Known as one of the purest horse breeds in the world, due to never being crossbred in their country of origin, Icelandic horses have certainly left their mark upon history. These strong horses are more than just durable, they are essential to the livelihood of their homeland.

Regardless of if you’re well acquainted with this horse breed or not, you’ll enjoy this list of fun facts about these fascinating horses.

Icelandic horse horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of equitours.com.

1) Icelandic horses are the only horse breed in Iceland:

While there are Icelandic horses who reside in countries other than Iceland, this is the only breed of horse that can be found within Iceland.

Icelandic horse horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of iceland24blog.com.

2) Want to trace the history of this breed? You’ll have to take a long trip back through time!

The Icelandic horse first made an appearance in history hundreds upon hundreds of years ago when they were brought to Iceland by the Vikings.

Icelandic horse horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of miesnieks.com.

3) Icelandic horses are one of the smallest horse breeds:

The horses that belong to this breed usually weigh between 700-850 pounds and stand no taller than 14 hands.

Icelandic horse horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of disa-ihs.com.

4) These horses have staying power:

The horses belonging to this breed have long lifespans, with some living to be over half a century old.

Icelandic horse horses Cowgirl Magazine
Photo courtesy of tripadvisor.com.

5) What’s wrong with being confident?

Due to their environment and not having any natural predators, Icelandic horses do not spook easily and are known for being friendly, gregarious, and self-assured.

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