Icelandic Horses: Unique & Where to Ride Them

Every visitor to Iceland ends up stopped, safely parked at some point, phone out, photographing a shaggy horse that couldn’t care less. Fair enough, they’re gorgeous. But call them “cute ponies,” and you’ve already got it wrong twice; they’re not ponies, and cute barely scratches the surface of what makes this breed truly remarkable. Icelandic horses are older, purer, and stranger than almost any other breed on earth; they have gaits that no other breed has, a thousand years of total isolation, and a place in Icelandic mythology most animals never get close to. Here’s our guide to Icelandic horses…

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If you’re trying to work out what actually makes horses in Iceland different, here’s the rundown: what makes them unique, their thousand-year history and the mythology built up around them, where you’ll spot them without even trying, the regional riding tours worth booking, what a proper farm visit looks like, and the etiquette that keeps both you and the horses safe. This isn’t just a “nice photo op” animal; once you understand the history, it becomes one of the more meaningful encounters of a trip to Iceland.

What Makes the Icelandic Horse Unique

Here’s what actually sets this breed apart, and it’s quite a lot once you get started!

Size and Purity — They’re Icelandic Horses, Not Ponies

Technically, Icelandic horses are pony-sized, somewhere between 12.2 and 14.2 hands at the withers (roughly 127 to 147 centimeters). Anything 14.2 hands and up is generally classed as a horse; anything under is a pony. Icelandic horses sit right on that pony side of the line and are, without exception, still called horses, never ponies.

There are two reasons for that, and both are true. The practical reason is that they were bred to carry fully grown Viking men across brutal terrain, and pound for pound, there’s nothing pony-like about that kind of strength. The official reason is that internationally, breed registries and equestrian bodies classify them as horses regardless of height, based on genetics and temperament rather than a tape measure. Either way, call one a pony in front of an Icelander and expect to be corrected.

They’re also one of the oldest and purest breeds anywhere in the world, isolated from every other horse breed since the Viking Age- that’s more than 1,000 years. There’s more on exactly how that isolation happened below.

The Icelandic Horse Gaits — Tölt and Flying Pace

Most horse breeds have three gaits: walk, trot, canter. Icelandic horses have five, and two of them exist almost nowhere else.

The tölt is the one that I find fascinating. It’s a smooth four-beat gait where one hoof is always touching the ground, which means none of the bounce like you’d get trotting a regular horse; it’s often the gait that turns nervous first-time riders into people who enjoy being on a horse.

Watch the difference for yourself here. The other gait that’s unique, the flying pace, or skeið, is faster and rarer, a two-beat gait where all four hooves leave the ground at once. It looks like gliding rather than running.

Colors of the Icelandic Horse — 40 Shades, 100+ Variations

Icelandic horses come in more than 40 official coat colors, with over 100 recognized variations once you account for markings and patterns. Icelanders have historically read personality into color too, and a lot of the country’s horse-naming traditions are built around exactly that. See the full range of colors here.

Icelandic Horse Temperament and Build

Iceland has no natural predators, and it shows. These horses are calm, curious, and truly people-friendly; they tend to walk toward you rather than away, which is rare. They also form unusually strong bonds with the people who handle them often, and that’s part of why riding an Icelandic horse regularly feels different from riding almost anything else.

Physically, the Icelandic horse is built for exactly the country they live in: they have a double-layered coat for the cold, a compact frame, and sure footing across the kind of terrain that would stop most other breeds outright. They’re the only domesticated animal to live outdoors year-round.

A Thousand Years of History and Mythology

This isn’t a breed that just happens to be old; its entire identity was shaped by a single legal decision made over a thousand years ago.

Icelandic horses arrived with the Viking settlers, somewhere between 860 and 935 AD, quite possibly chosen partly because a smaller, sturdier animal was simply easier to fit on an open-sea voyage. Whatever the exact reasoning, those original horses are essentially still what you see today.

