The Icelandic horse arrived with Norse settlers in the ninth century and has remained genetically isolated for over a thousand years, making it the world's purest horse breed.
Standing between thirteen and fourteen hands, these compact animals possess a unique fifth gait — the tölt — a smooth, ground-covering stride that allows riders to traverse Iceland's rough volcanic terrain without the jarring trot common to other breeds. Multi-day riding expeditions became formalized in the 1970s when farmers began converting traditional sheep-herding routes into guest trails, opening the highlands to international visitors who sought immersive encounters with Iceland's backcountry.
Today, extended horse riding tours operate across landscapes shaped by rifting tectonic plates and active volcanic systems. Riders cross the Reykjanes Peninsula's red lava hills, formed during eruptions between 1210 and 1240, and navigate the moss-covered expanses of Bláfjöll, where pumice layers dating to the Settlement Age lie beneath the turf. The volcanic craters northeast of Hafnarfjörður — Rauðhólar's scoria cones and the Hengill geothermal zone — serve as common waypoints on longer itineraries. Guides select routes based on seasonal footing, avoiding snow-choked upland trails from November through April and prioritizing lower-elevation lava fields during autumn's short daylight window.
The Icelandic horse's temperament and stamina suit it to consecutive days of riding. Breeding programs emphasize sure-footedness over speed, producing animals capable of navigating uneven basalt and crossing shallow glacial rivers. Riders spend five to seven hours daily in the saddle on multi-day tours, covering distances between twenty and forty kilometers depending on terrain. Overnight stops occur at highland huts or farm guesthouses where horses graze in stone-walled paddocks. The experience differs sharply from single-day outings: cumulative time on horseback builds rhythm between rider and mount, and the deeper penetration into Iceland's interior reveals geological strata and glacial valleys inaccessible by road. Departures run from late May through early September, when highland roads open and daylight extends past twenty hours at the solstice.
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