Get on an Icelandic horse and discover Iceland

By: Virginia Imberti Posted: 23/09/2022

The natural beauty of Iceland, and especially its volcanic landscape, makes it a tempting travel destination. Geysers, hot springs, snow-covered volcanoes and large glaciers to name but a few.

Horseback riding on this “Viking” island is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for any intrepid rider.

In this article, you will see how important the Icelandic horse is and some of the most interesting rides to discover the island.

The Icelandic Horse, Small but Sturdy

Travelling across Iceland, we can immediately see that horses are present everywhere.

The Icelandic horse breed has developed from ponies taken to Iceland by Scandinavian settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, although it is believed that these horses are descendants of the Mongolian horse.

Despite its small size – it stands an average of 135 cm – the Icelandic horse is known for being strong and hardy. It can carry a man and has adapted very well to the harsh conditions of Iceland, with a thick double coat that protects them.

The Icelandic Horse is the only horse breed allowed in Iceland.

Icelandic law prevents horses from being imported into the country and once they leave the country, Icelandic horses are not allowed to return in order to prevent foreign diseases from entering the country.

And that’s not all; bringing used riding equipment to Iceland is not allowed, because Icelandic horses are not vaccinated and are therefore susceptible to infectious agents from abroad. If you want to bring your own equipment (boots, gloves, pads, etc.), it must be either new or fully disinfected.

But what makes this horse breed so special?

It is the only breed that has 5 gaits.

In addition to the classic walk, trot and gallop, Icelandic horses master two other gaits: the smooth four-beat gait (Tölt), even at 25 km/h.

Finally, there is what Icelanders call "the flying pace". The Skeid or Flugskeið is a two-beat gait where the horses move the front and back leg on the same side simultaneously.

This special feature, together with their strength and calm temperament, makes them ideal for horseback riding.

Horseback riding in Iceland

Several farms offer horse riding holidays in Iceland. Many are located just minutes from Reykjavik. Their rides are suitable for all levels of rider and range from one-day to ten-day tours.

Ampascachi brings you 3 riding holiday operators in Iceland: Hesta Sport, Viking Horses and Riding Iceland.

Hesta Sport

If you are looking for an equestrian experience in Icelandic lands or a scenic and well-equipped place to stay, at Hesta Sport you will find it.

Located in Skagafjörður, in the northwest of the country, an incredibly wild area with many more landscapes than people.

You will stay in beautiful cottages, with magnificent views overlooking the vast plains and mountains of the Skagafjörður valley.

They offer a wide selection of horse riding tours to suit all levels of rider. And if your travel companion does not want to ride, they will assist you to plan a selection of tours to enjoy the vast range of activities that the area has to offer.

Their riding programs

They cater for all tastes, from one hour up to day tours, and they also have week-long tours taking you into the Icelandic highlands.

They have 9 short tours and the most popular one is the "Viking Ride". All of them are centre-based rides. They also offer riding lessons.

On horseback riding routes lasting several days you will ride with a herd of horses. More than once, you will walk side by side with your horse, some areas are very steep and you will have to climb together.

They have 6 horseback routes lasting between 3 and 7 days riding days long and range from suitable for intermediate riders to physically challenging tours for experienced and fit riders.

Their experienced local guides will take you through breath-taking nature that cannot be accessed other than on horseback or on foot.

The “Home at Hestasport” Program

If you want to relax surrounded by beautiful nature and do plenty of horseback riding adjusted to your skills and experience, while discovering the diversity of the fjord Skagafjörður, this program is ideal.

They combine horseback riding with different activities, such as rafting, boat trips, bird watching, sea angling or museums.

General information:

• Suitable for riders of all riding experiences.
• Duration: 5 days / 4 nights - 4 days riding.
• Around 5 - 15 km daily of travel.
• May to mid-October.
• Minimum age 8 years and from 2 people.

Itinerary:

On the first day you will meet with the Hestasport team in Varmahlíð, Skagafjörður. You will be transferred to one of their private cabins, where you will be accommodated throughout your stay.

In the afternoon, you will meet your adventure companions for the next days, the horses. Your guide will show you how to saddle and then it‘s time to get on horseback for the first time. During this 1 h introductory trip you will get first impressions of the Icelandic horse and the way it moves.

Your guide will pair you with the most suitable mount and adjust the trip to suit your skills.

On the second day, there is a 3-hour ride. The rest of the day, you can go for one of the many activities they offer.

The next 2 riding days are planned as day tours on horseback with hand horses. If you don´t feel comfortable leading a hand horse, they will assist you with that.

During the itinerary, your guide will find peaceful spots to enjoy lunch breaks together with the horses. A few hours after that, you go back to the cottage.

Go to their web site for further information about all their rides: https://riding.is/

Viking Horses

Viking Horses is a family-run company offering unique horse riding adventures around Iceland. They are located near the lava field of Rauðhólar, in Heiðmörk Natural Reserve.

They enjoy what they do a lot – travelling and horse riding, and that cheerful and pleasant spirit is soon felt by every rider visiting them.

His favorite phrase is: “Small groups - Big adventures”.

