(Equus ferus caballus)

Sometimes mistaken for ponies, Icelandic horses are much smaller than their mainland cousins. The reason for this is because it was easier to transport small horses, via boat, to a remote area like Iceland. Due to a peculiar quirk in how horse DNA works, small horse genes are linked to intelligence, leading the Icelandic horse to become smarter and more social than most other horse breeds.

The Icelandic horse has become popular all over the world, especially in riding clubs and breeding societies. While 80,000 of these horses live in Iceland itself, a further 100,000 have found homes for themselves in other countries.