Horse Trekking Adventure in Iceland

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post, I paid for this trip myself. All recommendations and opinions are my own.

As a horse lover, I’ve been dying to visit Iceland to ride the famous Icelandic horses ever since I watched them on TV as a child. I grew up riding competitively in eventing and show jumping, but sadly, working a full-time job in the city means I don’t get to ride as often as I would like. So, when I was planning my vacation to Iceland (which you can read about here), I jumped at the chance to ride an Icelandic horse in the unique and stunning Icelandic landscape.

Choosing which company to book with was challenging, as there a vast number on offer all over Iceland. The smaller companies are only open for horse treks from 1st May to 30th September, and as our trip was at the end of September/start of October, we decided to schedule it for the start of our trip to ensure that we didn’t miss out.

I picked Nupshestar because their tour options and very reasonable prices were clearly advertised on their website. In addition, their countryside location looked stunning and they offered smaller group sizes, which was a real selling point for me, as I did not want to join a massive tour group, so avoided the larger trekking companies. I also like to support small businesses.

(I just want to add a reminder here that I paid for this trip myself, so all stated views and opinions are my own. Nupshestar were not aware that I would be writing this post when we visited, so my experience reflects the type of service that they offer to all guests, i.e. we were not given any ‘special treatment’ other than what they would ordinarily offer their guests).

The booking process was straight forward. Elwira, who owns and runs Nupshestar, responded promptly and her communication was excellent. We ended up booking a two hour horse trek, although I would love to have chosen one of their longer multi-day treks (hopefully next time).

Nupshestar is about 88 km from Reykjavík, so it was our first stop on the start of our nine day self-drive trip around Iceland’s famous ring road. When we arrived for our trek, we were given a warm welcome by Elwira, her husband Svenni, and their happy, wagging, farm dog. Elwira, who spoke excellent English, introduced us to our horses which were chosen for us based on our skills and experience. We were pleasantly surprised to find that we were going to be riding on our own, as it was the end of the trekking season so quite quiet.

Elwira spent some time explaining about these unique horses. They stand at an average of 13 and 14 hands (52 and 56 inches, 132 and 142 cm) high, and although this is what we would typically describe as a pony outside of Iceland, they are registered and referred to as horses in Iceland. They originated from ponies taken to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries. Icelandic horses are unique because they have two additional gaits which include the four-beat lateral ambling gait known as the tölt, as well as the Valhopp, which is a tölt and canter combination.

The Icelandic horse breed is very pure, as Iceland does not permit the importation of any horses. Therefore, you will only find purebred Icelandic horses in Iceland. Although an Icelandic horse may be exported out of the country, once it is gone, it is never allowed to return. This ensures the bloodlines are kept pure, and protects the horses from diseases found in other countries. This is also the reason why you cannot bring your own horse riding gear into Iceland.

Elwira spent some time ensuring that we understood the basics of riding, then she provided us with helmets and waterproof overpants, which helped to keep us warm and dry. Thankfully it was a sunny day, but being Autumn, it was rather chilly. Then we mounted up and headed out on our trek.

It’s been some years since I’ve ridden a pony, as I usually ride a much larger horse, so I did worry that although I’m not a particularly large person, that I might feel too big for the horse. But the Icelandic horses really ride like a horse and I felt perfectly comfortable. These horses are extremely sturdy and tough.

I am an experienced rider and was with my husband who is a novice, but Elwira did a great job of ensuring that we both had an enjoyable ride. She gave me advice and instruction on how to get the horse to move into its different paces and helped my husband to gain confidence to ride the faster gaits. Our horses were mild mannered, calm, and well trained.

The scenery on our ride was simply wonderful. We started our ride through fields containing herds of their gorgeous Icelandic horses. It was a real pleasure to see them rolling, grazing, and happily tail swishing. These horses are not cooped up all day in a stable. They happily live outside and are evolved to do so, with thick coats, manes, and tails.

