While fjord horses are distinctively Norwegian, they share an uncanny resemblance to the carved wooden Dala horses from central Sweden. Fjord manes are often cut to a short, vertical crest to highlight the black stripe of hair down the middle. Given the designs a talented stylist can cut into the mane (diamonds, scallops, hearts, cogs, etc), one would think they were the inspiration for the fanciful folk painting on the manes of the Dala horses. Not to mention the shape of a Dala horse is much closer to the stocky profile of the fjord horse than a thoroughbred!