I think we have to do some clean up on the image of the Icelandic Horse. Here's a post from another list:
>>>> This is a subject that is interesting to me, because my best friend has an Icelandic. I really thought long and hard about getting an Icey or a SSSSS. The first thing that turned me off about the Icelandics was that I would have to find an Icelandic trainer, and while there are some great people involved with this breed, it is such a specialty, and wouldn't necessarily exist everywhere I lived. Plus, I adore my current trainer! : ) Then, my friend's Icey seems a bit aloof. I have met friendlier Icelandics than her horse, but then I found out they were not suitable for beginners. I started to feel like these horses were spirited racehorses in deceptively adorable bodies! This may or may not be true, because I don't have enough experience to back it up. All I know is that I have been riding a 5 year old SSSSS stallion, and he is pretty gentle and steady, just an all around super calm horse. I began to wonder if SSSSS were just more sensible (in general) than Icies overall, not to mention more able to bond. (My friend has owned her Icelandic for over a year now, and they still don't seem bonded).<<<<< Judy http://icehorses.net http://clickryder.com
