Old breeding lines

Viac o knihe

The settlement of Iceland would not have been feasible without horses, which were introduced as early as the 9th and 10th centuries. These animals served as the primary means of transport, essential for both people and cargo. Consequently, breeding quality riding and packhorses became important from the outset. The era of classical "line breeding" thrived primarily in the first half of the 20th century, with breeders focusing on establishing fixed traits through selective inbreeding. While this practice has since declined, names like Svaðastaðir, Hornafjörður, and Hindisvík remain significant to experienced horse enthusiasts, as do Sauðárkrókur, Kirkjubær, and Kolkuós. This work explores these six prominent breeding lines in detail, alongside the historical relationship between humans and horses in Iceland, and examines the reasons behind the decline of line breeding. The author, Caroline Kerstin Mende (Karólína), resides in North-Western Iceland, a historic hub of horse breeding, accompanied by her dog, horses, and sheep. Her interest in historical line breeding was sparked by the purchase of her first horse, Sóti frá Tóftum, born in 1987, who boasts a lineage from Sauðárkrókur and ancestors from Hornafjörður, Hindisvík, and Kolkuós.