A passion for the extraordinary

Some of the world’s lesser-known breeds attract a cult following. Tessa Waugh speaks to fans going against the grain, to discover the roots of their fascination

- Tessa Waugh

WHEN it comes to breeds of horse and pony, we tend to be more conservative here in Britain than in Europe. Perhaps because we have so many of our own native breeds, we are less inclined to look elsewhere. There are people, however, who go against the grain and develop a passion for something a bit different.

For the Carsons, Icelandic horses are a family affair. Kirsty Carson grew up near a farm which had Icelandic ponies and met her husband, Andrew, while he was working there. They have spent many years going back and forth between Britain and Iceland to pursue their interest. Their eldest son is about to graduate with a degree in equine science from Hólar University in Iceland, only the third British person to do so.

Explaining her lifelong fascination with the breed, Kirsty says: “A lot of people say that Icelandic horses have many of the same traits as a native breed in terms of personality, but the true unique quality is that they are five-gaited. We train and ride them specifically for that reason.”

After walk, trot and canter, Icelandic horses perform a pace called tölt, a smooth four-beat gait, like a walk but much faster and so smooth, they say, that the rider should be able to drink a pint without spilling a drop. The next gear is “flying pace”, a fast two-beat gait, which can reach the speed of a full gallop and includes an interval when all four hooves are off the ground.

Kirsty and her family compete their horses in competitions exclusive to the breed, which are focused on these gaits, either on an oval track to assess quality, beat, movement and harmony with the rider, or on a straight track to test speed or pace.

The World Championships take place every other year and in 2019, a horse the Carsons bred, ridden by their second son, won two silver medals for his pace.