Choosing an Icelandic Horse: Gaits, Temperament and Rider Fit

By Dr Duncan Houston

The appeal of an Icelandic horse often starts with a video of effortless-looking tölt. The buying decision needs a wider view: the horse’s education, your riding experience and what daily life together would involve.

Use this guide to ask better questions and separate breed characteristics from promises about an individual.

Quick Answer

Icelandic horses are four- or five-gaited riding horses, and individuals differ in training and temperament. Do not assume every horse offers all five gaits or is suitable for a novice. View with an instructor familiar with the breed and discuss a purchase examination with an equine vet.

What makes the Icelandic horse distinctive?

The breed descends from horses brought to Iceland during settlement and developed through centuries of isolated breeding. FEIF describes its use in leisure riding, travel and gait-focused competition. This history explains the emphasis on riding qualities; it is not a health guarantee.

Does every Icelandic horse have five gaits?

No. FEIF recognises four- and five-gaited horses. Alongside walk, trot and canter, tölt is a defining part of the breed’s riding tradition; flying pace is associated with five-gaited horses.

Ask which gaits the horse currently performs under saddle and what level of rider is needed to maintain them. A sales description of natural ability does not establish how a novice will experience that horse.

Have an instructor explain what you are seeing, including rhythm, balance and the cues used. Choose a horse you can ride appropriately now, rather than buying mainly for a gait you hope to develop later.

How do you judge temperament?

Observe the ordinary parts of a visit: catching, leading, grooming, tacking up and leaving other horses. Ask about recent ridden work, time away from work and the situations the horse finds difficult.

• Who rides the horse regularly, and how experienced are they?
• Has it done your intended activity recently?
• How does it respond on its own and in a group?
• What help would you need after bringing it home?

Friendly on the ground does not automatically mean suitable under saddle. Let your instructor assess that separate question.

Match the rider, tack and intended work

Do not decide suitability from height alone or assume a smooth ride makes any rider load acceptable. Ask an experienced instructor and your equine vet about the individual pairing and planned work. Tack must fit both horse and rider.

If you are drawn to the breed because of your own physical limitations, discuss riding with your healthcare professional as well as your instructor. A breed description cannot promise pain-free riding.

What does the purchase examination tell you?

Explain your intended activities and share the medical history with the examining vet. Ask what the examination should include and agree costs. Findings support an informed choice about the horse’s current condition; they cannot predict every future problem.

Check the ownership plan before buying

Find suitable boarding, routine care, training support and emergency cover before committing. Ask for the current feeding and handling routine in writing. For the practical daily details, read our Icelandic horse care checklist.

When should you stop a trial?

Pause if the horse appears uncomfortable or moves abnormally and seek veterinary advice. Breathing difficulty, suspected colic or a major injury calls for urgent equine veterinary help.

Common mistakes

• Buying from a gait video without seeing ordinary handling.
• Assuming every Icelandic horse has trained flying pace.
• Equating a friendly breed reputation with beginner suitability.
• Expecting ancestry or a purchase examination to guarantee future health.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Icelandic horses good for beginners?

Some individuals may be. The horse’s education and the rider’s support matter more than the breed label.

Is flying pace essential for leisure riding?

No. Choose according to your actual riding goals and the horse’s training.

Can I learn the gaits on my own?

An instructor familiar with Icelandic horses can help you understand the horse’s cues and avoid confusing its training.

Does a compact build prove rider suitability?

No. Assess the actual horse, rider, tack and activity with appropriate professional help.

Choose the partnership, not the advertisement

The best viewing answers what an ordinary ride and an ordinary care day will look like. Leave with clear information, rather than a promise that the breed will solve every riding concern.

Sources and further reading

• FEIF: Icelandic horse background and gaits
• AAEP: planning a purchase examination
• UC Davis: equine emergencies

ASK A VET™ supports informed everyday animal care. Your own equine veterinary team can advise on your horse’s individual needs.