Family hike with Icelandic ponies - fearless, courageous and sure-footed

About the tour

tour 1: Icelandic pony hike on Sunday, 12.05.24 at 14:30

Icelanders love their famous horses: sturdy, powerful, balanced. We will be travelling together with a horse guide and the calm, courageous, sure-footed horses of the Vikings. They adapt to different people and their behaviour with remarkable sensitivity, enjoy interacting, behave socially and are frugal. Ideal for a family outing, where everyone can lead and get to know an Icelandic pony on a lead.

The first horses set hoof on the island in the North Atlantic in the middle of the 9th century. Emigrating Vikings from Norway brought their mounts – a mix of Celtic and Germanic pony breeds – to Iceland.

An Icelandic pony is extremely hardy and therefore a perfect workhorse. Rather small and stocky, they are considered to be particularly intelligent. One characteristic makes them special: they can master up to two gaits more than many of their long-legged conspecifics. In addition to walking, trotting and cantering, the Icelandic horse can also walk at tölt and skeid. The predisposition is genetic, making the Icelandic pony a five-gaited horse and therefore unique.

Icelandic ponies have the character of a “lovable nature boy”. They are considered to be good-natured, courageous and never lose their cool. Their calmness and uncomplicated nature, combined with their willingness to work and reliability, are an excellent basis for a trusting horse-rider relationship. The animals adapt to different handlers, riders and their skills with remarkable sensitivity.

Led by experienced horse guides, children and adults independently lead the Icelandic ponies on the tour and learn how to communicate, interact and accompany horses along the way. You will learn about the history of Icelandic ponies: where they come from, who has surrounded themselves with Icelandic ponies, what other characteristics they have and why handling this type of horse is particularly pleasant. Our horse guides will be happy to answer all your horse-related questions during the hike.

No special experience with horses is required. Icelandic horses are smaller than normal horses (pony size). They can be easily led by inexperienced people, are very even-tempered and are friendly towards people.

tour 2: ADVENT hike with Icelandic ponies on Sunday, 08.12.24 at 15:00

During Advent, we will be out and about with a horse guide and the calm, brave, sure-footed Viking horses dressed as “reindeer”. Each child will receive a reindeer antler with a flashing nose if they wish! With the Christmas light show, we walk into the dawning twilight as the day draws to a close, across fields, through woods and meadows. We can enjoy tea, mulled wine and biscuits during the walk.

And what does Fenja the Icelandic pony say? “Hello, my name is Fenja. I am a 13-year-old, friendly and curious Icelandic pony mare, and I would like to hike across the meadows and fields of the Wetterau with my pony friend Carina and you. Anyone who wants to and dares to do so is welcome to lead me. Don’t worry, I’m very well-behaved. But please bring a few treats for me, I’m especially happy about that. My owner will also come with me and show you the way. I know the way and the lush meadows anyway. We’ll take a leisurely walk along field and forest paths and stop for a short break, where you can also groom and stroke me. I am also very open to photo shoots! I’ll do almost anything for a few treats!”