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Icelandics - your friend for life.

About the Breed

 Our Icelandics SELECTIVE BREEDING for over one thousand years has created a unique breed of horse. More than one millennium of breeding free of outside bloodlines has produced one of the purest breeds of horse on earth.  Its easy going, friendly disposition make the Icelandic Horse the ideal companion for the entire family. With no natural predators in its home country the horse has shed much of its natural fight and flight instinct.  Icelandic Horses are very popular in Europe with close to 80,000 of them on the European continent, the same number in Iceland and they are catching on in North America, where roughly 2,000 can be found.
 Riding Time TOLT AND PACE
Beside the traditional walk, trot and canter, the Icelandic Horse performs two extra gaits, the TOLT and the FLYING PACE. The tolt is an extremely smooth four-beat gait, much like the running walk or rack, that allows the rider a virtually bounce-free ride at speeds up to 20 mph. The tolt is a natural gait, no artificial aids are needed and you often see foals tolting in the pasture.  Depending on their breeding, many Icelandic Horses also show the FLYING PACE. The pace is a lateral racing gait and horses reach speeds of up to 30 mph.
 
VERSATILITY
Icelandic horses are equally at home taking the children for a ride, in the show ring or trekking in the mountains. Centuries of isolation in Iceland has produced an extremely sure footed horse who is agile on rough terrain and shows great reserves of stamina.  Although only 13 to 14 hands, the Icelandic horse weighs between 800 and 1000 pounds and was bred to carry Vikings across Iceland. High bone density and strong sturdy legs enable them to carry an adult rider comfortably all day long. Their willingness to please makes the Icelandic Horse the ideal family companion.

Icelandics are very easy keepers and a thick winter coat protects them in cold climates. Slow to mature they are usually not ridden until they are four or five years old, but it is not unusual to ride them into their late twenties or early thirties. A great variety of colours, including many shades of dun and pintos can be found in the breed.

Both the United States Icelandic Horse Congress and the Canadian Icelandic Horse Federation are affiliated with FEIF, the European umbrella organization for Icelandic Horse Associations in Europe and North America.

 

 

 

Why Icelandics? 

After several bad experiences trying to learn riding on "normal horses", Rainer was so frustrated that he just gave up. Years later he learned about Icelandic horses, enjoyed their company and playful nature and soon owned two of them! That was in the early 1970s back in Germany, and most people laughed about these "hairy pigs". Today in Europe the Icelandics outnumber any other breed.

After imigrating to Canada we bought six mares from The Icelandic Horse Farm in Vernon, B.C in 1995: Two pregnant imported mares, Dukka fra Bakkakoti and Lisa fra Stokkseyri, two four year old canadian bred mares, Skugga and Skeifa fra Fitjamyri, and the yearling fillies Tyra fra Magnafaxi and Disa fra Icelandic Horse Farm made the start of our herd. Lisa had been bred by Sorli fra Tungufelli before she was imported from Iceland and presented us with a handsome chestnut colt with a flaxen mane and tail and lots of tolt who we named Faxi fra Big Bear Ranch. Dukka was in foal to Finnbogi fra Icelandic Horse Farm and her black colt, Krummi fra Big Bear Ranch was our main stud for several years. He has a very friendly disposition and a strong tolt. His offspring is mainly black. After Dukka got a very beautiful bay colt sired by Segull fra Stora-Hofi with smooth gaits, he, Dani fra Big Bear Ranch, now is our main stud and our herd gets more colourful.

Our Icelandics  -  the Home-run

We raise our horses in big groups on large pastures. We have the perfect place to raise foals, growing up climbing hills, stepping over logs, getting lots of natural exercise and learning to look out for bears and cougars. This is a good base to meet our breeding goal: a strong, reliable and experienced trail horse, a true friend for life and lots of fun to ride.

 

Stud Service

For breeding we use our stallion Dani fra Big Bear Ranch.
Dani is a beautiful Icelandic horse with a dark reddish-brown colour and a nice character.

Stud fee CDN$ 500.00 + 3 CDN$ per day mare care.
Purebred Icelandic mares only. - Live foal guarantee.

 Dani_Stud  2001 Dani fra Big Bear Ranch
category N

 

 

Our Icelandic Horses

Skuggi

Most of our horses are still too young to be ridden, so we do not try to give a description for every horse. Instead you are very welcome to visit our place and take a look: Join us on our daily horse exercise tour up and down the mountain. This is a 1-3 km drive of the whole herd to and off pasture in the morning and at night. 

 

Sale-Prices:

The horses are divided into categories depending on their price. The catogories are shown below:

Category: Price:
      A up to 2.000 $ CDN
      B 2.000 - 3.500 $ CDN
      C 3.500 - 5.500 $ CDN
      D 5.500 - 8.000 $ CDN
      E 8.000 - 12.000 $ CDN
      F over 12.000 $ CDN

 

Mares:

1987 Dukka Dukka Fra Bakkakoti, Rang. dark-bay
not for sale offspring
1989 Lisa Fra Stokkseyri Lisa Fra Stokkseyri, Arnessyslu palomino w. blaze not for sale offspring
1991 Skeifa Fra Fitjamyri Skeifa Fra Fitjamyri sorrel pinto not for sale offspring
  Skugga Fra Fitjamyri Skugga Fra Fitjamyri black not for sale offspring
1994 tyra Tyra Fra Magnafaxi

dark brown


 

not for sale offspring

1999 isafold Isafold Fra Big Bear Ranch

dark brown

Isafold is a five gaited mare with an excellent confirmation and good gaits. She wants to work and gets sometimes overexcited. Isa, as we call her, has a nice and friendly character but she is definitely a horse for an experienced rider with a lot of patience to build up a trustful relationship to her.

