From the aurora borealis to snowy peak mountains, Scandinavia has some of the most breathtaking scenery in the world. There are also some wonderful horse breeds that call this sub-region home.

Horse breeds common in Scandinavia include the Gotland Pony, Northern Swedish Horse, Scandinavian Coldblooded Trotter, Swedish Ardennes, Swedish Warm, Norwegian Fjord, Dole, and Nordlandshest/Lyngshest.

These wonderful breeds play an important role in Scandinavian culture and are known for their toughness and good looks.

Below are eight breeds of Norwegian and Swedish horses.

1. Gotland Pony

Gotland pony is a very old Swedish breed, believed to be a descendant of Tarpan horses. Also called Ross, they are native to the woodland region of the island of Gotland.

Although horses lived on Gotland 4,000 to 5,000 years ago, the first official reference to Gotland ponies dates back to the 13th century. Throughout the 19th century, farmers in the area used ponies for traction.

In the mid-19th century, their numbers began to decline and many horses were sold throughout England, Germany and Belgium.

The numbers of wild herds began to decline due to deforestation of their native forests. By the beginning of the 20th century, there were only 150 Gotland ponies.

Farmers from Gerum and Lojst and the Gotland Agricultural Society came together to save the breed. They fenced off 200 acres of land for horses to roam through, and they also donated some horses to the horse farm. There is still a semi-feral herd on the island.

Today there are about 9,000 Gotland ponies in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and the United States. The breed has an elegant figure with expressive eyes, a straight profile, a muscular neck, a short back, and strong legs.

Gotland ponies average between 11.2 and 13 hands in length and come in nearly every colour, although bay and don are the most common. They excel in dressage, organizing events, and driving, and are pony rides for children.

2. The Northern Swedish Horse

The Northern Swedish Horse is a relatively new breed of horse that hails from Dole. Although the breed is smaller in stature, horses have a strong build.

The breed’s horse registry was established in 1909, with the development of the Northern Swedish League in 1924. In 1949, Country Horse Day began to register Northern Swedish mares and stallions.

The breed consists of two types: the trot and the draft horse.

Northern Swedish horses are about 15 hands long, come in all solid colors, and have excellent stamina, endurance and durability. They have deep chests, thick necks, short, strong legs, and a muscular body. As a versatile breed, it has many uses including forestry, agricultural work, horse riding, and belt racing.

3. Scandinavian Cold Blood Trotter

The Scandinavian Coldblood Trotter consists of two books, the Norwegian Coldblood Trotter and the Swedish Coldblood Trotter.

These strong but fast horses are the result of light and fast horses being raised with the original cold-blooded farm horses, such as the Dole or the North Swedish Horse.

The goal of the Scandinavian Coldblood Trotter is to produce a horse that is fast, strong, and smooth while also being more refined than the Dole and the North Swedish Horse.

The Scandinavian Coldblood Trotter is heavier and stronger than other trotting breeds such as the Standardbred. They often have thicker coats than most trotting horses, which allows them to survive harsh winters.

The Scandinavian Coldblood Trotter is a popular choice for horse racing throughout Scandinavia. They are about 15 hands long and are usually black or black, although they can be other colors as well. These athletic horses have compact, muscular bodies, sculpted legs, and square heads.

4. Swedish Ardennes

The Swedish Ardennes breed developed from the crossing of Ardennes horses imported from Belgium and France with the horses of Northern Sweden. The breed was created in the 19th century to meet the agricultural needs of farmers.

In 1872, Count C.G. Wrangel began importing and breeding Ardennes horses with local Northern Swedish breeds. By crossing the Andrennes with Northern Swedish horses, they were able to improve their size while still maintaining their tolerance of colder climates. The genealogy book of the breed was created in 1901.

Swedish Ardennes horses are a popular choice for agricultural work, logging and driving throughout Sweden. They average 15.2 to 16 hands in length and are often black, chestnut or chestnut in color.

Swedish Ardennes horses have long legs and feathers on their legs, with a muscular build, a short, thick neck and a deep chest.

