The Viking Past of the Norwegian Fjord Horse

Historians believe the ancestors of today’s Norwegian Fjord Horse first appeared in Norway during the Ice Age. These horses were domesticated about 4,000 years ago and went on to become the horse of the Vikings. Archaeological excavations at Viking burial sites show that Fjord Horses were often buried alongside Vikings of high status.

Over the centuries that followed, the Fjord was used in Norway mostly as a draft horse, working the fields and clearing the countryside of timber to make room for farms and villages. The Fjord was also used as a saddle and pack horse and was known for its hardworking temperament.

In the middle of the 19th century, an organized breeding program was established for the Fjord in Norway. Farmers with Fjord Horses began keeping records of the owners and colors of various Fjords born during this period. In 1910, an official studbook was published to make record-keeping more precise. The first stallion listed in the book was Rosendalsblakken 1, a horse born in 1857.

In the 1950s, Americans discovered the beauty and durability of the Norwegian Fjord and imported 22 quality Fjords into the country. American aficionados of this tough little horse began breeding them, and in 1978, the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry (NFHR) was formed in the states. The organization’s goal was to register the Fjord and preserve its purity and original type in America.

Today, around 6,900 Norwegian Fjords are registered in the United States with the NFHR. The breed is growing in popularity—not only in the U.S., but also around the globe. Fjord registries can be found throughout the world, and right now, around 6,000 Fjords live in the breed’s native country.

Today’s Fjord in the U.S.

Norwegian Fjord Horses have a unique look that harkens back to their prehistoric ancestry. In addition to their willing temperament, their appearance is their most well-known characteristic. Nearly 90 percent of all Fjord Horses are brown dun in color, with the other 10 percent being red dun, gray, white or the very rare yellow dun.

The Fjord’s “wild” dun color comes with primitive markings like zebra stripes on the legs, and a dorsal stripe that runs from the forelock down the neck and back and into the tail. Some Fjords also have dark stripes over the withers.

Norwegian Fjords also have a unique mane. The center hair of the mane is dark—usually black—while the outer hair is white. Many Fjord owners cut the mane short so it will stand erect, and trim it in a characteristic crescent shape to emphasize the graceful curve of the horse’s neck. The white outer hair is then trimmed slightly shorter than the dark inner hair to display the dramatic dark stripe.

Norwegian Fjords do more than just look good. They are hardy mounts and easy keepers and can work for hours on end if properly conditioned. Fjords are currently excelling in many disciplines, including western riding, cattle work, jumping, eventing, dressage, combined driving and vaulting. Fjords are popular as trail mounts and are used in competitive trail riding. Although they are small, they are a good choice for riders of all ages.

The NFHR holds periodic evaluations for the breed, where individual horses are compared to the breed standard and given performance tests. Qualities such as disposition, character and willingness to work are evaluated. The evaluation is voluntary and designed to be an informational and educational tool for owners, breeders, buyers and handlers of the Norwegian Fjord.

Through the evaluation program, the NFHR hopes to preserve all five colors of the Fjord Horse breed as well as the diversity in the breed’s conformation; some Fjords have a heavier body while others are lighter-framed.

With its somewhat prehistoric appearance, fascinating history and gentle temperament, the Norwegian Fjord is a truly exceptional breed that will continue to grow in numbers. As time goes on, even more equestrians are bound to discover the joys of this special little horse.

This article about the Norwegian Fjord originally appeared in the September 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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Uniquely Beautiful

Norwegian Fjord Horses (pronounced fe-ord) have several distinctive characteristics. Probably the most obvious is their color. All Fjords are essentially one color—dun. But even though you will never see a bay, black, or chestnut Fjord, you can find them in several different shades of dun.    At first glance, they might seem hard to tell apart, but each shade has a slightly different coat color and the color of the points also varies.

There’s something special about their manes and tails, too. The mane of a Fjord is white on either side with a stripe of darker hair down the middle. The hair is coarse, so it stands straight up if it’s cut to only a few inches long. Their manes are usually kept short so this interesting color pattern can be seen and appreciated. The dark stripe in the mane is called a midtstol. Fjords have dark stripes in the middle of their tails, too—these are called halefjaers.

The most common Fjord color is called brunblakk, which is brown dun. Brunblakk looks very similar to rodblakk (red dun), but brunblakk horses have dark points and black or dark brown midtstols and halefjaers, while rodblakk horses have reddish-brown ones. Hans’ horse in Frozen is undoubtedly a brunblakk!

The three other colors of Fjords are grablakk (gray dun), ulsblakk (white dun), and the very rare gulblakk (yellow dun). Anna’s horse is an ulsblakk!

A Drive Through History

We all know that color isn’t the most important factor to consider when you’re looking to buy a horse, but for people who are interested in the sport of driving and dream of owning a matched team (a pair of horses that are similar in color, type and size), Fjords fit the bill! 

Driving enthusiasts are drawn to much more than just the consistent coloring of the Fjords. They also love their versatility, their strength, and excellent dispositions. Fjords usually stand between 13.2 and 14.2 hands, and they can be enjoyed in many other disciplines aside from driving, including dressage, eventing and gymkhana.

Norwegian Fjord Horses were domesticated thousands of years ago and used as war horses and then farm horses by the Vikings. But even though the breed has been around for centuries, Fjords didn’t arrive in the United States until the late 1800s, and they weren’t common in this country until the 1950s. There are approximately 6,500 Norwegian Fjord Horses in the U.S. today.

In the 1990s, members of a Norwegian Fjord Horse society (the Norges Fjordhestlag) described what the ideal Fjord should be like: “The eyes should be like the mountain lakes on a mid-summer evening, big and bright. A bold bearing of the neck like a lad from the mountains on his way to his beloved. Well-defined withers like the contours of the mountains set against an evening sky. The temperament as lively as a waterfall in spring, and still good-natured.”

Anyone who knows and loves Fjords is sure to agree—they’re extra-special hester (that’s the Norwegian word for horses)!  

Learn more from the Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry: www.nfhr.com.

A Fjord Family

Twelve-year-old Afton Mignery got her family started with Fjord horses, and now they can’t stop.

Afton rode her first Fjord when she started taking lessons at age 8. Her mare Nysena was actually one of the first horses she rode! They had such a strong connection that when Nysena came up for sale, one thing led to another, and that’s how the family first became horse owners. 

Afton does all sorts of activities with her Fjord. She shows both English and western, and competes in speed events such as barrels and pole bending. She also trail rides and does trail events and working equitation. The family works cows at a friend’s ranch, and recently started learning archery on horseback.  

Nysena was just the beginning of the family’s Fjords. Afton’s mom, Christine, got jealous of standing on the ground watching Afton have all the fun! Freya joined the herd first (Freya is the Nordic goddess of love), followed by a gelding named Toivo. And Nysena was due to foal in June, which would add one more. 

The family fell in love with the Fjords because of their personalities. They are extremely smart (sometimes too smart, according to Christine, who says theirs have figured out how to unlatch the gate!) and have an inquisitive nature. They also love to hang out with people and are very affectionate. —YR Staff

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2019 issue of Young Rider magazine. Click here to subscribe!

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