They consider that it is the only way to provide a more personal experience, and in this way, they can quickly meet every requirement.

Each day, when the ride starts, you spend less time waiting for a big group and more time enjoying the Icelandic horse and the unspoiled Icelandic nature. In their opinion, an optimal group size is between 2-10 people.

Their Icelandic horses

Their horses mean everything to them and are the centre of their attention, they are very proud of their qualified four-legged team.

They are horses that are very well trained and cared for, in excellent physical conditions, easy to ride and with good "Tölt" so you can fully enjoy the Icelandic way of riding.

Their horseback rides

They offer 3 riding experiences: the morning, afternoon and evening tours, and you can combine them while you are in Iceland. They will get you a hotel room and take care of all the travel logistics.

Their Combo Tours offer the possibility to combine horseback riding and other activities, such as sightseeing flights and hot springs.

They also run private riding tours for small groups. These tailor-made horseback adventures are designed to suit your personal interests and needs.

Important information:

• The age minimum is 8 years. Children between 8 and 16 have to be accompanied by an adult.
• The weight limit is 110 kg.
• You must be in good physical shape to ride.
• They provide a high-quality riding equipment.
• They provide rain gear, taking into account the unfavorable climate of Iceland.

They have 3 horse riding programs:

• Volcan Tour: Suitable for all levels, it is a relaxing and fun morning ride over Hólmsheði hills and the surrounding area: stunning views over mountains, lakes, Reykjavík city and volcanic formations.
• Mjölnir Lava Tour: This tour is usually in the evenings. You will ride through small forests at Hólmsheiði hills and the bizarre lava formations of Rauðhólar, which are clusters of 5200-year-old pseudo craters.
• Tour Sleipnir: You will ride in the afternoon sun and late at night through beautiful green nature: Hólmsheiði hills, Stallion Valley and the red and magnificent lava formations of Rauðhólar.

Finally, in their Riding Club they offer short rides (1 - 1.5 hours) and private 45-minute lessons. You will practice your riding skills and learn to ride Icelandic horses.

More information about Viking Horses on their web site: https://vikinghorses.is/

Riding Iceland

This family business has been running horseback riding tours in North Iceland for over 20 years. They are located in the seaside town of Húsavík.

Home Base of Riding Iceland is at Saltvík farm. There the horses live outside in a big herd during the winter and most of their northern trails are starting and ending at the farm.

Important aspects to keep in mind:

• Group size ranges from 10 to 18 riders according to types of tours.
• We usually calculate to bring 2-3 horses for every rider.
• Reasonable physical conditions are needed on all tours, especially on our longer highland tours where daily rides can be up to 7-8 hours.
• The minimum riding ability required is mastery of the basic aids and the ability to control the horse at all paces and in the open country.
• Children from 10 years old are welcome but need to be as competent riders as described above.
• The average length of the day is 4-6 hours in the saddle and can sometimes be longer than that.
• We take short breaks every hour or two to stretch our muscles and allow the horses to rest a bit.

Day tours

Apart from their equestrian routes, they offer day trips from the Saltvík farm for riders of all levels. Their duration is between 1 and 5 hours and they go through the coastline of Skjálfandi Bay, with beautiful views over the ocean.

Their Horseback Tours

They offer several rides in the North of Iceland, ranging from 4- to 7-day tours, apart from their "Dream Tour" program.

“Northern Exposure” has been one of their most popular equestrian programs since 1994. It is now known as The Diamond Circle". For 5 days, you will discover the most beautiful landscapes of northern Iceland.

In addition to their tours in the North of Iceland, they offer 6 programs in the south and west of the country, all of them are run by Íshestar, a tour operator they collaborate with.

Dream Tour

They are always looking for new trails all over Iceland with the idea in mind to offer long challenging riding holidays.

In 2022, they offer a new Dream tour version of 35 days in total (27 days in the saddle), combining 4 different trail:

1. Sprengisandur: you will travel the old trail across Sprengisandur highland route to the oasis of Laugafell in the center of the Icelandic highlands with the big glaciers Vatnajökull and Hofsjökull. (7 riding days)
2. Arnarvatnsheiði Western Glaciers: You will ride into the valleys the valleys of Skagafjörður and back up to the western highlands of Kjölur and Arnarvatnsheiði along the glaciers Langjökull and Eiríksjökull towards the west coast, to Snæfellsjökull glacier. (9 riding days)
3. Beaches and Valleys of the West: You will enjoy the amazing beaches of Löngufjörur and ride through the western valleys towards Hrútafjörður in the north. (6 riding days)
4. Lakes and rivers of the Northwest: You will cross lakes Hóp and Húnavatn and riding the soft riverbanks of Vatnsdalsá and Miðfjarðará. (5 riding days)

It is possible to choose only one of these trails or all four, and the price will vary according to that.

Find more information by visiting their website: http://www.riding-iceland.com/

/ Photos: www.riding.is, www.vikinghorses.is and www.riding-iceland.com /

Are you also passionate about the idea of travelling Europa on horseback?

If you want to know more about this country or look for other horse riding destinations in Europe, download our eBook The best horse riding holidays in Europe where you will find a wide selection of the best riding holiday operators.

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