Reykjavík Grapevine - 14.08.2009, Síða 41

I can’t say that I ever intended to, of
all things, go horseback riding here
in Iceland. I tried riding a horse once
when I was eight. I screamed a lot. I
might have been sick. I didn’t like it.
So when I was asked if I wanted to
ride a horse this week, my gut kicked
me in the larynx before I remembered
the rule I made for my trip—don’t
decline any opportunity this country
throws at you.
Just a hop, skip and a bus ride
away (the good people of Laxnes
pick you up from wherever you may
be), I found myself at a gorgeous
old farm in the Mossfellsdalur valley.
The horses we would soon be riding
were placidly standing in their pen,
welcoming petting hands and cooing
voices. First step was to go pick a
helmet that fit right and drop any
extra luggage. The horse trainers
then assigned us a horse according
to experience and comfort level. I
was handed a sandy blonde 16-year
old named Gossi, before promptly
stepping in some manure. All of the
horses had names, although the staff
had no pretensions that the horses
knew their own names nor could they
understand human language.
We were taught how to start and
steer our horses, yet getting the hang
of it was not so obvious. Suddenly
a trainer took off ahead of us and
all the horses followed in a pack
without our say. The first twenty or so
minutes of the ride were taken at a
gentle walk gait. The Icelandic horse
has five gaits, (two more than most
breeds of horses), walk, trot, gallop,
tölt and skeið (pace). We would only
experience walk and trot, but the
change was sudden and rapid. When
the trainer at the back riled up the
horses to trot, the 8-year old in me
emerged for a moment.
We trotted our way down to a
bucolic valley where a waterfall ran
through and the horses could stop
and graze for a while. It was also a
chance to stretch our legs and enjoy
the beautiful countryside before
the ride back to the farm. One of
the trainers told me that the horses
behave very differently depending
on the weather, so we were lucky to
have such a nice sunny day and that I
was lucky to have a nice horse, even
though I thought he was being a bit
stubborn with me.
On the ride back, I took her word
for it. I somehow settled right into
the correct posture—heels pressed
down, back straight, shoulders
loose, hands low—and learned how
to kick Gossi in the stomach to get
him to go. We suddenly trusted each
other and it was exhilarating. All the
horses began to race each other,
nearly running rider into rider, for a
screaming good time. Now that it
was comfortable and fun, the ride
back ended all too quickly, and I had
to hug Gossi goodbye.
But boy, was he ever gassy!
25
The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 12 — 2009
All The Pretty Little Horsies
Getting stirred-up with Icelandic equine
Travel | Destination
REBECCA LOUDER
JULIA STAPLES
Get your horse on (ehrm... on your horse) at www.laxnes.is.
Trip provided by Laxnes Horse Farm.
Reykjavík Downtown Hostel
Vesturgata 17 ❚ 101 Reykjavík ❚ Tel. 553 8120 ❚ www.hostel.is
Reykjavík Downtown Hostel
Your dream location in downtown Reykjavík
Enjoy the comforts of your private room
or share a room with new friends
Excellent kitchen and
common areas, WiFi
We will help to make your plans and
experience in Iceland unforgettable
Your friends at the new HI Hostel at
Vesturgata 17 look forward to welcome you
Laxnes Horse Farm
www.laxnes.is
354-566-6179