Reykjavík Grapevine - 18.05.2007, Side 21

4_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 06_007_TRAVEL/RECREATION
Since the Icelandic horse has lost most of its
practical value in modern society, having been
replaced by more modern modes of transporta-
tion, mainly the automobile, riding horses has
become a hugely popular hobby in Iceland. The
Icelandic horse has also become a very popular
riding breed in Europe and North America,
chiefly because of its unique gaits. Apart from
the usual walk, trot, and canter, Icelandic horses
are able to tölt. The tölt is a four-beat lateral
gait in which the horse always maintains at
least one foot on the ground. Since there is no
moment of suspension, tölt is very smooth and
comfortable for the rider
It had been over ten years since I last sat on
a horse and I was a little worried that it might
show. Riding a horse is different from riding a
bicycle in that manner. You are dealing with a
living animal, not an object. In other words,
unlike bikes, horses have character – some
of them are moody and others are lazy, so
even if you do not forget how to ride a horse,
building confidence in your skills requires you
to spend time with the animals and to get to
know them.
Ghost Rider
All my worries vanished when I met the guides,
however, who obviously had things under con-
trol and were used to dealing with the horses
and, more importantly, insecure riders such
as myself.
They lectured me on the basics – sit deep
in the saddle and keep your heels down in the
stirrups. They schooled me on their two rules:
have fun and do not scream. Then they brought
me a horse named Móri after the most famous
of Icelandic ghosts. Luckily, Móri the horse was
far more even-tempered than Móri the ghost.
It was a fine day for riding horses. It had
rained earlier in the morning, but the rain had
let up and the weather was still, with cloudy
skies and a mild temperature of around 10° C
– the perfect conditions to enjoy the outdoors.
Our two-hour ride went smoothly and took us
around the beautiful lava formations around
Hafnafjörður and the surrounding area.
It is an incredible feeling to experience na-
ture from the back of a horse rather than behind
the wheel of a car. Perhaps because essentially
the horse is a part of the very nature you are
exploring. You are able to enjoy the full range
of your senses, with sounds, smell, and even
taste being a part of the experience. Unfortu-
nately, the tour was over just when I had built
enough confidence to start trying some of the
trick manoeuvres.
Tour provided by Íshestar Riding Tours
Sörlaskeiði 26, 220 Hafnarfirði
Tel.: 555-7000, www.ishestar.is
Horse Riding in
Hafnarfjörður
Text by Sveinn Birkir Björnsson
Photo by Skari
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