Being a horse lover, I try to make an effort to visit one of the local stables. When I visited Iceland, I decided to stay at Gauksmyri, a horse stable hostel where we got some time to meet the Icelandic horses!
When I asked the owner, is Icelandic horses warm blood or throughbreds, she couldn't answer as that is the only bred that ever existed in Iceland!
I was surprised to find that horses are forbidden to be imported into Iceland, and any exported ones are not the be returned to preserve its unique breed. The current breed has been preserved to be bred pure in Iceland for at least 1000 years. Apparently 900 years ago, some horses were either brought from Scotland or Mongolia, so that's probably why they have similar features.
Icelandic horses have broad shoulders, short and muscular neck, deep chest, and although somewhat like the size of a pony, they are known for withstanding some of the harshest winters in Iceland. Not to mention that hey also have a calm and big personality!
Just look at those big adorable eyes :)