Here is a detailed explanation of the Icelandic horse’s unique gait, the tölt, exploring its mechanics, genetic origins, and historical significance in navigating Iceland’s rugged terrain.
Introduction: The Horse of Fire and Ice
The Icelandic horse is a breed apart. Isolated on the island nation of Iceland for over a thousand years, it has remained genetically pure, developing robust characteristics to survive harsh winters and active volcanic landscapes. While most horses worldwide possess three natural gaits—the walk, the trot, and the canter/gallop—the Icelandic horse is famous for possessing two additional gaits: the skeið (flying pace) and, most notably, the tölt.
The discovery of the tölt is not a single historical "moment" but rather the preservation of an ancient trait that was lost in most other modern horse breeds.
1. What is the Tölt?
The tölt is a natural, fluid, four-beat lateral gait. It is the defining characteristic of the Icelandic horse and is prized for its explosive acceleration and unparalleled smoothness.
- The Footfall Pattern: In a trot (the bouncy gait most horses perform), legs move in diagonal pairs (e.g., front-left and back-right move together). This creates a moment of suspension where all four hooves are off the ground, causing the rider to bounce. In the tölt, the horse moves its legs in a lateral sequence (back-right, front-right, back-left, front-left).
- Constant Contact: Crucially, during the tölt, the horse always has at least one foot on the ground. There is no moment of suspension.
- The Rider’s Experience: Because there is no suspension phase, there is no jolt. A rider can sit deep in the saddle, virtually motionless, while the horse moves rapidly beneath them. It is often said that a rider can carry a full pint of beer while tölting without spilling a drop.
- Speed: The gait is incredibly versatile in terms of speed. It can be performed at a slow, collected "working tempo" (similar to a fast walk) or accelerated to the speed of a gallop.
2. The "Discovery": The Genetic Mutation DMRT3
For centuries, the tölt was simply understood as a natural ability. However, a major scientific breakthrough in 2012 finally explained why Icelandic horses can do this while others cannot.
Researchers identified a specific mutation in the DMRT3 gene, often referred to as the "Gait Keeper" gene. * The Function: This gene codes for a protein that coordinates the movement of the horse's limbs by affecting the spinal cord's neural circuits. * The Mutation: The mutation allows for the decoupling of the limb movements that force a horse into a trot. Instead of being locked into a diagonal movement, the horse possesses the neural flexibility to move laterally at high speeds. * Historical Context: Genetic analysis of ancient horse remains suggests this mutation originated roughly around 850 AD—coinciding with the Viking Age. The Vikings, who valued smooth-riding horses for long travel, likely selected for this trait and brought these specific horses from the British Isles and Scandinavia to Iceland.
While the mutation was eventually bred out of continental European horses (where carriages and heavy cavalry required a strong trot), it was preserved in Iceland.
3. Adaptation to Volcanic Terrain
The tölt is not just a show trick; it is an evolutionary masterpiece of adaptation to the Icelandic landscape.
- Lava Fields and Rough Ground: Iceland is geologically active, covered in solidified lava fields, tussocks, rivers, and rocky mountains. A bouncing trot is unstable on such uneven ground. The moment of suspension in a trot increases the risk of slipping or stumbling.
- Sure-footedness: Because the tölt ensures at least one hoof is always touching the ground, the horse maintains constant traction. This three-point or one-point contact provides stability on shifting volcanic gravel or ice.
- Rider Fatigue: Historically, Icelanders traveled long distances across the island without roads. A trotting horse causes significant rider fatigue over hours of travel. The smoothness of the tölt allowed Vikings and farmers to ride for extremely long distances without the physical toll associated with other breeds.
4. Training and Varieties of Tölt
While the ability to tölt is natural and genetic, it requires skilled training to perfect. Not all Icelandic horses tölt automatically; some prefer to trot, while others are "natural tölters."
Riders categorize the quality of the gait based on the horse's posture: * Tact: The rhythm must be a clean, even four-beat. If the horse leans too much toward a trot (piggy-pace) or a pace (lateral rolling), it is considered impure. * Form: A high-quality tölter will lower its hindquarters, raise its back, and lift its front knees high (high knee action), carrying its head proudly.
Summary
The "discovery" of the tölt is a story of genetic preservation. While the rest of the world bred horses for carriages and war (favoring the trot), the isolation of Iceland preserved a Viking-age mutation (DMRT3). This genetic anomaly produced a gait that acts as a natural shock absorber, allowing the horse and rider to glide smoothly and safely over some of the most treacherous and uneven terrain on Earth.