380 kilograms
and stand an average of 132 to
142 centimetres—they are really
strong. When you’re touching an
Icelandic horse, you’re touching
a Viking horse, because the breed
has remained pure for about thou-
sand years, since the first horse
was brought to the island.”
No going back
But to maintain the purebred
Icelandic horse, Icelanders must
make sacrifices. “If you take an
Icelandic horse abroad, it can
never return,” explains Bryndís.
“This may be really sad and heart-
breaking for the rider, but this is a
law.” So taking part in a competi-
tion outside of Iceland means per-
manent deportation for the horse.
Another thing that differenti-
ates the Icelandic horse from all
other breeds is its ability to per-
form two additional gaits besides
the usual walk, trot and canter.
These natural and unique gaits
are called the tölt and the fly-
ing pace. The chief of the Fákasel
horse show team stresses that the
flying pace shouldn’t be used on a
daily basis, as “it can be wearing
for a horse.” But not all Icelandic
horses are capable of reaching fly-
ing pace, in which the legs on the
same side move together, and the
horse can go up to 50 kilometres
per hour.
As we finish, Bryndís recalls
a story that that could have come
straight out of the American tele-
vision series ‘I Didn’t Know I Was
Pregnant’. “One of our horses,
Stella, was a really good mare to
use in the friendship scene at the
horse show,” she recalls. “Then
one day we found out there was a
foal in her stall. No one could be-
lieve their eyes. We’re still won-
dering when she had the time to
visit a lover.” So, given that the
animals used by Iceland’s elves are
said to be as invisible to humans
as elves themselves, maybe an elf
horse knocked up Stella? One can
only suppose...
Trip by: icelandichorsepark.com
SHARE & LINKS: gpv.is/hoh11
HORSIN' AROUND
The Five Gaits Of
Horsepower
“We are doing this to honour the
Icelandic horse”
Words GEIDI RAUD Photos ART BICNICK
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 11 — 2016
62