An Hour on the Black Sand at Vík, on an Icelandic Horse

An hour's ride on the black sand beaches at Vík, in the south of Iceland. The pace is easy and the ride is built for beginners and for people who get on a horse rarely, though riders of any standard are welcome. The horses are friendly and sure-footed, which is what this ground asks of them. In summer there is a chance of puffins overhead. In winter the weather changes by the hour and the coast looks harder for it. Most of the ride is at a walk. Anyone able to can try some tölt, the gait that belongs to the Icelandic horse. Two limits apply: riders must weigh no more than 100 kg (220 lb) and be at least 10 years old. The stable takes the welfare of its horses seriously enough to ask riders to step on a scale. Be at the stable 15 minutes before departure.