Iceland may not spring to the front of your mind when you think about where you should take a riding holiday, but when you think about the things that make other locations stand out as ideal, big scenic spaces, interesting terrain, remoteness, varied views and native breeds of horse, Iceland ticks all the boxes. This is fantastic landscape to ride in. Glaciers and huge waterfalls on the sides of grey boulder strewn cliffs, grassy valleys and lots of empty space will satisfy the most view-hungry, and Iceland has its own native-bred horses who are used to the cold and slippery conditions. They also have a reputation for being friendly and easy to handle (don’t call them ponies though, people tend to get upset!), and they have their own special gait which suits conditions.

You don’t have to venture too far from civilisation either: you can begin just outside of Reykjavik and lose yourself pretty quickly.

Your main concern may be the weather, but it’s all about picking a good time of year, the photos of people swimming in steaming pools in the sunshine you see in the Iceland tourism adverts should give you confidence that it’s not all snow and ice (though apparently you can ride in the winter if you want.)

If you’re an experienced rider you’ll want to head to the highlands for the most dramatic mountain and glacial scenery, and possibly even arrange a trip involving droving wild horses, but if you’re a beginner the flats and the thermal (implying 'hot') springs area around Thingvellir National Park have lots to look at, including geysers and waterfalls, and the going is easier. One of the highlights of riding in Iceland has to be plonking into a hot spring or (hot tub) at the end of a days ride.

Quite a few companies specialise in all levels of riding holiday in Iceland.

Written by  halleyarcher.

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