The Horses of Iceland

The first time I saw an Icelandic Horse, it was laying on the ground, on its side. “Horses don’t lay down”, I thought. “It must be dead!” And then it rolled onto its back, all the way over onto its other side, and stood up in one semi-fluid movement. “It must be insane!”Laying down and rolling aren’t the only tricks the Icelandic Horse has up its sleeve. It has also mastered the art of looking fabulous. With their vast array of colors, incredible manes, and sassy attitudes, Iceland’s horses were born ready for the runway. And they certainly don’t shy away from the camera. We had a blast taking these portraits of some of the island’s most photogenic residents.

Most of Iceland’s horses spend their time wild and free in the highlands, instead of on farms. Like sheep, they roam at their own whim, with neither supervision nor control, able to graze wherever they choose. But once a year, toward the end of summer, they’re brought down from the mountains.

Icelandic HorsesWe happened to be in Sauðárkrókúr during this year’s roundup, which sees a group of farmers recruit their friends, neighbors, and even some courageous tourists to hop into the saddle and gallop off into the vast highlands. Their mission: locate and herd every horse in the area to a corral set up outside town.