Horseback riding in Iceland

The Icelandic horse is unique amongst horse breeds because it masters five gaits. No horse has been imported to Iceland for more than a thousand years and riding the Icelandic horse in its natural habitat is unique experience. The history of the Icelandic horse can be traced right back to the settlement of the country in the late 9th century. Viking settlers brought with them their best horses, from various origins, though mostly of Germanic descent. For a very long time the Icelandic horse played a paramount role in making Iceland fit for human habitation. For centuries, therefore, the horse played a role of a carriage, bridge, transport wagon and even a train. It carried its countrymen and their goods everywhere needed, from the most rural areas to the commercial areas situated along the coastline. Some claim that without the horse, habitation would have been virtually impossible in Iceland for a thousand years. Horse back riding in Iceland Travel guide to Iceland