The eyes should be like mountain lakes on a summer evening: large and light. A proud bend of the neck, as if it were a dashing mountain fellow hurrying to his beloved. The well-defined withers, like the outline of the mountains against the background of the evening sky. And the temperament is lively, like a waterfall in spring, but still good-natured "- this is how the Norwegians themselves describe amazing horses, which are one of the business cards of this country.

The Norwegian Fjord Pony is one of the oldest purebred horse breeds in the world and also one of the few that has retained its unique characteristics. wild ancestors... It is believed that the first Fjords - distant relatives of the Przewalski horse - migrated from Central Asia to Norway 4000 thousand years ago. Previously, the breed was called Vestlandshest (horse from the west) or Nordfjordhest (northern fjord horse).

Wild Fjords herds have existed in Norway since the last Ice Age. Archaeological excavations of Viking burials show that the Fjords as a breed were specially bred for at least 2000 years. Viking rock carvings have also come down to us, depicting ponies similar to the Fjords. The first Fjord studbook was published in 1910.

Specialized publications describe Fjord as a stocky, compact, 130-145 cm tall horse with a neat broad-browed head on powerful neck passing into the muscular shoulders. Strong legs with well-defined tendons and good joints end in very strong hooves.

One of the distinguishing features of the Fjords is the unique dun suit, with a black in the middle and silvery along the edges of the tail and mane. Most horses have a black longitudinal stripe along the back to the tail, many have zebra stripes on their legs.

Within the breed, several types of color are distinguished:

• brown-bulan (brunblakk) - the most common color with a yellow-brown body color (the color can vary from creamy yellow to almost brown), a dark stripe in the mane is dark brown or black; lighter horses have white bangs and mane at the edges.
• reddish-brown (rodblakk) - pale reddish-yellowish color of the body; the difference from the brown-dun suit is that the stripe in the mane and tail is red or reddish-brownish, but not black. The hair along the edges of the mane is light yellow or completely white.
• gray (gra) - body color varies from silver to dark gray. The bangs and muzzle of the gray Fjord, unlike the others, are dark, in some specimens the mane is almost black.
• white-bun (ulsblakk) - a variation of the brown-bun color, caused by weakened pigmentation. The body color is almost white or yellowish-white. The stripe in the mane is black or gray. The mane itself is lighter than the torso.
• yellow-bulan - the rarest color in the Fjords, a variation of the red-bulan. The body is yellowish-white, the mane and tail are white with a dark yellow stripe in the center.

The fjords are incredibly hardy, very unpretentious in food (they can easily get by with one hay) and easily adapt to any climate. They have fast, balanced gaits and a stable psyche. All this, in addition to strong hooves that do not require horseshoes, even on hard ground, makes Fjords irreplaceable helpers especially in areas of Norway with severe weather conditions. For many centuries, the Fjords were the only form of "transport" capable of transporting people and goods in mountainous areas.

Fjords are bred for their remarkable versatility: they can work under the saddle, and in harness, and in any activity they show amazing diligence, reliability and reliability. Traditionally, the Fjords have worked on farms, transporting goods. Now these ponies are most often used as walking horses, as well as for amateur and children's sports. The tranquility and friendliness of the Fjords is perfect for an inexperienced rider. Many travel companies offer foreigners to get acquainted with the nature of Norway from the saddle of this representative of Norwegian culture.

The number of Fjords is about 6000-7000 heads. They are common throughout Norway, but most of the population is concentrated in the west of the country. This is a rather rare and little-known breed, but now the Fjords are gaining popularity as the so-called "family" horses, and they began to be willingly bred in Europe, America and Canada.

Unfortunately, there is no information about the presence of Fjords in Russia, which is not surprising. And although the number of Russians buying horses for private ownership, in recent times everything is increasing, hardly any of them will want to buy an exotic pony for 3-5 thousand dollars (this is not counting the payment for transportation from Norway), when we have a walk, or even sport horse can be bought for 1-2 thousand dollars. By the way, the cheapness of horses in Russia is known all over the world, and therefore our horsemen only occasionally import individual sports horses. And considering the fact that our pony clubs are not very developed, I think we will not soon see the Fjords on our vast pastures.