5. Swedish Warmblood

Athletic and graceful, they have been bred to ride warm Swedish horses for centuries. To improve the original Swedish stock, Spanish and Friesian horses were imported in the 16th century.

During the 19th and 20th centuries, Arab, Hanoverian, Thoroughbred, and Trakner blood were introduced into Swedish stocks used by the military.

In 1874, the government started an examination system to standardize the different breeds. This led to the development of the Swedish Warmblood breed.

The Swedish Warm Blood Society (ASHV) was founded in 1928 and has dominated the breeding program since the 1970s when the military stopped using horses. They have gone on to excel as sports horses, and have competed at the highest levels including the Olympic Games.

Swedish Warmbloods stand around 16-17 hands and are most commonly chestnut or bay, although they can be other colors as well. They are athletic horses with graceful necks, strong legs and a well-muscled body. Swedish warm-bloods excel in dressage, jumping, and competitions.

6. Norwegian Fjord

The Norwegian Fjord, or fjord, is one of the oldest and purest breeds of horse in the world, with a history dating back 4,000 years. Herds roamed Norway’s fjords after the last Ice Age and were selectively bred for 2,000 years.

Fjords are easily recognizable by their distinctive appearance, with 90% of horses being brown with rudimentary markings. The remaining 10% are red, gray, white, oles, or yellow dons.

Their crests are dark in the middle and white on the outside. In order to show this, their manes are cricket, with the white sides cut shorter than the black middle.

In the late 19th century, Dole blood was introduced to the breed. However, the experiment proved a failure and all of Dole’s blood was wiped out from the breed. Today, it is one of the most popular breeds in Norway and is also found all over the world.

Straits are distinguished by an elegant head, crested neck, muscular body, and strong legs. They generally stand 13.2 to 14.2 hands and are known for their calm and friendly personalities. Fjords are a versatile breed, excelling in dressage, trail riding, jumping, western fun, and driving.

7. Relief

Dole, also known as Dølehest, Dole Trotter, and Dole Gudbrandsdal, originates from the Gudbrandsdal Valley in eastern Norway. Although the breed dates back hundreds of years, organized breeding began in the mid-19th century.

The first genealogy book was formed in 1941 and the association was founded in 1947. The breed split into two classes, the heavy  type , the  Dole Gudbrandsdal type, and the lighter type, the Dole Trotter. The lighter type was crossbred with Thoroughbred, Arabian, Canter, and Blood Chains to create the Dole Trotter.

While Dole Trotters became popular horses in use, Dole Gudbrandsdals were in high demand during World War II thanks to their ruthless nature.

In 1967, the National Dølehorse Society was formed to promote the heavier draft type, while the Dole Trotter’s genealogy book remains separate. However, as interbreeding increased between the two species, the distinction between them became less prominent.

Dole horses have a straight head, muscular neck, deep chest, strong body, and strong hind limbs. They generally stand between 14.1 and 16 hands, come in many colors and often sport plumage on their legs.

Dole horses have many uses including packing work, agricultural work, belt racing, riding, and driving.

8. Nordlandschist / Lingschist

The Nordlandshest/Lyngshest, or Lygen, is a small breed of horse from Norway. Experts don’t know much about their origins, but the first documentation of the breed dates back to 1898, in Lyngseidet.

Regulated breeding began in the 1930s, however World War II caused the breed’s numbers to drop dramatically. The breed remained under threat of extinction until the 1960s, but its numbers are back even today thanks to dedicated breeders.

In 1968, local breeders called the horse Nordlandshest. However, this name bothered the Lyngen breeders who referred to the horses as Lyngshest.

As a compromise to the dispute, both Nordlandshest and Lyngshest became official names for the breed.

Nordlandshest/Lyngshest horses average 12.3 to 13.3 hands in length and come in a variety of colors including chestnut, bay, black, palomino, suede and grey. They have strong but light builds and sometimes even have light feathers on their legs. Their willingness to learn and easy-going personalities make them ideal for riding, driving and work packages.