Flowing Mane, Thick Coat, Icelandic Horse
On the third day of our South Iceland trip, we planned a laid-back drive from Jökulsárlón to Höfn. Nothing particular was in mind except for a need to refuel our half emptied tank in preparation for our next day’s long drive back to Reykjavik. And Höfn, a fishing town 50km away from where we stayed at, was the nearest town with the nearest petrol stations. We had no idea we would be invited to lunch with Icelandic horses and learn about these friendly creatures.
Our day started after the sun peaked out of the horizon an hour before the midday. It was a late start, but we much preferred to see the beautiful scenery of the Ring Road. After 20 minutes heading east, a stud of Icelandic horses appeared in our distant view. Popped their heads out of the wooden fence all together, they just looked super adorable.
A stud of horses gathering by the fence
It was the second stud we encountered waiting against their farm fence as if they were eager fora play date. These charming, small-sized horses sported flowing mane, making them look extra stylish in the winter breeze. Covered with heavy coat, the Icelandic cold and changeable weather is never a problem for them. Since our only plan for the day was to refill the car, we quickly picked up our camera gears and acted on this precious encounter.
As we were taking photos, a truck came followed by a tractor carrying a barrel of hay. The horses were waiting for their twice-a-week lunch! Once the owner arrived at the farm, all horses immediately headed towards the hayrack and indulged into their fiber-refuel.
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All of them came to the gate when the owner arrived
Queuing patiently for their lunch
Seeing us interested in his herd, the owner kindly gestured us to follow him into the farm. As he was introducing his horses to us, one of the horses came over, lowering his head to show affection towards his owner. Another horse followed to greet us. “Icelandic horses are very friendly and can be very clingy sometimes, especially this guy.” said the owner, gently brushing one of the horse’s hair with his hand. The bond between him and the horses was undeniably strong. To him, these horses were companions and friends.
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Come dine with me?
Icelandic horse has the most stylish hairstyle of them all!
Völva, 2 years old. The name means to hold wisdom and see the future.
The owner gave us a short lesson on Icelandic horse. Some of the horses change fur colour with the season. Some have rare blue eye. Except for the race horses which stayed indoor to train, his horses mostly stayed outside on the field. He also kept different ages of horse together, so the experienced ones can teach the young. “It is good for the older horses to teach the young ones, to respect and learn manner.” He said.
This horse followed us halfway to the gate as if he’s saying goodbye.
We were very lucky to meet the friendly owner and attended the “lunch date” with these beautiful and spiritual horses. It was a memorable experience to learn about these Icelanders best companions since the Viking’s arrival.
www.islandpferd.is / Facebook: islandpferd
