Gaited horse breeds seem to be cropping up across the disciplines—from western dressage to endurance—as people learn the joy of a smooth ride. The United States Icelandic Horse Congress (USIHC) believes the Icelandic is an important part of that growing popularity as people realize all the wonderful attributes that come in the small, stout horse.
“More people are becoming familiar with the Icelandic horse, its unique gaits, traits, and rich history tied to Iceland,” says Emily Potts with the USIHC. “The breed is a major attraction for tourists in Iceland, with many tour operators offering trail rides and horseback tours to explore the country. This growing interest is mirrored in the U.S., where USIHC membership has increased by nearly 18 percent since 2022. While registration numbers have grown more gradually over the years, the increase has remained steady.”
Currently there are 6,986 registered Icelandics in the United States, with just over half of them being born domestically; the rest are imported.
Photo by Mark Lawrence
A Breed for Every Sport
Icelandics are a hardy and agile breed that, while short in stature at around 13 to 14 hands, can handle almost any discipline or recreational sport. And their five natural gaits—walk, trot, canter, tölt, and pace—means a comfortable seat for their rider.
Potts says that Icelandics can be found excelling in many disciplines, including dressage (USIHC participates in the U.S. Dressage Federation All-Breeds Program), liberty, endurance riding, competitive and recreational trail riding, working equitation, archery, skijoring, and eventing.
The USIHC also puts on its own national-ranking shows and sport competitions. In 2024, they held 16 national-ranking shows and six world-ranking shows in the U.S.
Lucy Nold, owner and trainer at Five-Gait Farm in Eugene, Ore., has earned the Anne Elwell Breeding Award twice, in 2018 and 2022. She is on the USIHC National Team and is nationally and world ranked. She also works with youth at her own farm and has led many youth initiatives within the breed.
Youth rider Greta Alsauskas participates in classes that show off the Icelandic’s special gaits as well as in eventing. Photo by Kevin Zibart
“The Icelandic horse breed has an easygoing, willing, and forward temperament that makes them excellent riding horses for so many different activities,” says Nold. “The versatility of the breed makes them truly a partner for everything, and our competition horses make the best trail horses.”
Icelandics also make wonderful youth mounts, due to their size and temperament.
“I quickly fell in love with the Icelandic horse because of their sweet and willing nature and the supportive and caring community that surrounds this discipline,” says Greta Alsauskas, a youth rider who is both nationally and world-ranked among professionals. She qualified and participated in the Youth Cup for the U.S. Team in July 2024 in Münsingen, Switzerland. Alsauskas performs in special track classes that are meant to show off the Icelandic’s tölt and flying pace. She also does eventing.
The flying pace is the fastest gait performed by the Icelandic, and is displayed in special competitions to show off the breeds’ unique gaits. Shown: Heidi Benson and Strokkur frá Syðri-Gegnishólum. Photo by Laura Benson
In 2023, a team of five U.S. riders qualified for the World Championships in the Netherlands, the largest USIHC team assembled in several years.
Virtual Rides
Bred to carry adults over long distances at a fast and smooth pace, Icelandics truly excel at covering long miles. It’s no surprise that one of the most popular programs the USIHC puts on is the Sea 2 Shining Sea ride. A truly unique program, this virtual ride is a year-long quest that Icelandic riders can participate in.
“This 4,000-mile ride follows a different route each year, organized by committee members,” explains Potts. “Past routes have included the Pony Express Trail, historic Route 66, and Annie Wilkins’ journey from Minot, Maine, to Hollywood, California, as featured in Elizabeth Letts’ book The Ride of Her Life. Riders log their hours weekly and reach checkpoints and can compete individually or in teams of up to six.”
Scott Smith is one of these riders, who logged over 1,100 miles in 2024, and is in the Top 10 for the 2024 Sea 2 Shining Sea ride.
Scott Smith logged over 1,100 miles riding Icelandic horses in 2024. Photo courtesy Shelby Walker
The USIHC also holds virtual shows, which are very popular. These include both national-ranking classes and classes that are just for fun or schooling. Shows have a panel of five judges from around the world, giving riders a change to get feedback from top judges, no matter when they live.
Supporting the Icelandic Horse Breed
The USIHC continues to add new programs to support those who love the breed. In 2023, they launched the Virtual Education Series, which covers topics like shoeing, saddle fit, endurance riding, nutrition, gait analysis, breeding and conformation, trailering horses, and more.
In addition, they are developing a U.S. Trainer Certification System to help those aspiring to train Icelandics. The International Federation of Icelandic Horse Associations tasks each member country with creating a system based on their education matrix. The USIHC launched their Fast Track for Level 1 Certification in 2022, and they’re now working on Level II Certification modules.
The Icelandic horse is a hardy, easy keeper that steals hearts as fast as it covers ground.
To learn more, visit icelandics.org.
This article about the Icelandic Horse breed appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!
