Rent a horse in Iceland and Experience the Viking Steed

Are you planning an Icelandic adventure? One fantastic way to experience Iceland is to rent a horse.

How to get a discount on renting a horse in Iceland?

We at Stuck in Iceland are thrilled to announce our partnership with Riding Tours South of Iceland. If you are looking to go horseback riding in Iceland, this company is the one you want to consider. Just look at the reviews they have on Tripadvisor. Over 300 reviews and its average score is five out of five.

To claim a 10% discount off a tour with Riding Tours South Iceland, find a tour on their website and enter the promo code STUCKIN in the booking process. The code is valid until 31st of August 2020.

The Icelandic horse through the ages

The Icelandic horse is interwoven into Icelandic culture and our national consciousness. During the time of the Icelandic sagas, an impressive steed was a must-have status symbol for any self-respecting Viking chieftain. It is not uncommon to find horses buried with their owner in ancient burial mounds from the time of the settlement. Odin had his eight-legged Sleipnir and it was considered a serious crime to steal or ride another’s man horse without permission. A common pastime was to goad stallions to fight each other. Tremendous prestige was attached to owning a winning horse in such duels. But of course, the real importance in our culture was how essential sturdy and versatile horses were for people in a rugged country with no roads. A common phrase describing the horse is “most essential servant.”

Learn all the settings of an Icelandic horse

The Icelandic horse has five gaits. These are the walk, trot, canter, tölt and the skeið (gallop). Getting the skeið is one of the exhilarating things I have done in my life. The combined smoothness and speed is just exquisite.  This ability to have four gaits,  the modest size and the toughness of the Icelandic horse makes it an incredible animal. It is relatively easy to handle but it is incredibly enjoyable to ride.

Rent a horse in Iceland. Don´t feed it!

Our fascination with horses continues right on to this day. Having horses is a popular and yes expensive hobby for many Icelanders. Many thousands of travelers make their pilgrimage to Iceland to meet experience the Icelandic horse. Sometimes it is a downright nuisance. Too many travelers stop suddenly in the middle of the road to photograph roadside horses (or other animals) which is of course extremely dangerous. Farmers are understandably livid about people feeding unhealthy bread or other snacks to horses.  Please refrain from doing this as this wreaks havoc with the health of horses in many different ways. But we propose that you rent a horse in Iceland and experience those magnificent animals for yourself. A plus of doing so is that you will experience Icelandic up close and personal.

Stay safe, have fun!

There are countless horse farms in Iceland.. You should therefore not have problems in finding a place where you can horseback riding. Just make sure that the guides know what they are doing and that you get the right horse for your level of experience. Wear a helmet at all times and put safety first.

The best experience I have had on such a trip was a few years when me and my wife went to a farm called Syðra Langholt in the South of Iceland with a company called Riding Tours South Iceland. We had a great guide, beautiful steeds, and incredible weather.

The route we went up was really enjoyable, we went up a hill where we got a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside. The places you could see include the ancient seat of the bishops, Skálholt and the long-overdue volcano Hekla. On the way back the horses broke into a gallop. Thundering down that dusty road was pure joy!