The Fjord or Norwegian Fjord Horse () is a relatively small but very strong horse breed from the mountainous regions of western Norway. It is an agile breed of light draught horse build. It is always dun in colour, with five variations in shade recognised in the breed standard. One of the world's oldest breeds, it has been used for hundreds of years as a farm horse in Norway, and in modern times is popular for its generally good temperament. It is used both as a harness horse and under saddle.

Characteristics

The conformation of the Norwegian Fjord Horse differs from that of many other breeds in that it is a blend of draught horse muscling and bone, with smaller size and greater agility. It has a strong, arched neck, sturdy legs and good feet, and a compact, muscular body. The head is medium-sized and well defined with a broad, flat forehead and a straight or slightly dished face, with small ears and large eyes. This roached mane is thought to make for easier grooming. It also accentuates the horse's strong neck and full-length dorsal stripe. There is some feathering on the lower legs; however, the breed standard discourages profuse feathering.

The weight normally ranges from . Dun is a body colour that is a tan, gold or related shade with darker (usually black or dark brown) points and primitive markings. The breed standard recognises five shade variations. These shades have been officially recognised in Norway since 1922. No equine coat colour genetics studies have been done specifically on the horses; but if they were not homozygous for the dun gene, then a dark-coloured, non-dun individual could occasionally occur. However, this is very rare or non-existent today; dark cropouts existed in the past, but breed standardisation has favoured duns and the colour is now produced consistently. In the Fjord, ' was traditionally considered undesirable, and thus is a very rare colour in the breed due to intentional selection against it. The center holds an annual event in Nordfjordeid during which stallions are evaluated against the breed standard and receive grades for conformation and movement.

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Norway and its fjords (1907) (14577607157).jpg|Fjord horse and cariole (1907)

Johannes kirke OB.Y1487.jpg|Sleigh in Oslo (1904)

Jordbruk - no-nb digifoto 20150227 00207 NB MIT FNR 00322.jpg|Ploughing with Fjords (mid-1900s)

Gloppen komm.svg|Coat of arms of Gloppen Municipality

Eid komm.svg|Coat of arms of Eid Municipality

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Use

thumb|Team in harness

The Fjord is strong enough for heavy work, such as ploughing fields or hauling wood, yet light and agile enough to be a good riding and driving horse. It is also sure-footed in the mountains. It is common at Norwegian riding and therapeutic schools, as its generally mild temperament and small size make it suitable for children and disabled individuals. It is considered a good harness horse, and is commonly used in competition and in tourist transport.

See also

  • Faroe pony
  • Icelandic horse
  • Henson horse

References

; Breed associations

  • USA Norwegian Fjord Horse Registry
  • Canadian Fjord Horse Association
  • Belgisch Fjordenpaardenstamboek (Belgian stud-book)
  • Fjordhesteavlen i Danmark (Danish stud-book)
  • Fjord Horse National Stud Book Association of Great Britain
  • Norges Fjordhestlag
  • Norsk Hestesenter
  • Svenska Fjordhästföreningen (Swedish stud-book)
  • Fjordpferde Vereinigung Schweiz (Swiss stud-book)
  • Het Nederlandse Fjordenpaarden Stamboek (Dutch stud-book)
  • Interessengemeinschaft Fjordpferd (German stud-book)
  • Suomen Vuonohevosyhdistys ry (Finnish stud-book)