My boyfriend is preparing to embark on a 16 day photography excursion to Iceland, so I thought I would use his trip as my latest muse…and since today is Derby day, might as well start with Icelandic horses. While he won’t be testing out this adventure on this trip, its something we’ll likely take advantage of on another trip.
First, a little background. It’s generally thought that the horses were brought to the island by the Vikings. There was a brief period of time where other breeds of horses were being imported to breed other traits into the Icelandic horses. For many many years now, strict laws have not allowed the import of any horse, even a horse that was born in Iceland but exported for any reason. They are a small breed of horse and are often confused for a ponies. In order to adapt to the frigid climate they have evolved a thick, long coat making them look pretty cuddly.
A large part of their tourism, horse roundup companies offer some pretty awesome tours. If you aren’t up for a full 7 day trek through some of the most beautiful scenery in Iceland, you can also opt for shorter day excursions. There are so many different kinds and combinations of tours, you’ll have to check them out and see what is best for you. Another one I came across that looks enticing, is a riding tour combined with a few stops at some of the hot pools on the island. Here are a few companies to look into: http://www.abbi-island.is/en/index.php, http://www.ishestar.is/TheIcelandichorse/, and http://www.eldhestar.is/.
Pack your long johns! 🙂