Her offspring is good looking with smooth gaits and a lot of expression. (link to offspring: Ingolfur und Ingibjoerg)

 

E


2003 dora3 Dora Fra Big Bear Ranch

bay

This absolutely beautiful mare is a joy to ride and will be a perfect family horse or a horse for a young adolescent. Dora is very friendly and loves to be with people. She is five gaited with a lot of natural Tolt, good Trot and Canter. She is safe on trails, participated in some horse shows and is very well trained by different trainers.

Adorable Dora!

 

E

skippa1 Skippa Fra Big Bear Ranch

dark brown

Skippa is a tall black mare with a beautiful star. She showed Tolt under the saddle from the first moment on. Her gaits are smooth with good movements and expression. Skippa has been a bit suspicious when we started her, but now she is very interested in pleasing and learning  so it is really enjoyable to work with her. She might become an interesting horse for anybody more experienced as well as for breeders too.

D
           
2004 Bessa Bessa Fra Big Bear Ranch

brown bay

Bessa will be the perfect option if you want to go for a ride, relax and do not think about anything anymore. She is amazing, calm and friendly, easy going with a lot of natural Tolt.

She has been at the Fall Fair, is used to a lot of people touching her and would be a good choice as a horse for kids too.

 

D

lina Lina Fra Big Bear Ranch  brown D  
           
 2005  foal2006 Ingibjoerg Fra Big Bear Ranch
   Sold

Dam: Isafold Fra Big Bear Ranch

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch
   lisa_littlaelska Litla Elska Fra Big Bear Ranch

liver chestnut

Our little girl is one of the youngest horses in training right now. She is four gaited and shows Tolt all the time. Her colour is unique, her coat is dark brown, but mane and tail have a lot of blond hair. Litla Elska is not finished with her training yet but she will be a nice horse in the end maybe with a bit more temperament.

 C  

Dam: Lisa Fra Stokkseyri, Arnessyslu

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch
   sunna Sunna Fra Big Bear Ranch

bay

Sunna is a tall bay mare with very good confirmation and a pleasant appearance. She has been started and did very well so far. She is paying attention all the time but not afraid of anything and we are expecting her to become a really nice family-fun-trail horse.

Due to her beauty and her absolutely friendly character she might be a good breeding mare too. Sunna shows Tolt, Trot and Canter so far. She might be a four gaited horse.

C
 

Dam: Skugga Fra Fitjamyri

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch
           
 2006  Sif Sif Fra Big Bear Ranch

bay

This cute mare has a beautiful confirmation and shows nice gaits but she is a bit small for her age and so we decided to wait a bit longer with her training.

 C  

Dam: Sina Fra Big Bear Ranch

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch

           
 2007 Kylja fra Big Bear Ranch Kylja Fra Big Bear Ranch

bay

Kylja has been started on the halter and we did some ground work with her.

   

Dam:Dukka Fra Bakkakoti

Sire: Kjalar fra Skagastroend 

 2009  frekja Frekja Fra Big Bear Ranch

bay

Frekja knows how to give her hooves and enjoys to get brushed but the rest she does not care so much! She is one year old now and has time…

   
 
 foal2009 ?? Fra Big Bear Ranch
   

 


 
Geldings:
1996 diddi Diddi Fra Big Bear Ranch

chestnut

Diddi the allrounder! He is a nice guy with a good temperament, beautiful long blond mane and tail and a never ending will to go.
Diddi might be the right horse for somebody who is an experienced rider who wants to go for long trail rides all year around. Diddi needs one person to trust and if he has found that person he will always give 200%. He does not have big movements in Tolt but he is really easy going and a fun to ride.

 

E
1999 litli Litli Fra Big Bear Ranch

dark brown

Litli is four gaited and he would love to live and eat forever. He would be a good horse for kids, also as a therapy horse, because he is really friendly to people, calm and nice to work with in the riding arena. We also started him under the double lunge and the harnest and he did actually very well.

E

2000 Ladi Fra Big Bear Ranch Ladi Fra Big Bear Ranch

black-brown

13.5 h height

A
   no picture yet  Sorli Fra Big Bear Ranch  black  Sold
2001 no picture yet Laxi Fra Big Bear Ranch brown
B

2002 no picture yet Vani Fra Big Bear Ranch dark brown
E

2003 no picture yet Leo Fra Big Bear Ranch dark liver chestnut A
2004 no picture yet Ingolfur Fra Big Bear Ranch

brown

Ingo, as we call him, is a smart and pretty guy. He learns really quickly and pays always attention. We started him this spring and rode him a few times in the round pen. He has good dynamic movements and is easy going. He is bay as his father Dani fra Big Bear Ranch.

 

D


Oskar Oskar Fra Big Bear Ranch

black

Oscar is the nice guy. He is just a lovely horse. We started him and he has always been a pleasure to train and to work with. Oscar is black and has a wonderful white star. He is four gaited and is looking for a nice person that wants to spend a lot of time with this cute horse.

D
 2005  Stjarni Fra Big Bear Ranch Stjarni Fra Big Bear Ranch

chestnut

Sold

Dam: Skeifa Fra Fitjamyri

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch
   tyr Tyr Fra Big Bear Ranch 

chestnut

C

Dam: Tyra Fra Magnafaxi

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch
 2007  loki Loki Fra Big Bear Ranch bay

Loki is three years old and we worked with him a little bit just to let him know the basics. He is already a relatively tall gelding with strong legs and a pretty colour. We will do more with this winter and probably start him under the saddle next spring when he turns four.

 

Dam: Lisa Fra Stokkseyri

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch

 2008  horse-dummy Skyfaxi Fra Big Bear Ranch chestnut  

Dam: Skugga Fra Big Bear Ranch

Sire: Dani Fra Big Bear Ranch

 

If it's not an Icelandic, it's just a horse!
 
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