Tölten - The unique gait of the Icelandic horse
The Icelandic horse is known worldwide for its unique gait, the tölt. This special form of locomotion fascinates horse lovers all over the world. But why can only Icelandic horses do this? In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the topic of tölting and explore the reasons behind it.
Tölten - A definition:
The tölt is a four-beat gait in which the horse always has at least one hoof on the ground. In contrast to the trot, which involves a floating phase, the tölt allows the rider to ride particularly calmly and comfortably. This gait is extremely pleasant as it hardly creates any shocks for the rider.
Genetic predisposition of Icelandic horses:
The ability to tölt is genetic and occurs almost exclusively in Icelandic horses. Centuries of breeding on the isolated island have enabled the horses to develop the special characteristics of tölt. The robust and resilient Icelandic horses have developed a unique gait over time that is perfectly adapted to the harsh climate and mountainous terrain of Iceland.
Flexibility and balance:
Another reason why only Icelandic horses can tölt is their natural agility and balance. These horses have exceptional body control and can move their limbs independently of each other. This ability allows them to perform the tölt while maintaining a high speed.
Training and education of Icelandic horses:
Although the ability to tölt is genetic, the horse still needs training and education to perfect this gait. An experienced rider can improve the quality of an Icelandic horse's tölt through targeted training and make the most of its potential. It takes time, patience and expertise to get the horse to tölt at its best.
Popularity of the tölt:
The tölt not only has practical advantages for the rider, but is also very popular in the horse world. Many riders find the tölt aesthetically pleasing and harmonious. In addition, the tölt is very popular for riding tours and recreational sports. The gentle and comfortable gait enables relaxed rides in nature.
Can other horse breeds be taught to tölt?
It is important to note that teaching tölt to other horse breeds requires time, patience and specific training. An experienced rider can improve a horse's tölt quality and develop its ability to tölt through appropriate training. However, it should be noted that not all horses can achieve the same quality and speed in tölt as Icelandic horses.
It is believed that originally all horse breeds had the predisposition to tölt, but that this was bred out through the use of the horse for military purposes.
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