Affiche Icelandic Horses in Winter

There are roughly 75,000 Icelandic horses in Iceland, and up until recently relatively few abroad, owing in large part to centuries-old Icelandic legislation that prevents any Icelandic horse from returning to the island once it has been taken to another country. They are considered small (averaging 12.2 to 14.1 hands/125 - 155cm in height and 600 to 900lbs./270 to 400kg in weight) but very strong for their size. They can carry roughly one-third of their weight, but should be at least four and a half - better five - years old before being broken to saddle. It is thought that the horses the Vikings brought with them had a broad variation of looks and many colors, and as such there is today a large variation in color in the Icelandic horses. The horse has been very important as a means of transport and a work animal throughout Iceland's history. Since around 1920 the horses have been recorded in pedigrees. Jeeps and tractors have largely replaced the horse as a work animal after World War II. These days the only work related tasks horses are used for is rounding up sheep from the highlands and herding livestock (sheep, cattle and horses) on farms. Most horses are mainly used for leisure riding, gaited competition, and for an Icelandic brand of horse-racing. Icelandic horses are bred in closed pedigrees because they must be traceable back to Icelandic ancestors. Icelandic horses have been bred only with horses from Iceland since the Middle Ages. Icelandic words are used as names for Icelandic horses, words which describe their color etc. Sometimes names from Norse mythology and Icelandic nature are used. Some examples include Grána which means "grey mare"; Teitur, which means "the happy one" or Hrímfaxi which means "the one with frost in his mane".