In 982 AD, Iceland’s parliament, the Althingi (based up there at Thingvellir on Iceland’s Golden Circle) passed a law banning the import of any other horse breed into the country. That law is still in force. It’s guaranteed more than a thousand years of total isolation, and it’s a big part of why this is considered one of the purest horse breeds left in the world. The same law works in reverse too; once a horse leaves Iceland, it can never legally come back, protecting the bloodline from outside disease at the cost of a one-way ticket for any horse that gets exported. It’s not just the horse that is banned from returning, but equipment related to Icelandic horses is also subject to very strict import rules.

Icelandic horses are also very long-lived. The average Icelandic horse lives up to around 40 years, and the oldest on record, Thulla, reportedly reached 59, an astonishing age for any horse breed.

The mythology around Icelandic horses runs just as deep as the biology. Under Grágás, the Grey Goose Laws, Iceland’s earliest written law code, stealing a horse was treated as one of the gravest offenses a person could commit. In Norse mythology, Odin’s eight-legged horse Sleipnir was said to move between the physical and spiritual worlds entirely, and local folklore credits one of Sleipnir’s hoofprints with carving out Ásbyrgi, the horseshoe-shaped canyon in North Iceland that’s still considered one of the country’s most striking natural sites. In Viking burial tradition, only kings and chieftains were buried alongside their horses, a steed considered the right companion for the journey into whatever came next.

None of that is ancient history filed away and forgotten either; it’s still very present in modern naming traditions, riding culture, and the stories Icelanders tell about their own horses.

Where to See Icelandic Horses in Iceland

You really don’t need to try.

Icelandic horses are spread across the entire country, not concentrated in one region, and if you’re driving the Ring Road, you’ll pass fields full of them without any effort at all. Even in the middle of a proper storm, you’ll see them out grazing, unbothered, which tells you everything about how well-adapted this breed actually is.

Horseback Riding Tours

If a roadside photo isn’t enough, then riding Icelandic horses is one of the unique things to do in Iceland, even if you’ve never been on a horse in your life.

Tours are beginner-friendly almost everywhere in the country, largely because the horses themselves are so calm and easy to work with. Riding lessons are popular with Icelandic kids too, and racing and showmanship competitions have run every year since the late 1800s, so this isn’t just a tourist activity; it’s a part of the culture.

Icelandic Horse Riding in Reykjavik

Reykjavik is the easiest starting point, with several riding farms operating just outside the city. It’s the most accessible option for first-time riders, and tours typically cover lava fields and coastal trails within a short drive of the capital. Most riding tours from Reykjavik include pick-up from the city as an option

Horse Riding on Black Sand Beaches on the South Coast

The South Coast, between Reykjavik and Vík, is easily one of the most scenic places in the country to ride; tours here often include black sand beach routes with glaciers and waterfalls in view the whole time. Want to ride on a black sand beach? Here you go.

Icelandic Horse Riding in North Iceland

Around Akureyri and Lake Mývatn, the flat valleys and terrain suit riding tours particularly well, and the region hosts some of Iceland’s most established horse farms. There’s more here.

The Highlands

Horses still do real work in the Highlands, particularly during the autumn sheep round-up, réttir, and riding tours into the interior here deliver some of the most dramatic scenery in the country.

East Iceland

The East Fjords are quieter and less visited than most of this list, but horse farms are dotted throughout, a solid option if you’re already exploring the eastern stretch of the Ring Road. Likely the most famous is the Husey Horse Farm, which is also a hostel; you can book directly with them here.

Learning More about Icelandic Horses in Iceland

We made a specific detour to visit the holy grail of Icelandic horse information here in Iceland, the Icelandic Horse History Center.

