For more than 1,000 years, the Icelandic horse has been purebred in Iceland. Considered a symbol of fertility, the horse played a central role in Norse culture and history.
When the first Norse Vikings arrived in Iceland, they brought their horses and beliefs with them, and so the Icelandic horse became entrenched in Icelandic culture.
Throughout history, only the best horses were chosen for breeding - picked based on specific characteristics, such as colour and horse model - meaning the modern Icelandic horse is the result of many centuries of selective breeding.