Icelandic Pony Trek
 Imagine riding through mighty lava fields, craters, ashes of ancient eruptions and wide open stretches of light coloured sand on beaches where only the tide sets a limit to the freedom of the horses and riders. Sounds like your idea of heaven? | |
You can trek the incredible landscape of the Snæfellsnes peninsula on an infamous Icelandic horse. The Icelandic horse is an average 13hh. He is stocky, with a deep chest, expressive head, supple, well-set neck and strong limbs. The Icelandic is the original horse of the Vikings, taken to Iceland over a thousand years ago and pure bred ever since. Icelandics can be literally any colour - bay, brown, chestnut, grey, skewbald, palomino or dun, with hundreds of variations of the usual colours. Icelandics also have the four-beat running walk known as "tölt". This can be performed at any speed and is incredibly comfortable for the rider. Some Icelandics possess a fifth gait, flying pace, a two-beat lateral gait used for racing. Flying pace makes great demands of both horse and rider, but is spectacular to watch and exhilarating to ride. Although small, they are always referred to as "horses" - there is no word in Icelandic for pony, and the Icelanders wish to honour their national breed, which holds the title "the most useful servant". The Icelandic is a strong, powerful riding horse, bred to carry all members of the family in comfort and safety. The Snæfellsnes peninsula, recently designated a National Park, is named after the glacier covered cone volcano Snæfellsjökull, one of the most recognised sites in Iceland. Trekking through the Hítardalur valley surprises with its multi-coloured mountains. Majestic Snæfellsjökull will rise ahead of you when you traverse the beach on a traditional trail only known by the locals. Crater Eldborg is a landmark and you see the light sand turn black once you reach its lava field. On your last riding day you follow the outskirts of the lava flow along the shore before you return the horses back to the farm. The hosts, who have been navigating this tour for 20 years, Sigurður (Siggi) and Ólöf are proud of their large selection of well trained horses. Whether you like the easygoing horse or a more spirited one, you can be sure to find the right horses to suit your liking. Experiencing tölt, the special gait of the Icelandic horse, is made easy for you since you follow good riding tracks on land and the smooth sand of the beach makes this tour a delight for both horses and riders. Experience this unique trip and raise money to rescue children facing the most serious injustices around the world. Sign up for this sponsored trek and not only will you take a journey you'll never forget, you will help change the lives of vulnerable children all over the world. Download a more detailed itinerary >> To sign up or for further information please contact Shona on 01483 230250 or alternatively email shona@jubileeaction.co.uk. | |