Therefore, for those who want to see with their own eyes cute dun ponies with kind eyes, I can only advise one thing: to go to Norway!

Elena Pukhova admired the charming horses.

Of the more than four hundred horse breeds that exist in the world today, only a few can be attributed to aboriginal. Among them, one of the visiting cards of Norway stands out clearly - the fjord breed, leading its ancestry from the Viking war horses. With their light hand, it spread throughout Europe and, according to many hippologists, had a great influence on the formation of heavy draft breeds in many countries of the world (in particular, on the Gudbrandsdal horse and on the mountain, Dartmoor and Icelandic ponies).

A brief history of the species

This breed, which is also called "fjord pony", is unique for many reasons, and primarily because it is:

1. One of the oldest purebred breeds.
2. One of the few who managed to preserve the features of their wild ancestors and even their color.
3. Almost the first heavy truck on Earth.

The remains of its ancient representatives were often found in the burials of the Vikings, from which scientists concluded that by the beginning of their era, which, as you know, at the end of the VIII century AD, the fjords were purposefully bred as a breed. In addition, the ancient rock carvings of horses known to all archaeologists and hippologists are very similar to the appearance of fjords, and this suggests that they are distant relatives of the Przewalski horse and the extinct tarpan, considered the common ancestor of all animals of the “horse” genus. The difference between them, perhaps, is only that the head of the fjord is not so heavy and primitive, and its size and physique are more reminiscent of a large pony (hence the second name of the breed).

In the light of all these facts, scientists have been looking for an answer to the question for a long time, how did these animals appear in Norway? The most probable assumption is that they migrated from Central Asia to Scandinavia about 4 thousand years ago and were subsequently tamed and domesticated by the first settlers of these lands for agricultural purposes. Subsequently, the fjords began to faithfully serve the Vikings, who not only made their campaigns on them, but also staged spectacles, at the same time similar to fights and competitions between their horses. This conclusion can be reached by looking at the numerous images of fighting horses in the sources of that time that have come down to us. Unfortunately, not preserved detailed descriptions such spectacles, therefore, among scientists and historians there is no consensus about why they were arranged. Historians suggest that it could be equally something like a sport, a way of identifying the best manufacturers species (perhaps this was one of the methods of breeding the breed) or all together. It is interesting to note that at that time the fjords had completely different names, indicating their connection with their native area: "westlandschest", which means "horse from the west", and "nordfjordhest" (northern fjord-horse). True, the question seems to be very curious whether these were the same horses, which were simply called differently, or whether they were, albeit closely related, but different subspecies of the same species, but the answer to it, most likely, we already we will not receive.

After the end of the Viking Age, the fjords returned to agriculture again, and on this occasion there is even an opinion that the Scandinavians were the first Europeans to use horses in this kind of work. Perhaps it was the limited scope and some isolation that led to the survival of these horses as a purebred breed, the first herdbook of which appeared in 1910.

How do they look

Speaking about the appearance of the fjords, the Norwegians, who have a firm reputation for being rather restrained and phlegmatic people of the north, turn into passionate and poetically lyrical inhabitants of the south. It is enough just to familiarize yourself with their description, according to which the eyes of horses are compared with mountain lakes on a summer evening, the neck is with a young man hurrying to a date with his beloved, and the withers are with the outlines of mountains against the background of the evening sky, to make sure that restraint is often deceiving. If we translate this description from the poetical Norwegian into the prosaic Russian, then the fjords can be identified quite easily by the following features:

