Reykjavik - Day 6 - Horsies and Salmon

So with a little extra time, Maria our guide, took us a little off tour to see and pet some Icelandic Horses (please don’t call them ponies they get very insulted) and a salmon run at the base of a waterfall.

Sheri created a montage of the pictures but we also posted them individually in case it does not work for you.

About those Icelandic Horses:

The Icelandic horse is a breed of horse developed in Iceland. Although the horses are small, at times pony-sized, most registries for the Icelandic refer to it as a horse. Icelandic horses are long-lived and hardy. In their native country they have few diseases; Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and exported animals are not allowed to return. The Icelandic displays two gaits in addition to the typical walk, trot, and canter/gallop commonly displayed by other breeds. The only breed of horse in Iceland, they are also popular internationally, and sizable populations exist in Europe and North America. The breed is still used for traditional sheepherding work in its native country, as well as for leisure, showing, and racing.

Developed from ponies taken to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, the breed is mentioned in literature and historical records throughout Icelandic history; the first reference to a named horse appears in the 12th century.

The Icelandic is a "five-gaited" breed, known for its sure-footedness and ability to cross rough terrain. As well as the typical gaits of walk, trot, and canter/gallop, the breed is noted for its ability to perform two additional gaits.

The first additional gait is a four-beat lateral ambling gait known as the tölt. This is known for its explosive acceleration and speed; it is also comfortable and ground-covering.

The breed also performs a pace called a skeið, flugskeið or "flying pace". It is used in pacing races, and is fast and smooth, with some horses able to reach up to 30 miles per hour (48 Kilometers). Not all Icelandic horses can perform this gait; animals that perform both the tölt and the flying pace in addition to the traditional gaits are considered the best of the breed.

The salmon run was at the base of a small waterfall and the Icelandic game and fish council created the run to allow the salmon to get further upstream. It is not active in winter, so you don’t see any water on the run in the picture. Look to the left of the waterfall and you will see stone steps that the salmon use to climb up the waterfall.Read more