Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.04.2013, Blaðsíða 6

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6 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • April 15 2013
If you are in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area on April 26-28, 2013, don’t miss the
chance to see Icelandic horses
in action at the Minnesota
Horse Expo 2013. One of the
gentlest of horses, the Icelandic
horse is known as the “Horse of
the Vikings.” It is a paragon of
utility and is a quick learner of
dressage.
After attending the
Minnesota Horse Expo for a
number of years, interviewing
many Icelandic horse owners
and riding Icelandic horses
in Iceland, the most amazing
Icelandic horse attribute I found
is the unabashed fondness of the
owners to their Icelandic horse.
This strong emotional bond
is hard to define but I purport
it borders on doting. I surmise
this feeling goes both ways.
In past years, owners
of Icelandic horses from
Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa
and Minnesota brought their
Icelandic horses to the Expo.
These owners are members of
the Flugnir Icelandic Horse
Association of the Midwest.
Flugnir is a regional club of the
United States Icelandic Horse
Congress, which is a member
of the International Federation
of Icelandic Horse Associations
that represents Icelandic Horse
associations in 19 countries.
The mission statement of
Flugnir and the International
Federation of Icelandic Horse
Associations is “To preserve
the uniqueness and integrity of
the Icelandic Horse”.
Last year I interviewed
many Icelandic horse owners
including Kydee Sheetz, owner
of Aslan’s Country Icelandics in
Proctor, Minnesota and director
at large of events for Flugnir.
She gave me the following
script for the introduction of the
Icelandic horses at the Expo:
“The ultimate sports utility
vehicle! More comfortable
than a Mercedes Benz with
acceleration that leaves a
Lamborghini in the dust.
Handling and maneuverability
that brings a Porsche to shame
with incredibly agile All Wheel
Drive that can tackle almost
any terrain. Introducing ... The
Icelandic Horse!!”
The Vikings brought their
best horses to Iceland in the
800’s A.D. in small boats.
Importation of additional
horses was later forbidden, so
the Icelandic Horse has been
completely isolated in the Land
of Fire and Ice for over 1000
years and is one of the purest and
most ancient breeds of horse in
the world. The Icelandic horse
has been shaped by the brutal
natural environment of Iceland
to be powerful enough to swim
the rivers and scale the volcanic
mountains of Iceland and
intelligent enough to face the
challenges of their environment
with a calm and adaptable
attitude. They are incredibly
versatile and can excel in almost
any discipline. While good
looks are icing on the cake, the
Icelandic horse is primarily a
functional breed known for its
special gaits. They are either
four or five gaited. Apart from
walk, trot, and gallop, virtually
all Icelandics have a special four
beat gait known as the tölt and
many can do the flying pace.
Their thick coat, which can be
virtually any color, and dense
mane and tail protect them in
the worst weather. They thrive
grazing the remote highlands of
Iceland with only an occasional
salted herring for a snack. With
few roads and bridges prior to
World War II, the Icelandic
horse served as virtually the
only means of transportation
until recent decades. They are
incredibly tough and versatile
and can carry adult riders for
many miles over the volcanic
mountains of Iceland.
“Like a top-rated sports car,
they come with extra gears for
extra fun! The tölt is a powerful
four beat gait that can be used to
cover a tremendous amount of
ground. There is no suspension,
meaning at least one hoof is
always on the ground, and the
gait can be ridden at various
speeds ranging from almost
walking speed to faster than
many horses can gallop. It is
completely natural and is the
glory of the Icelandic horse.
These horses are highly versatile
and have enjoyed great success
in the United States working
in endurance, therapeutic rid-
ing, hunter paces, mounted
patrol work, search and rescue,
mounted orienteering and
ranch work moving sheep and
cattle. In addition, they are the
ultimate trail horse with national
rankings in endurance riding,
the American Competitive
Trail Horse Association, and
Extreme Cowboy Racing.”
If you are in the area I urge
you to attend the Horse Expo. In
addition to the Icelandic horses,
fifty other purebred breeds
perform both Saturday and
Sunday. The Expo is sponsored
by the Minnesota Horse
Council that is celebrating 31
years of bringing horses, horse
owners and those who love
horses together at the largest
breed gathering and equine
vendor show in Minnesota. Go
to http://mnhorseexpo.org for
more information about the
Horse Expo.
Icelandic horses at the 2012 Minnesota Horse Expo
At left: Glenna Steinolfson and group on the trail in Iceland
PHotos courtesy of steingrimur steinoLfson
Steingrimur Steinolfson
Bloomington, MN
We offer help to descendents of
the emigrants who are looking
for their roots in Iceland.
For those who have decided to
visit Iceland, we offer help in
planning their journey.
Phone 354.473.1200
E-mail vesturfarinn@simnet.is
www.vesturfarinn.is Kaupvangur 2, Hafnarbyggð 690 Vopnafjörður, Iceland
Vesturfaramiðstöð Austurlands
EAST ICELAND EMIGRATION CENTER
Icelandic Horses
The following is additional information about the Icelandic
horses from various web sites:
The United States Icelandic Horse Congress lists almost
600 registered farm names that raise Icelandic horses.
There are approximately 4,000 Icelandic horses in the
United States; this includes purebreds raised in the United
States and those imported from Iceland. Of course the sad
thing is once a horse leaves Iceland, they can never return since
no horse has been imported into Iceland for 1,000 years.
The Icelandic horse is the only breed in the world that
performs the flying pace gait called “the noblest of gaits”.
This fifth gait is a very fast lateral gait, very slightly four-
beat, with a period of suspension in which all four feet are off
the ground. Not every Icelandic horse exhibits this fifth gait.
When the Icelandic horses perform this gait at the Expo, the
audience responds with copious applause. This gait demands
the utmost of a horse and can be ridden at well over 30 mph
in sprint races.
Icelandics also excel in endurance competitions where
they primarily use the trot. Many Icelandics show an efficient
low trot that enables them to travel great distances at high
speed. They will oftentimes alternate trotting and tölting
since different muscles are used for each gait preventing
fatigue. Remington, a horse in California, was one of the top
endurance horses in the country for several years and was
happily completing hundred-milers at age 20. In the 3,000-
mile all breed “Great American Horse Race” which went from
New York to California; an Icelandic was the only horse to
compete the entire 99 days without lameness.