1. Stocky compact build.
2. An elegant head with a broad flat forehead, a small muzzle, lighter than the rest of the body, and a powerful yet graceful medium-sized neck, often swan-shaped and merging into muscular shoulders.
3. Strong large breasts.
4. Relatively small, wide-set ears and large, wide-set eyes.
5. Straight or slightly concave profile.
6. Short, medium-long back and wide, strong loin.
7. Well muscled, slightly drooping croup. Some horse connoisseurs note its angularity, which is why they conclude that fjords are still not suitable for graceful sports.
8. Strong legs with strong bones, short pasterns and good joints, ending in strong black hooves that do not require horseshoes even on hard ground.
9. Height at withers is from 130 to 145 cm, weight is from 360 to 450 kg.
10. Thick coat.

There are five species of fjords:

1. Brown (or darkly) bun (or "brunblack"). The body is yellow-brown in all possible shades, the mane has a dark brown or black stripe. Light horses of this variety have white bangs and the same edges of the mane. This suit is the most common.
2. White-bulan ("ulsblakk"). It is a light variety of the brunblack suit, which appeared as a result of a weakening of pigmentation. It has the following characteristic features: an almost white or yellowish-white color of the body, black or gray color of the stripes in the mane, and the mane itself is lighter than the body.
3. Red-brown ("rodblack"). It is characterized by a pale reddish-yellow color, light yellow or white hair along the edges of the mane and a red or reddish-brown color of the stripes in the mane.
4. Yellow (or golden) Bucky is a variety of "Rodblack", the rarest of all five suits. She has a yellowish-white body color and a tail and mane of white color with a dark yellow stripe in the middle.
5. Gray ("gra"). The color is from silver to dark gray, the bangs and muzzle are dark, in some horses the mane is almost black.

Common features for all varieties of the breed are:

1. The presence of a black longitudinal stripe stretching along the back to the very tail.
2. Inherent only in fjords, a certain combination of white and black stripes in the mane and in the tail. The mane is even cut in a certain way: firstly, so that the black hair in the middle is higher than the white on the sides (this is how the spectacular black stripe is emphasized), and secondly, while observing the crescent shape to emphasize the grace of the neck bend ...
3. Zebroidism on the legs and dark stripes on the withers, which can be seen in many members of the species. It is this sign that is considered one of the indisputable evidence of the kinship of the fjords, the Przewalski's horses and the tarpan.

The nature of the fjords, compared by the Norwegians who fell into a poetic mood with a spring waterfall, is no less remarkable for their appearance. These horses:

1. Very hardy.
2. They are unpretentious in food so that they can do with one hay and even, according to the assurances of some hippologists, eat dried fish.
3. Easily adapt to any climate.
4. They have fast, light and soft gaits and a stable psyche.
5. Versatile and able to work both under the saddle and in harness.
6. Hardworking, reliable, fearless (not afraid of even the most dangerous mountain paths), energetic and reliable.
7. They have a lively good-natured temperament, surprisingly combined with calmness.
8. Able to withstand harsh winters thanks to their thick coat, even with minimal grooming.
9. Extremely stable on your feet.
10. Not bad (as for a heavy truck) trainable - in particular, driving, races, cross-country and elementary dressage.

It is not surprising that a horse with such remarkable qualities has become widespread in Norway, especially in its hard-to-reach and climatically difficult regions in the west and north. A faithful companion of the formidable Vikings, this horse in peacetime was indispensable for their descendants on Norwegian farms and as a beast of burden. In our days, in addition to this, it is used:

1. As the so-called. "Family horse" for riding.
2. Amateur and children's sports where, due to its character, it is considered the best horse for an inexperienced rider.
3. In the travel business as vehicle, with the help of which unique ethnographic tours are carried out (the routes of many travel agencies include excursions on horseback).
4. In traditional festivities.

And although until recently the fjord breed was "widely known in narrow circles" and did not go beyond its homeland, now it is family horse became interested in a number of European countries (especially in Germany, Denmark and England), as well as in Russia, the USA and Canada. And this is a very good sign not only for the breed, but for the country as a whole.

