Iceland- Horse Drive

“Go fast,” is the advice that Asa, an Icelandic farmer, gave me as we took off with fifty horses, running parallel to a giant glacier in the distance alongside the Ring Road, the main highway in Iceland.

During the summer when it is light for most of each day, these horse drives can happen twice a week, something that I had trouble fathoming as we stopped traffic several times and took off into the lava fields. Good thing that this horse friendly country has a riding trail running alongside the road. These traditional horse drives help to train the horses to get along with the rest of the herd and get them in shape for longer distance treks, sometimes into the remote Highlands.

Riders are expected to hold their position and keep the horses together. I was in front of the herd, breaking into a canter several times, as I attempted to master the tölt, a special smooth gait that the Icelandic horses possess. I can’t tell you my horse’s name, as we switched during the ride, another common practice to keep up the pace and keep the horses from tiring out. I can tell you that this was one of the wildest rides that I have ever taken.

More information on booking Equestrian Vacations in Iceland and the Iceland Horse Drive can be found on EquitrekkingTravel.com, which features exceptional horseback riding vacations based on the Emmy award winning Equitrekking crew's world travels. Join Club Equitrekking for trip discounts and purchase the Equitrekking DVD at ShopDarley.com.