Fjord Horse

The mountainous regions of Norway are the home of the Fjord Horses. This breed of horses is small but very strong because the horses developed in the midst of rough terrains in the mountains. This breed of horses is one of the oldest breeds in the world. This breed also carries the honor of having the longest history of pure breeds without the influence of other horse breeds.

The height of the Fjord horses ranges from 13.1 to 14.3 hands. These weight of these horses ranges between 880 to 1210 lbs. These horses have some unique features which help us easily identify this breed amongst the rest. These horses have a distinct and different combination of the bone structure and muscular nature of the draft horses. The size of these animals is very deceiving. Though these horses are small, they are strong enough to carry adults and heavy loads over long distances.

The body of the Fjord horses is muscular and compact. These horses have medium sized heads with a straight or dished profile and carry a wide forehead. The eyes are big and the ears are small, but alert. They have a neck that is well arched and strong. The chest is deep and muscular. The horses of this breed have powerful legs and are sure footed creatures. These horses have a heavy and thick mane which is long. For easy grooming and maintenance the mane is cut short so that it stands erect. They also have certain amount of feathering on their legs.

These horses are very silent creatures that are eager to please their owners. Due to their sober nature, these horses are best suited for children to ride on.

The most common coat colors of the horses in this breed are various shades of dun (brown dun, red dun, grey dun, white dun, yellow-white dun)

The Fjord horses have played an important role in the fields from time immemorial. They can plough fields and pull timber. They are used to help people with disabilities. Children use these horses for riding. These horses were also used for transportation over mountainous terrains during the Second World War. These versatile animals are also used in various competitions like dressage and show jumping.