The Icelandic Horse History Center

The Icelandic Horse History Center sits at Hólar í Hjaltadal, in a remodeled stable originally built in 1931, and it’s properly worth the detour if horses are any kind of priority on this trip. The permanent exhibition uses stage sets, film, video clips, and real objects to walk you through the horse’s historical importance to Iceland, alongside Theódór’s Parlor, a room dedicated to Theódór Arnbjörnsson, one of the country’s most influential horse-breeding consultants. Upstairs, a newer temporary exhibition, Our Horse: Colors, Bloodlines, and History, covers the genetics behind coat colors and lets you “go for a ride” using virtual reality glasses, a strange, memorable way to end the visit.

One detail that’s stuck with me: they use reins made from horsehair. It’s a truly fascinating place, a fabulous audio guide, and more information on the breed than you’ll know what to do with.

There’s an excellent audio guide included with your entry ticket; don’t miss it.

• Address of Icelandic Horse History Center: Hólar, Hjaltadalur, 551 Sauðárkrókur.
• Cost:Adults: 1,500 ISK, Groups, students, and seniors (67+): 1,300 ISK, Children (0-17 years): free, needs a current price check. Tickets include a free audio guide, which is a fascinating listen.  You can read more on their website here.
• Opening hours: June 1 to August 31, 11:00-17:00 daily, closed Mondays. Outside these dates, visits are by special arrangement only.
• How long to spend: 90 minutes+.
• Website: sogusetur.is
• How to get there: in Hjaltadalur valley, a short detour off Route 76, in the Skagafjörður/Tröllaskagi area of North Iceland.
• Map location: view on map

Map of Icelandic Horse Experiences

Here’s our map of where to see, ride, and visit Icelandic horses across the country; you can also see the map here.

Tips for Interacting with Icelandic Horses

A few rules keep both you and the horses safe, and most of them come down to common sense.

• Don’t pet them without asking; even a friendly-looking horse may bite or kick, and uninvited contact can undo expensive training.
• Don’t feed them; extra food can really harm their health and undo training just as easily as petting does.
• Don’t go onto private land to get closer; the vast majority of Icelandic horses are kept on private property.
• Never ride one without the owner’s explicit permission, however friendly it looks over the fence.
• Don’t stop abruptly or park dangerously for a closer look, especially on icy roads, low-visibility bends, or private property. Read my guide to driving in Iceland to understand rules for driving here.
• If you want photos, find a legal, visible parking spot instead, and if you want to actually get close, book a tour or get the landowner’s permission.

FAQs on Icelandic Horses

Got questions about Icelandic horses? Here are quick answers to what we’re asked most.

Why can’t other horse breeds be imported into Iceland?

A law passed by Iceland’s parliament, the Althingi, in 982 AD bans the import of any other horse breed, protecting the Icelandic horse’s bloodline and keeping it disease-free. It’s still in force today.

What is the “fifth gait” of the Icelandic horse?

Most horses have three gaits. Icelandic horses have five, including two unique ones, the smooth four-beat tölt and the fast, two-beat flying pace, or skeið.

Can beginners go horseback riding in Iceland?

Yes, easily. Icelandic horses are calm and people-friendly, and most tours across the country are specifically set up for first-time riders.

Where’s the best place to ride Icelandic horses?

It depends what you want. Reykjavik is easiest for beginners, the South Coast is the most scenic, and the Westfjords or Highlands are best if you want something wilder and less touristy.

Is it okay to pet horses I see in fields?

No, not without asking. Uninvited petting or feeding can undo costly training, and most of these horses are on private land.

Are Icelandic horses actually ponies?

By height, technically yes, they usually fall in pony range. But they’re always called horses, thanks to their strength, temperament, and international recognition as a horse breed rather than a pony breed.

How long do Icelandic horses live?

On average, up to around 40 years, with the oldest on record reportedly reaching 59, unusually long for any horse breed.

Final Words on Icelandic Horses

Icelandic horses are, in the end, a small encounter that tends to turn into one of the actual highlights of a trip. Stop for the roadside photo if you want, but if you can, go further, book a ride, feel the tölt for yourself, visit the museum, and you’ll understand why this breed has mattered to Icelanders for over a thousand years, not just as transport, but as something close to family.

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