Icelandic horses are usually smaller than other breeds, and are the ohly horse breed allowed in Iceland. If a horse is exported to another country, primarily Germany and the Scandinavian countries, it can never return to Iceland.

Icelandic horses, unlike most other breeds that have 3 or 4 gaits, have 5 gaits, Walk, Tölt, Trot, Pace, and Canter or Gallop. Tölt is like a running walk, but amazingly, the rider stays on a level plane the entire time, not moving an inch up or down.