365
Days in Horse Country – Norwegian Fjord
The Norwegian
Fjord is considered the oldest breed of horse in Norway, and it’s believed to have descended from the ancient Przewalski’s
Horse, which can only be found in zoos today.
Experts believe that the ancestors of today’s Fjords migrated to Norway
and the Scandinavian peninsula around 4,000 years ago. The Norwegians began selectively breeding it
2,000 years ago.
For centuries, the Fjord was used mostly as a draft horse, working the fields and clearing the countryside of timber to make room for farms and villages. The Fjord also doubled as a saddle horse and packhorse.
In the nineteenth century, some Norwegian farmers began keeping records of the owners and colours of various Fjords that were born during this period. In 1910, an official studbook was published by fanciers of the breed to make record keeping more precise. Since that time, the breed has slowly grown and can be found all over the world.
The Norwegian Fjord is an ancient breed that possesses several physical characteristics typical of primitive horses. These include a dun colouration, dorsal stripe, and barred legs. The dorsal stripe extends all the way into the horse’s mane, which is trimmed to stand up straight.
Fjords are used for both riding and harness work.
Michael