Uniquely Half-Wild
Icelandic horses are uniquely half-wild. Each summer, in a centuries-old tradition, farmers drive their horses to the highlands. For months, the horses roam free.
When they are round up and reunited with their owners in the fall, horses return to farms for sheepherding, or to compete in showing or racing.
Horses first came to Iceland in the 9th century by Norse settlers. These creatures are so embedded in their culture that noble, fast steeds (and even one eight-legged horse) are part of Norse mythology.
Epic Landscape
Lava fields, craggy peaks, ice fields, and towering waterfalls; I’m anticipating Iceland will provide a backdrop as majestic as the subject.
Part of Wild We Roam
Iceland is my next adventure as part of the ‘Wild We Roam’ series. It’s one of 20 locations I’ve chosen to document wild horses in their habitats.
The project is comprised of portraits of animal strength and spirit, displaying horses in their habitats, their interactions with each other and the land. Instead of simply documenting wild beauty, I plan to emphasize the larger contexts in which the horses exist, and the environmental, political and economic pressures shaping their future.
For The Keeners
If you’re curious and want to know more, I’d recommend the documentary Herd in Iceland. It opened my eyes as to how horses are truly part of the culture in Iceland.
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Jennifer Irving is a fine-art photographer who captures the essence of wild landscapes and creatures. Her unposed portraits are naturally beautiful works about real people and places.