The Nordlandshest/Lyngshest also known as the "Nordland/Lyngen horse", "nordland horse" or "Lyngen horse", is a horse breed originating in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

. It is the smallest of the three Norwegian national horse breeds. It originated in

Lyngen Lyngen ( se, Ivggu suohkan; fkv, Yykeän komuuni) is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lyngseidet. Other villages include Furuflaten, Lattervika, Nord-Lenang ...

, but was given the name Nordlandshest in 1968 by breeders in that area. The name change was hotly disputed by breeders in Lyngen and surrounding areas, but a compromise was later reached, and today the official name of the breed is both Nordlandshest and Lyngshest.

Breed characteristics

The Nordlandshest/Lyngshest is a small and sturdy horse with drive and eagerness to work. It is surefooted and very strong relative to its size. It typically has a little feather on its legs and grows a heavy winter coat. Its height at withers varies between , with most horses falling between . For stallions offered for the studbook, reaching that height at three years old is desirable but not necessary. The Nordlandshest/Lyngshest should have balanced conformation and a strong, long build, with vitality and good temperament. The head should be dry and in proportion to the body and neck. The neck tends to be unrefined in conformation, but should be well set, and not be ewe-necked or too thick at the throatlatch. The back and especially the loin should be well-muscled. The croup and thigh should have good angles and be well-muscled. The croup may be somewhat sloping. The forequarters of the horse should be well-muscled with a wide and deep chest. Legs should be dry and set correctly with short, flat bone. Strong, hardy legs and good quality

hooves The hoof (plural: hooves) is the tip of a toe of an ungulate mammal, which is covered and strengthened with a thick and horny keratin covering. Artiodactyls are even-toed ungulates, species whose feet have an even number of digits, yet the rumi ...

are typical for the breed. The gaits should be smooth, correct, and agile with good overreach. Emphasis is placed on good hock action in all gaits. The

trot The trot is a ten-beat diagonal horse gait where the diagonal pairs of legs move forward at the same time with a moment of suspension between each beat. It has a wide variation in possible speeds, but averages about . A very slow trot is someti ...

should be energetic and ground-covering with good suspension. The

gallop The canter and gallop are variations on the fastest gait that can be performed by a horse or other equine. The canter is a controlled three-beat gait, while the gallop is a faster, four-beat variation of the same gait. It is a natural gait pos ...

should be light with good rhythm. Of coat colours, the breed standard allows the following: chestnut, bay,

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

, palomino, buckskin, silver dappled bay, silver dappled black, silver dappled buckskin, and

gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

. Retaining diversity of coat colour is desirable. BEC/Blue-eyed cream individuals may not be accepted in the studbook. Star and blaze are common markings, but blazes extending to the eye area, bald faces, and stockings reaching or exceeding 1/3 of the cannon on hind legs are discouraged. Blue eyes, white markings on the body, and "white reaching the skin of the forelegs" are disqualifying faults.

History

The first documentation of the Nordlandshest/Lyngshest dates to 1898, in

Lyngseidet Lyngseidet (also sme, Ivgumuotki or fkv, Yykeänmuotka) is the administrative centre of Lyngen Municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The village is located on an isthmus that is about wide between an arm of the Ullsfjorden and the ...

, Troms. Organised breeding began in the 1930s, when most of the breed population lived in the northern counties of Norway. The breeding was set back harshly by

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, and the breed remained endangered into the 1960s. In the 2000s the breed is no longer in acute danger of extinction, but its breeding program is challenged by limited genetic material and a desire to avoid outcrosses. There were only about 15-20 left, mostly older mares, and only one stallion; Rimfakse, from whom all Nordlandshest/Lyngshest today descend. The breed was saved due to the efforts of people like Christian Klefstad who laboured intensely to bring the breed back, traveling all over northern Norway to gather fertile horses for breeding. By 2005, approximately 3000 horses were in the national registry, and about 200 foals are born every year. , approximately 2500 individuals are reported to be registered, with annual births of approximately 200. Numbers are dwindling, and the breed is still endangered.

Use

Throughout its history, the Nordlandshest/Lyngshest has been versatile, with uses that include farm work and horse transport. Nowadays it is popular as a family pet due to its relative great strength, and its suitability for both riding and driving. Thanks to its strength and endurance, the breed is suitable for

trail riding Trail riding is riding outdoors on trails, bridle paths, and forest roads, but not on roads regularly used by motorised traffic. A trail ride can be of any length, including a long distance, multi-day trip. It originated with horse riding, and ...

and serving as packhorse. Its smooth gaits make it well-suited for therapy riding. It is also used for junior harness racing, dressage, and

jumping Jumping or leaping is a form of locomotion or movement in which an organism or non-living (e.g., robotics, robotic) mechanical system propels itself through the air along a ballistic trajectory. Jumping can be distinguished from running, gallo ...

, owing to a natural boldness and well-developed competitive instinct combined with a willing and cooperative nature.

Notes

Sources

External links

Kulturenett Troms information (on Wayback Machine)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nordlandshest Lyngshest Horse breeds Culture in Nordland Natural history of Norway Horse breeds originating in Norway

Breed characteristics

History

Use

See also

Notes

Sources

External links