Icelandic Horses

Any time we left Reykjavik and ventured out into the countryside, we saw lots of Icelandic horses. They're everywhere. Most of the time there were out in fields, but occasionally we found them close to the road. So, of course, I asked my dad to pull over so I could get pictures.

Icelandic horses are small and they are the only breed on the Island.

No new horses have come to Iceland since 982, when a law was passed banning their import (to protect the stock.) 982!

Not only is it illegal to being horses into Iceland, but any horses that leave the country are never allowed to return. 

The ones we got close to seemed sweet and gentle.

A couple of times, when we saw them laying down, and K got worried that something was wrong. We watched this horse just stop and lay down for a little snooze, and then get back up again no worse for wear.

We also saw horses in a different place. Now would be a good time for my horse-loving friends to scroll back up and look at the horses happily lounging in the field...

In Iceland, you can buy horse meat at the grocery store.

We saw both "horsemeat" and "foalmeat" for sale. I wasn't 100% sure it was horse, so I asked a lady shopping near me. She explained that horse wasn't nearly as popular as it was when she was a kid.

"When I was small, my mother would boil it and also make mashed potatoes and carrots. But I don't cook it for myself." 

Now days lamb and chicken are much more popular, but horse use to be a staple of the Icelandic diet. In fact, when they converted to Christianity in 1000, being able to continue to eat horse was one of the conditions.