Welcome! Established in 2003, we are a small hobby farm located in beautiful Pacific Northwest Washington. Please feel free to contact us with any questions you might have. We'd be delighted to share this wonderful breed of horse with you and welcome visitors. We are dedicated to breeding quality, family-oriented horses with good gaits and conformation. We are members of the United States Icelandic Horse Congress and two local organizations, the Cascade Icelandic Horse Club and the Northwest Gaited Horse Club. Please click on any of the links above for more information. Contact us to find out more about DUETT saddles. Click on the logo above to read about these wonderful, well-made saddles at great prices, for the wide and hard to fit equine. CONTACT US AT: 253-847-9270 OR: westwynd@comcast.net Mike and Sandy Solberg |
ABOUT THE ICELANDIC HORSE The Icelandic Horse has a thousand year history. Purebred since the 10th century, the Icelandic Horse is renowned for being hardy, athletic, independent, spirited, friendly, adaptable, and sure-footed, with five natural gaits. These are the Walk, Trot, Canter, Tolt, and Pace. Averaging 13 to 14 hands tall, the Icelandic Horse is a versatile family riding horse, bred to carry adults at a fast pleasing gait over long distances. It is distinctive for its thick and often double-sided mane and long tail, and remarkable for its wide range of colors. In addition to formal horse shows and competitions, Icelandic Horses are widely used for cross-country rides and long-distance trekking. They have also competed in dressage, jumping, and endurance races. The Tolt is similar to the running walk or rack of a Tennessee Walking Horse or Paso Fino. In the Icelandic Horse, Tolt is a very smooth four-beat gait which, while reaching speeds similar to fast trotting, is much less jolting to the rider. It is an excellent gait for trail-riding or horse-trekking. In the Pace, the hooves on the same side touch the ground together. Often called the Flying Pace, this gait can equal the speed of a full gallop and is used in Iceland for racing. To Icelanders, riding at the Flying Pace is considered the crown of horsemanship. TEXT COURTESY OF THE USIHC |
copyright 2004 Sandy Solberg
WESTWYND FARM Icelandic horses |
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