Majestic Beauty
BY GAVIN MANLEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GUADALUPE LAIZ
For artist, photographer and explorer Guadalupe Laiz, discovering the magical allure of the horses of Iceland was a life-affirming experience that has shaped her personal philosophy and world view—as much as her career.
In her sumptuous photography book ‘Horses of Iceland’, Laiz has created a stunning visual narrative documenting five years spent in the company of these incredible creatures, in the most unforgiving of landscapes. And yet, beyond the imagery’s breathtaking appeal, her work reveals a much deeper truth: we—humans, animals, and planet—are all connected in ways we are still only beginning to understand.
“I remember it like it was yesterday…the first time I encountered the Icelandic horse,” Laiz said. “It was a small foal spending his first winter in the harsh Icelandic weather. I fell in love immediately. For right in that moment, something extremely special had entered my life.” Something special indeed. But just how did this Argentinian-born, Aspen-based photographer, who started out in fashion, come to find herself wading through Iceland’s glacial meltwaters in search of the perfect shot? “Pure luck,” Laiz laughed. “More than anything, music is my muse.
There were a couple of Irish musician friends of mine who were going there to record, and the idea of visiting this mystical country called ‘Iceland’ intrigued me, so I went. It wasn’t planned, but the moment I landed, I knew this was for me. That’s why I sometimes say the animals chose me. I was so drawn to them, so happy and at peace. I thought, I want more of this,” she said.
Following what she calls her ‘internal compass’ has been a consistent theme in Laiz’s life. In Iceland, she discovered the concept of ‘Innsæi’, an ancient word meaning——among other things—the ‘power of intuition’ and this resonated with her on a deeply emotional level. “Innsæi encapsulates what the Horses of Iceland book is all about, it’s my way of reflecting my inner world to the outer world”, she said in the forward of her book.
“I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that the Icelandic horse changed the course of my life. It changed the way that I see the world in so many different ways.”
The origins of the ‘original Viking horse,’ as it’s affectionately known are more than 1,000 years old. It was then that Norse settlers first selected the finest, most resilient amongst their herd for the arduous journey on longships to Iceland. Having been isolated on this island nation for centuries, without any genetic manipulation, the Icelandic horse of today is one of the purest breeds in the world. Prized for their strength and versatility, Icelandichorses excel at endurance racing, and some are fine jumpers, even competing in dressage.
As a ‘gaited breed,’ Icelandic horses have two additional gaits to other breeds, making them a joy to ride. As well as walk, trot and gallop, the Icelandic horse has what is called the ‘tölt’—a smooth, four-beat gait where the animal glides effortlessly, with one or two legs on the ground at the same time. The other distinguishing gait, ‘flying pace’ allows—as the name suggests—the horse to move very fast over short distances. This two-beat lateral gait allows these horses to reach speeds of almost 30 miles per hour, making them proficient racehorses as well.
Perhaps one of the most enchanting qualities of the Icelandic horse is the wonderful variation in coloring across the breed. With more than 40 shades and nearly 100 variations, the appearance of each horse is as distinctive as its personality. In fact, the official breeding goal of these horses includes a commitment to actively preserve this rich color palette for future generations.
However, beyond the obvious allure of the Icelandic horse as a physical specimen, for Laiz, these animals’ sturdy resilience belies a softness in character and gentle curiosity that’s particularly endearing. “I grew up around horses in Argentina, but the Icelandic horse is very different,” she said. “They’re literally like dogs—they greet you and just want to be close to you. If you lay on the ground, these horses will stay with you. They won’t leave to feed. They’re just so fond of humans.”
A rugged terrain of towering glaciers, frozen waterfalls and even active volcanoes means
these horses are instinctively attuned to their environment. And, in the remote silence of
the Icelandic wilderness, Laiz laid with the horses—sometimes for hours at a time—even
sleeping with them under the perpetual luminosity of the night sky. This experience not
only forged powerful bonds between the observer and the observed—it taught Laiz
invaluable life lessons about “calmness, patience and allowing things to simply unfold in
their own time.”
This closeness—call it an affinity as much as physical proximity—culminated in some
of the most intimate, the most touching portraits of wild animals ever captured on film.
“The imagery is, for me, a bonus,” according to Laiz. “Obviously, I am looking for great
shots, but the Icelandic horses taught me that it’s way bigger than the image”, she said.
To understand the artist behind the art is to appreciate that we are all one. For Laiz,
seeing wild animals as separate, as ‘other,’ is to do ourselves a disservice. “It’s
discouraging,” she said, “to see the lack of empathy we have for animals sometimes—
creatures who deserve the same rights and privileges that we humans take for granted.”
“The imagery is, for me, a bonus,” according to Laiz. “Obviously, I am looking for great shots, but the Icelandic horses taught me that it’s way bigger than the image”, she said.
“Loss of habitat is huge. You go to Nairobi in Kenya, and every year, there’s more houses. Animals don’t understand boundaries, they just come and go, and too often they get hit by cars. It’s a real challenge,” she said. “We must continue raising awareness and educating people—especially younger generations—about the issues that impact the lives of the animals on our planet.”
Inspired by the belief that “art and beauty transform how people think about conservation and nature,” Laiz continues to partner with environmental nonprofits such as The Dian Fossey Foundation and Save Giraffes, as well as doing humanitarian work for 4Africa in Sudan and Uganda. Her ultimate aspiration is that together we can educate people, so they make conscious lifestyle decisions to protect what makes our planet so wonderfully unique. Or as Laiz says, “I wouldn’t be able to do what I do as a photographer if the world wasn’t as beautiful as it is. It’s important that we cherish that. It may sound poetic, but it’s true.”
Originally published in the Fall 2024 Issue
of Equestrian Magazine