Conclusion

For all the advantages of purebred horse breeding, some hippologists seriously fear that over time it can lead to inbreeding - a rather complex phenomenon in nature, one of the consequences of which is the appearance of inbred depression. Its most striking manifestation is a decrease in the viability of animals, their crushing and the occurrence of various anomalies and deformities. If such a danger really exists (and there is no reason not to trust the conclusions of scientists), then with regard to the fjords, you can still be calm. Their purebred breeding has not yet led to any disturbing deviations, which means that for a long time there will be healthy direct purebred descendants of those that were tamed by them at the very dawn of their history.

You yourself understand how much you need to be prepared in order to attack a fighter on a bomber. (C) I am a disturbing world, fall in love with me if you dare!

My Viking psychosis continues. So what can I write about? About horses, of course. Fjords are a breed whose genetic code has not changed until now. That is, we can say that the Norwegian fjord horses are exactly the kind that the Vikings rode)))

The Norwegian Fjord horse is one of the oldest and most purebred breeds in the world. It strikingly resembles horses depicted on the walls of caves by Stone Age artists more than 30 thousand years ago and probably migrated to Norway more than 4 thousand years ago. Quite possibly, they were first domesticated around 2000. BC. Archaeological excavations at Viking burial sites indicate that Fiord horses were bred by selection and selection over the past 2 thousand years.
Fjord is one of the very few breeds that retain the original primitive qualities and color. The earliest names for the fjords were "westlandschest" (horse of the western lands) or "nordfjordhest" (north fjord horse), which reflect the breed's geographical connection with Norway. These ponies were used by the Vikings as cavalry mounts and the Scandinavians may have been the first Western Europeans to use horses for agricultural work.
The fjords have earned a reputation for being strong, reliable and good-natured ponies. Throughout history, they have been used by Norwegian farmers for various purposes, transporting goods on their hilly farms. In addition to its strength, the breed is also distinguished by its light and soft gaits. The fjords have a thick coat so they can withstand harsh winters with minimal maintenance. The combination of qualities of the breed led to its export to Europe, especially to Denmark, where it was widely used for light agricultural work.
The first fjord studbook was published in 1910. and now can be proud of the livestock between 6 thousand. and 7 thousand heads. Interest in the breed is widespread and significant numbers are bred in Europe and the Americas.
Today's Fjord horse is used as a harness horse. They show good driving and running abilities and can also be reasonably prepared for basic dressage and cross-country racing. Fjords are widely used in riding schools. In the fjord tourism industry in the Western Lands in Norway, fjord horses have always been used as important means of transportation and symbols of Norwegian culture.
One of the most unique features Norwegian fjord- about 90% of all horses are dark - dun color. The remaining 10% are light brown, gray, gray, golden brown. These dunny horses are almost the same to the untrained eye. The fjords retain their “wild” dun color, as well as primitive markings that include zebra stripes on the legs and a dark belt along the ridge that runs from the bangs along the neck and back to the tail. Dark stripes can also be seen at the withers. The reddish-brown ones have reddish-brown streaks and flesh-colored markings. Gray Bucks have black or very dark gray stripes and markings. Savras horses have a very light color with white or gray stripes and markings. Golden Bucks have darker yellow stripes and markings, and may have completely white bangs, mane and tail. This suit is very rare in the breed.
Another unique feature of the fjord horse is the mane. The hair in the center of the mane is dark (usually black), while on the periphery it is white. The mane is cut short and erect. When plucking, the crescent shape is observed to emphasize the graceful curve of the neck. Off-center white hairs are plucked slightly shorter than dark inner hairs to accentuate a dramatic black streak.
Norwegian fjord horses are renowned for their gentle nature, diligent work ethic, endurance and energy. Used for heavy work, under saddle and in light harness, individuals vary in height and weight depending on the purpose. Despite the fact that there is no clear description, horses are often divided into "riding" and "heavy draft" types. The height of the fjords ranges from 135 to 154 cm at the withers, but most horses are in the range of 144 to 146 cm. They are easy to run in and do not need to re-run, even after spending several months in the pasture.
All breeding in Norway is now controlled by the Norwegian government agency. Only first-class livestock can be exported. Now there are fjords in Canada, USA, Great Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. Approximately twenty-two fjords were imported into the United States, most of them in the mid-1950s. Their descendants and some imported horses of this breed were scattered throughout North America.
Height at withers 1, 35 - 1, 45 m. Color: mostly different shades of grayish-brown, darker mane, with a black strap. Zebra-like markings are sometimes found on the legs. Temper: pony fjord is wayward, but friendly and hardworking. Exterior: the pony fjord differs from other breeds by the combination of a soft brownish with yellow color and a mane with a comb with a black strap starting from the head and going down the back to the tail. There is an undeniable similarity with the Przewalski's horse. The head is large, the eyes are set wide apart. The neck is short and thick. The fjord is unusually strong, the body is stocky, muscular, long back and rounded croup. Legs are short with a prominent brush. Usage: The pony fjord was used by Norwegian farmers as workhorse... In addition, in our time, the pony fjord is used for pleasure walks and races in covered vans. Fjord ponies can often be seen harnessed to a traditional Norwegian gig. Movement: The fjord pony has a powerful, wide stride, and the stride when trotting is somewhat shorter.
And now a few pictures with Viking horses))

