Ishestar
Trail Ride (1.5 Hours) Lava Tour
07.04.2024
What can you expect on the Ishestar 1.5-hour Lava Tour? Here you’ll find all important information about the schedule, the stable, the trail ride, whether photos are taken, and my review.
Table of Contents
Information
By GetYourGuide* or Viator* I could book and pay the Ishestar Lava Tour ride. A transfer picked me up in Reykjavik, and we drove about 20 minutes from the city center to the stable.
There were up to 3 groups (Beginners, Intermediate, Advanced) with up to 15 riders each plus a guide.
Stable
Overnight and in the morning at breakfast, the horses stayed in stalls. During the day, they could go out on the paddocks, which also had hay available.
The horses did not work every day and spent half a year free on a pasture. This is strictly monitored for the well-being of the horses.
Arrival
Upon arrival, we could sit at a table in the lounge and help ourselves to free coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. Once all guests arrived, a video “How to Ride an Icelandic Horse” was shown. It covered all important information in an easy-to-understand way. Guests could ask questions afterward. A staff member then guided the riders to the helmet room, where free helmets and overalls were available.
The guides went to the stable in turns to check each rider’s experience and assign a suitable horse. The guide brought out the already saddled and bridled horse and handed over the reins, asking the guest to walk the horse to the paddock.
Here, we waited briefly until a guide came to check the girth and hold the horse. A water container was available so the horses could drink before departure.
Once everyone was mounted, the ride began. There was no fixed order; we rode out as a single group.
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My Trail Ride Diary
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Trail Ride
The ride started directly from the stable, passing private stables and riding facilities. We turned left and followed the path along the lava field to a junction. There, the path split: left for beginners, right for advanced riders. One guide led in front, and another stayed in the middle to assist if a horse tried to enter the wrong group.
I was lucky to take the right path alone, enjoying a private ride. We were flexible in pace and route, as far as the trail allowed.
We continued along the forest edge, then turned left, giving the opportunity to ride a longer section in tölt. We continued in the walk, turned right, and reached a small rise with a volcano in the background. On the return, we followed the same path in walk, then left again, resuming the tölt. We rode straight, circled the lava field, enjoying several opportunities to ride in tölt. At a junction, we turned right, then left again, accompanied by more tölt. On the way to the forest section, we even added a short gallop. In the forest, we completed a small loop with plenty of tölt and a bit of gallop before returning to the junction and retracing our path to the stable.
Normally, this tour does not include galloping!
After the ride
Back at the stable, everyone dismounted. We unsaddled the horses, and the guide removed my horse’s bridle. The horses were allowed to roam freely on the paddock while we went inside to hang up saddles and bridles.
Riders were offered free coffee, tea, or hot chocolate to warm up.
Photos
There was a photo stop at a beautiful spot with a small volcano in the background. There was a photo stop at a beautiful spot with a small volcano in the background. The guide dismounted and took the guest’s phone to take pictures. Each guest received their photos directly on their phone.
Additional photo stops could be arranged on request.
My Review
I really enjoyed the ride. It was great that there were multiple groups, giving everyone an unforgettable experience. The scenery was beautiful, the horses were well cared for, and riding in tölt was a lot of fun. The transfer and free warm drinks before and after the ride were also very convenient.
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