We rode through the stunning Icelandic countryside, against a backdrop of snow capped mountains, and eventually rode through a river. The horses enjoyed blowing into the water and having a drink. We then got the opportunity to dismount and take a break. As I don’t get the chance to ride very regularly anymore, it was nice to be able to stretch our legs and get to know our horses more (i.e. smother them with lots of cuddles and pats). It also gave us the opportunity to talk to Elwira and find out what living on a horse farm in Iceland is really like.

Elwira took lots of photos of us during our ride and promptly sent them to me afterwards. This was great, because it meant I could just enjoy my ride without have to worry about trying to take photos, which was much safer too. In acknowledgement, these photos taken of us during our ride were kindly provided by Elwira.

Following our ride, we were offered refreshments which included some delicious homemade baked treats made by Elwira. Then she showed us the mares and their young foals in the paddock behind the shed. They were super cute.

Our Icelandic horse trek was a very memorable highlight of our trip around Iceland, so I hope I have convinced you to give it a go too!

Practical Tips for Horse Riding in Iceland

What to Wear

• Ladies that need it – don’t forget to wear a good [amazon_textlink asin=’B01M5GC2Q1′ text=’sports bra’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’howbeautifullifeis-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’1314fe63-3cff-11e8-a5e3-15572919fd98′]. Going fast will cause bouncing.
• Wear comfortable pants. I recommend wearing trousers with a bit of stretch in them. I wore leggings, which is what I mostly wore on our trip, but my husband wore some hiking pants that have some stretch in them. We both had [amazon_textlink asin=’B00AFTREEG’ text=’wool leggings’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’howbeautifullifeis-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’95467b7a-cfd8-11e8-84cd-6bf5820cb5b9′] under our trousers.
• If it’s cold, then wear a [amazon_textlink asin=’B077SQ9NLY’ text=’headbuff’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’howbeautifullifeis-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’37b7cee7-3cff-11e8-b9ac-35c301e90e16′] or hat under your helmet, as this will help to keep your ears warm.
• If it is cold, wear warm clothing as well as gloves and a waterproof jacket. The weather is unpredictable in Iceland and it frequently rains. I also recommend wearing the waterproof overpants that will be offered to you by the horse trekking facilities. They will keep you dry and warm if it is raining or if you are going to be riding through water. They also help to keep your pants clean.
• For safety reasons, you need to wear closed shoes. As stated above, waterproof shoes are best. We just wore our hiking shoes.
• You will be provided safety helmets to wear, and yes, you are required to wear one.
• Don’t bring in your own riding gear into Iceland. Icelandic horses have not been exposed to or immunised against diseases, see more guidance here.

Age Restrictions

If you are travelling with children, then most horse trek companies have a minimum age of anywhere from 6 to 12 years of age, so if this applies to your situation, check before booking.

Weight Restrictions

There are weight limits that apply. Although these Icelandic horses are tough and sturdy, they do have their limits, so the horse trekking company will ask you your weight. It will then be up to the operator to advise if they can accommodate you.

Muscle Soreness

If you are not a regular rider, then expect some muscle soreness the next day. Horse riding is a really amazing all over body workout. Ease your sore muscles by visiting one of the many Icelandic hot springs.

Booking Horse Riding in Iceland

In the busier summer months, book ahead, as treks often book out due to the vast number of tourists that visit Iceland each year. Be aware that some of the smaller operators are usually only open from 1 May – 30 September as they rest their horses over winter. The weather isn’t very horse ride friendly during the winter months and the daylight hours are very short. However, the larger operators usually do offer rides all year round, particularly those near Reykjavík.

Horse Riding Options in Iceland

There are a huge range of horse trekking operators all over Iceland, offering horse treks from one hour all the way up to multi-day trips. You will typically join a group tour, but many of the operators also offer private horse treks at an additional cost.

The horse trek we enjoyed in this post was with Nupshestar, which is about 88km from Reykjavík. They offer short day treks to longer multi-day treks and operate from 1 May – 30 September.

Acknowledgement: The photos of us horse riding were kindly taken by our host, Elwira.