Islandshestar - Kálfhóll Farm "Winter riding and Northern Lights"
23.02.-26.02.2022
What can I expect from the riding holiday Islandshestar "Winter riding and Northern Lights"? Here you’ll find all the important information about the stable, the rides, photos, and my personal review.
Table of Contents
Information
I booked and paid for the Islandshestar "Winter riding and Northern Lights" tour on the Islandshestar website. The transfer from Reykjavik was included free of charge.
Stable
The Icelandic horses lived in large herds spread out over different, very spacious pastures. They stayed outside in all weather without shelter.
In front of the pasture, there was a container where all the saddles, bridles, and other equipment were stored.
Itinerary
Arrival Day – 23.02.2022:
The riding guests met in the evening at Reykjavik bus station, where a transfer picked up everyone. The first thing upon arrival was the room allocation. All guests shared a bathroom and shower. Dinner consisted of soup, followed by a briefing in the common room. In the evening, many guests went outside to look for the Northern Lights, but without success that night.
My Trail Ride Diary
Your personal companion for your ride trips– with plenty of space for photos and notes!
Erster Reittag 24.02.2022:
Breakfast was served in the common room, with plenty of time to eat. The staff asked about the riders’ experience levels. The accommodation was located six minutes by car from the horses, and a minibus drove the guests to the stables.
The staff first drove some horses into the pen to catch them more easily. The guides led each horse out with a bridle. There were no bridles designated for specific horses; all bridles were used for all.
Once each rider had a horse, the hosts explained how saddling works in Iceland. Riders were asked to remember their saddle, which they would use every day. Each rider saddled their own horse and attached the second part of the bridle. Instead of saddle pads, the horses had back protectors. Before mounting, the guides checked that the tack was secure.
The first ride was a one-hour walk across the farm grounds, partly through very deep snow. The horses had no problem finding their way. The guides were careful to avoid hidden frozen puddles under the snow.
The ride ended back at the starting point, passing another pasture with Icelandic horses. Riders removed the tack and returned the bridles to the staff.
Back at the accommodation, soup was served for lunch.
In the afternoon, there was a second ride. After saddling and bridling again, the guides explained the tölt. This ride lasted about two hours and led to the river Björhlaub, one of the longest rivers in Iceland, with ice floes drifting on the water. The scenery was stunning. Because an icy gate blocked the trail, we had to turn back and take another route. Up to that point, we had only walked. We tölted on the roads, where there was little snow, and were allowed to tölt several times.
Dinner was served at the accommodation, and afterwards, guests had free time. Later in the evening, we went outside again to look for the Northern Lights. They weren’t as strong as in the photos but were still visible to the naked eye that night.
Second Riding Day – 25.02.2022:
At breakfast, the hosts announced that the morning ride would be shortened to one hour instead of two due to an approaching storm. We tölted once, otherwise riding at a walk across the farm grounds.
Afterwards, we returned to the farm for soup. As the storm grew stronger, the afternoon ride had to be cancelled. Instead, the hosts organized an alternative activity: a trip to the Blue Lagoon. In the evening, a traditional Icelandic dinner was served. No Northern Lights were visible that night.
Third Riding Day – 26.02.2022:
On the last day, each rider could choose a horse. The ride lasted one hour and led to the foal pasture, where we rode a loop before heading back. At the entrance, all the foals came over to greet the riders. We tölted once, but the weather was very unpleasant: strong wind and fine snow hail whipping into our faces. Everyone came back wet and covered in snow, and it was time to say goodbye to the horses.
At the guesthouse, we had soup one last time. In the afternoon, the transfer picked us up, including a short Golden Circle Tour. We visited the waterfall Gullfoss, the geyser, and a national park before returning to Reykjavik in the evening.
Photos
On the first day, every rider got an individual photo with their Icelandic horse, taken with their own phone by the guide.
Guests also took photos of each other throughout the trip.
My Review
I really enjoyed this riding holiday. The horses were well cared for, and the hosts ensured that each horse had enough rest. Despite the bad weather, the hosts provided an alternative program. Additionally, the Golden Circle Tour was included in the trip.
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