Horseback Riding in Iceland: What Makes It Different

The Icelandic horse is a genuinely distinct breed — smaller than most, descended from horses brought by Norse settlers over a thousand years ago, and kept isolated from other breeds ever since by law.

The tölt: a gait unique to the breed

Icelandic horses have an extra natural gait beyond walk, trot, canter and gallop, called the tölt — a smooth, four-beat movement that feels remarkably steady even at speed, and is one of the main reasons riders come back to try it.

Do you need riding experience?

No — most tours are built for complete beginners, with a short briefing and a calm, well-trained horse matched to your experience level. More advanced riders can usually request a livelier horse and a faster pace.

Where tours typically run

Riding farms near Reykjavík offer short one- to two-hour rides through farmland and lava fields, often bundled with a Golden Circle day, while longer multi-day riding tours explore more remote countryside for experienced riders.

It’s the closest most visitors get to how Icelanders actually travelled the country for a thousand years before roads existed.