Hooves of the North – Meeting the Rare Icelandic Horses of Cornmill Stud

This past weekend, the Northern Realms team had the privilege of spending time with some truly legendary creatures — and no, we don’t mean Odin in disguise (although it felt pretty close).

We had the honour of meeting the incredible people at Cornmill Stud, right here in York — a passionate, knowledgeable, and down-to-earth team who are doing something extraordinary: breeding rare Icelandic gaited horses, just like the ones the Vikings once rode.

Now, if you’ve never heard of a gaited horse, prepare to have your mind (and spine) blown. These horses don’t just walk, trot, and canter like your average steed. Icelandic horses have a unique extra gear called the tölt — a smooth, four-beat gait that keeps the rider nearly motionless in the saddle, even over rough terrain. Imagine gliding across a battlefield or mountain trail like you're on a living hovercraft. That’s the tölt. There's also the flying pace, a high-speed, two-beat lateral gait that's as rare as it is thrilling.

This isn’t just some fancy show trick either — these gaits evolved to help Norse riders cover vast, rugged distances with speed and comfort. No wonder the Vikings loved them. These were the horses that carried warriors to battle, ferried messengers between fjords, and pulled sleighs through the snow. Small but strong, stoic yet spirited — Icelandic horses are living links to the Viking Age.

And Cornmill Stud? They are keeping that legacy alive in a way that is nothing short of magical. Their dedication to preserving this rare breed, their deep knowledge of Norse history, and their obvious love for their animals made our visit unforgettable.

We learned. We laughed. We may or may not have fallen in love with every single horse we met (and tried to smuggle one home in the back of the van).

As we build toward the dream of Norðheim, it’s encounters like these that remind us what this vision is really about: honouring the past, connecting with the land and its stories, and celebrating the animals and people who keep those stories alive.

So to the team at Cornmill Stud — thank you. You’re not just raising horses. You’re raising the spirit of the North.

Skol.