Nordvind Steed

This specilized breed of horses are used both as war mounts, farm animals and draught horses. They were useful for work in mountainous terrain. Its strength, durability and thick coat fare well in the rough winters.

Strong enough for heavy work, such as ploughing fields or hauling wood, yet light and agile enough to be a good riding and driving horse. It is also sure-footed in the mountains.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Nordvind Steed's differs from that of many other breeds in that it is a blend of draught horse muscling and bone, with smaller size and greater agility. It has a strong, arched neck, sturdy legs and good feet, and a compact, muscular body. The head is medium-sized and well defined with a broad, flat forehead and a straight or slightly dished face, with small ears and large eyes.
Despite its small size, the breed is fully capable of carrying an adult human and pulling heavy loads. The hair coat becomes particularly heavy and thick in the winter. This thick, heavy double coats provide excellent insulation against the cold. The waterproof outer layer also helps keep them warm and dry in snowy or wet conditions.
The feet are very strong making them ideal in rough and mountainous terrain.

The natural mane is long, thick, and heavy, but is usually clipped in a distinctive crescent shape to between 5 and 10 cm (2.0 and 3.9 in) so that it stands straight up and emphasises the shape of the neck. This roached mane is thought to make for easier grooming. It also accentuates the horse's strong neck and full-length dorsal stripe. There is some feathering on the lower legs; however, the breed standard discourages profuse feathering.

There is no upper or lower limit for height set for the breed, but heights between 135 and 150 cm (13.1 and 14.3 hands; 53 and 59 inches) at the withers are recommended. The weight normally ranges from 400 to 500 kilograms (880 to 1,100 lb)

Dietary Needs and Habits

Thrive on average-quality forage and might not require as much—if any—grain in their diets. Ideal of the barren frozen north.

Behaviour

They have a very good temperament and are easy to care for and train.

Death follows in my wake. I do not seek it out, but it is always there, nipping at my heels like a faithful hound. Gilli was my first kill. He was twelve, I was six. He beat me every day, to my eternal shame. One day, I'd had enough. I decided to play a trick on him. I stole his mother's torc and tied it to the tail of the jarl's horse. Then I let him chase me into the stables, where I hid. He saw the torch and went for it. And when he did, I took my stick and whipped that stallion right in the balls! The stallion bucked, kicked Gilli right in the face. He never bullied me again after that. You know... because he was dead. That was the end of Gilli's saga.

Saemund

Scientific Name

Equus

Geographic Distribution

• The Mur Fostisyr