Copper Bridle from Gotland
Although Scandinavians were known as a people of the sea, they did ride horses. The Gotland island, for instance, is home to its own group of ponies that appear to have been on the island for more than 4,000 years.[3] The Gotland horses are a smaller breed of horses and were most likely not used for warfare. The vikings were not known to ride horses into battle until the 11th century, but evidence of using horses for riding is clear. Interestingly, various excavations have elucidated that oxen carried goods while horses carried people.[4]
Apart from work animals, horses played a part in mythology. Sleipnir, the eight-legged horse of Odin, carried the god throughout all the universe. Horses were also buried with their owners with the hope that the horses would help the Valkyries carry the body to Valhalla. The bridle, clearly made with intricate details, may have been a piece of the costume for the horses in the afterlife.
Found along with this bridle were hundreds of silver objects. The bridle may have been part of a horde or a burial. Overall, the detail work and style of this bridle shows how intertwined the Scandinavians from Gotland are with horses. Horses provided transportation, as well as an outlet for religious ceremony. This bridle is just a small example of the importance of horses in the Gotland region and Scandinavia in general.