The Norwegian fjord horse is one of the most ancient breeds that exist on the planet today! And I must say that this is definitely the most ancient heavy draft in the world of all that exist. Once this strong horse with a good-natured disposition and peculiar appearance, belonged to the warlike Vikings, and was their war horse!

Then they began to use it, only for peaceful purposes. For example, for and work of an agricultural nature. These animals show excellent running and driving abilities. But they are also able to be quite prepared for commonplace dressage, and the same, cross. The homeland of these horses is Norway. It is one of the oldest and purest of all breeds in the world. There is speculation that it comes directly from wild forest horses that were domesticated over 2000 years ago. And it happened in Scandinavia, in its southern part.

This is one of the few horse breeds that retain its original and primitive qualities, as well as color. These ponies were used by the Vikings, as war horses. And, it may well be that the Scandinavians were the first Western Europeans to use horses in the process of agricultural work.

Breed Norwegian Fjord of unusual color

Due to the fact that large territories were subject to Viking raids, there is such an assumption that all current breeds of heavy trucks existing in western Europe, like many local breeds and England, carry a certain drop of Norwegian fjord blood. These magnificent horses have earned a reputation as a reliable and strong pony with a good-natured disposition. For centuries, farmers in Norway have used these animals in the transport of goods and a wide variety of jobs.

Besides, in addition to strength, this breed is distinguished by very soft gaits. Fjords are always thickly furred. It is for this reason that they are able to withstand harsh winters, even with minimal maintenance. These horses are so unpretentious that they may well eat dried fish. The successful combination of these qualities, was able to lead to the fact that the export of such horses to Europe began.

Characteristic

Especially to Denmark. And it was there that they found the widest application in the course of light work of an agricultural nature. The very first fjord studbook published in 1910. Today the population of these ponies is approximately 6-7 thousand heads. This breed is of great interest. So an incredible number of ponies are bred in both the Americas and Europe. Such animals should be very elegant, without the slightest rudeness. Their head is of medium size, they have a wide forehead and a straight, slightly concave profile. They are set wide and range in size from tiny to medium.

Norwegian fjord breed in the arena

And the neck near the fjords is muscular and often has a swan shape. But the withers of such horses are somewhat lower than that of all other breeds. The body of these animals is rather compact with elastic ribs and deep chest. The back is of medium length and short. And the loin, strong and wide. The croup is round and well muscled. However, it is a little drooping. But the front ones are very strong. They have the strongest bones, and the hooves of such horses have a black tint. And a unique feature of this breed is that almost all horses are of a dark-brown or wacko-brown suit. Almost 90% are just like that. But all the remaining 10%, golden and light brown, as well as greyish and gray. The data looks almost the same if an inexperienced "viewer" looks at them.

