Horse riding in Iceland — the tölt, the Golden Circle combos and who it actually suits

Icelandic horses are small, stocky and have a fifth gait that no other breed in Europe has. That gait, the tölt, is the reason to ride here. It’s a four-beat running walk that stays smooth at speed — you sit still while the horse covers ground. On a good horse it feels like sitting on a moving sofa. On a beginner’s ride you’ll get a taste of it, usually in a short stretch on a flat track.

What a riding tour actually is

Most rides are one to two hours in the saddle, in a group, at walk and tölt, on a farm’s own tracks. Helmets and usually overalls are provided. The horses are calm and used to first-timers. You’ll be asked your weight — there is an upper limit, because the horses are small. Children from around eight can normally ride their own horse.

The tours we list all pair the ride with something else, so you’re not paying for a transfer to a farm and back for ninety minutes of horse.

The Golden Circle combos

BusTravel Iceland’s Grand Golden Circle & Horse Riding is eleven and a half hours from €199 — Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss plus a ride at a farm on the route. Arctic Adventures’ Golden Circle & Horse Riding does the same idea in ten hours from €234. Both are long days. The ride is the highlight; the sightseeing stops are shorter than on a Golden Circle-only tour to make room for it.

The other combos

Arctic Adventures’ South Coast Waterfalls & Black Beach Horse Riding is eleven hours from €142 — the cheapest horse day we list, and you ride near the black sand rather than inland. Their Horse Riding & Snorkeling is five hours from €243: a ride in the morning, then a dry-suit snorkel in Silfra at Þingvellir. Cold water after a warm horse. An odd pairing, and very Icelandic.

Who it suits

Never ridden before? Yes. This is the easiest country in the world to try a horse. The animals are small and steady, and the tölt is comfortable even for people who find a trot jarring.

Experienced riders: the beginner combos will bore you. Ask us and we’ll point you at a farm that does longer standalone rides.

Kids: good from about eight. Younger children may be led, or turned away, depending on the farm.

Over the weight limit, or nervous around animals? No. There’s no shame in it. Watch from the fence and take the photos.

Our honest take

Pick one of the two Golden Circle combos if you want the classic sights and a ride in one day, and take the BusTravel version unless the Arctic Adventures date fits better — they’re close enough that price should decide. If you’ve already done the Golden Circle, the South Coast ride at €142 is the better buy. The tradeoff with every combo is a long day and short stops: eleven hours, one or two of them on a horse, the rest on a bus or at car parks. If riding is the point of your trip, book a farm directly and give it a whole morning.