The Norwegian Fjord horse breed has retained its own primitive markings, which include a rather dark belt along their ridge, which runs from the bangs along the back and neck to the tail, as well as zebra-type stripes on the legs. Dark stripes can also be observed at the withers. Another unique feature of this animal is its mane. In the very center of the mane, the hair of these horses is rather dark. And most often, in general, black. And at the edges, at the same time, blonde hair. The mane is cut very short so that it stands upright.

During the plucking process, always observe the crescent shape. After all, this is to emphasize the incredibly graceful bend of the neck. The snow-white hair, which is somewhat distant from the center, is plucked a little shorter than the dark inner hair. All for this, so that it turns out to emphasize a very effective black stripe.

This is one of the oldest breeds on the planet! And it is definitely the oldest heavy truck on the planet of all that exists.
Once this good-natured, but strong horse with a peculiar appearance was the war horse of the warlike Vikings! Then they began to use it exclusively for peaceful purposes - for agricultural work and horseback riding.
They show good driving and running abilities, and can also be quite prepared for basic dressage and cross-country.

The homeland of the pony Fjord is Norway. It is one of the oldest and cleanest breeds in the world. It is believed to have descended directly from wild forest horses that were domesticated over 2000 years ago in southern Scandinavia.
Fjord is one of the very few breeds that retain the original primitive qualities and color. The earliest names for the fjords were "westlandschest" (horse of the western lands) or "nordfjordhest" (north fjord horse), reflecting the breed's geographical connection with Norway. These ponies were used as warhorses by the Vikings, and the Scandinavians may have been the first Western Europeans to use horses for agricultural work. Since large areas were raided by the Vikings, it is assumed that all modern heavy draft breeds in western Europe and many local pony breeds in England and Iceland carry a particle of Norwegian fjord blood.
The fjords have earned a reputation for being strong, reliable and good-natured ponies. For centuries, Norwegian farmers have used them to various works and transportation of goods. In addition to its strength, the breed also features soft gaits. The fjords have a thick coat so they can withstand harsh winters with minimal maintenance. Fjord horses are so unpretentious that they can even eat dried fish. A successful combination of these qualities led to the export of fjords to Europe, especially Denmark, where they were widely used for light agricultural work.

The first fjord studbook was published in 1910. Now the pony fjord livestock is about 6-7 thousand heads. This breed is of great interest and a significant number of ponies are bred in Europe and the Americas.
The head and neck of the fjords should be elegant, without rudeness. The head is medium in size with a broad, flat forehead and a straight or slightly concave profile. Ears are small to medium in size, set wide apart. The neck of the fjord is muscular and often swan-shaped, with a lower withers than other breeds. The body of the fjord horse is compact with a deep chest and elastic ribs. The back is short, of medium length, the loin is wide and strong. The croup is well muscled and rounded, slightly drooping. The legs are strong, with strong bones and black hooves.
A unique feature of the Norwegian fjord is that almost all horses (about 90 wacko - a bulan or dark brown color. The remaining 10% are light and golden brown, gray and savras. These horses are almost the same for the untrained eye. The fjords have also been preserved primitive markings, including a dark belt along the ridge running from the bangs along the neck and back to the tail, and zebra stripes on the legs. Dark stripes can also be seen on the withers. Another unique feature of the Fjord horse is the mane. The hair in the center of the mane is dark, usually black. while the edges are light. The mane is cut short and erect. When plucking, the crescent shape is observed to accentuate the graceful curve of the neck. White hairs far from the center are plucked slightly shorter than the dark inner hairs to emphasize
spectacular black stripe.