Riding with Diddi

Today I had the honor and privildge of riding with Diddi, one of Iceland’s top riders. Diddi is the nickname for Sigurbjörn Bárðarson. Diddi means the Golden Rider and I can see why Diddi is called this. Not only is he a great rider (I also saw him compete at the Reykjavik competition), but he is a great horseman and lover of the Icelandic horse.

I rode Faxi, Diddi’s well- trained, 12 year old Chestnut colored Icelandic. Didd is a world champion several times over and a trainer, so I was a little wary of riding with him, because he is so good. He gave me a great horse, who was teaching me as we rode through an otherworldy spot just outside of downtown Reykjavik where Diddi trains his horses- Raudholar or the Red Hills.

This is an area of pseudocraters. They form when hot lava hits water, causing a steam explosion. The colors were so unique, as was the terrain, which seemed to sift away beneath our horse’s hooves.

I interviewed Diddi about the Icelandic horse. You’ll have to watch the show this winter on Public Television to hear some of the wonderful things that he said, but something that I found very interesting was this… Diddi was riding his favorite and best horse, who you would think he would use to compete all of the time. He may in Iceland, but he wouldn’t outside. Once an Icelandic horse is taken out of the country, the horse may never return. This has helped keep the breed pure and free of disease. This means that every time Diddi competes in say Germany or somewhere else, he must sell the horse that he competes with after the competition. He can’t bring it back to Iceland.

To learn more about riding in Iceland, check out Judie Framan's article.

Icelandic Horse Competition

Today Ragnar, a local Icelander and rider, introduced me to the world of Icelandic horse competitions at a local show just outside of Reykjavik. Ragnar was another Icelander who would be fun to ride with. The night before the horse show, he had been on a midnight ride and BBQ.


The Icelandic horse is a source of national pride and though Icelanders don’t necessarily have to depend on their horses to get them around anymore, (Cars now do the trick) many Icelandic people enjoy riding at various clubs around Reykjavik and Iceland. For Ragar riding was a stress reliever after work, and sometimes before.

These riders were the real deal, as they competed in the tolt and pace. All ages were involved in the competition, which included a coffee break, where I was able to see the nice indoor riding ring and lots of people watching the competitors. It was a fun break from the saddle and glimpse into the real riding scene around Reykjavik.

Cliff Ride

Asa wanted to take me a different route on the way home, so we drove the herd of horses back towards the farm, but then split off from the rest of the group for our cliff ride. Asa’s husband rode with us.

If you are afraid of heights, I do not recommend this ride. The wind was gusting really hard, as we ventured to the edge of a very high cliff to take in the milky blue waters, which run down from a higher glacier. The scenery was beautiful. We rode further along at a tolt to a spot where Asa showed me an old Icelandic road sign, basically a pile of rocks. In the highlands, there aren’t traditional road signs, so these help the Icelanders get around. After looking at one, Asa pointed out a few more as we rode back to her farm for some smoked lamb and homemade pancakes.

I really liked hanging out with the Icelandic farmers. They were so welcoming and fun. I also experienced quite a thrill riding Icelandics and experiencing something more traditional, away from the city of Reykjavik.

Iceland Horse Drive

Today, we drove a herd of 50 horses to Gullfloss, a huge waterfall, in Iceland. I have to admit, since I had only just gotten to Iceland and ridden Icelandics once, I was a little nervous, as we took off at a fast tolt with 50 horses behind me and about ten other Icelandic riders yelping at the top of their lungs, as we took off from a trial and into the lava fields.

Einar Bollason, who owns Ishestar recommended the ride with farmers- a traditional horse drive. In Iceland, people use these horse drives to help train their horses. It’s also traditional to ride with more than one horse, so that you can change mounts and keep a good pace over longer distances.


Asa, a wild blond woman who is a LOT of fun to ride with, was in the lead with me, coaching me a bit as we rode. It was a wild ride. At one point we caused a traffic jam, as our horses basically took over the road. When I say THE road, I mean Hwy 1, Iceland’s main road. It’s not exactly busy, but it is the main highway, so it was funny to see the horses claiming ownership, as opposed to cars.

My horse was so excited during part of the ride. We kept breaking from a tolt to a canter and back. It was such a rush.

At Gullfloss, there was a “horse parking lot,” a paddock just for the horses. We enjoyed the walking down to the Golden Waterfalls and seeing other tourists reactions as we pulled up with 50 horses and then grabbed a bite to eat. Only in Iceland.

Learning to Ride Icelandic Horses

To start my Iceland riding adventure, I first wanted a lesson in how exactly to get these furry Icelandic horses to tölt. Our crew headed to Ishestar, a riding ceter and tour operator right outside of Reykjavik. Ishestar has been operating for about 25 year, leading riders through the lava fields, countryside and to traditional farms in Iceland. My instructor Einar had a fun time watching me break to a trot during our learning session. I rode a horse who name means Black Beauty in English, who was a good tolter, but whose trot was insanely jarring. It was all the more reason to stay in the tolt.

The tolt, a four beat gait, similar to the running walk, is a smooth gait. It has helped the Iclandic people get around their rough, terrain for centuries. Icelandic horses, in addition to the walk, trot and canter, may also tölt and pace. I wasn’t getting to the pace right away, as it is very fast, but was happy to learn the tölt for my riding adventures.

After a few spins in the ring, Einar took me out for a ride through lava fields and by a nearby lake, where there was an area of trees. This is unusual in Iceland.

I was doing pretty well in the tölt out on the trails and really enjoying it. The Icelandic horses are strong and seemingly unafraid of the gusty wind and wild terrain in Iceland. Not bad qualities for riders who are looking to explore the wilds of Iceland.

Irish National Stud and more photos from Ireland

Today we visited the Irish National Stud, just outside of Kildare. Kildare is sort of the Lexington, Kentucky of Ireland. We drove by a multitude of horse farms, as we headed for the stud, which is also not too far from Dublin.

The stud is open to the public and a lot of American visitors that I met in Ireland had this on their itinerary. I enjoyed observing the foals and then walking by the very pricey stallions. Don't expect to get up close to these guys.

There is also a museum dedicated to the history of the horse and horse racing. Though small, it was pretty interesting.

And this is where we say good-bye to Ireland and hello to Iceland. We had a wonderful time and met some great horses, as we explored Ireland on horseback. Before we leave, here are some more photos of our trip around the Emerald Isle.

Driving the Ring of Kerry

Today we drove part of the Ring of Kerry, a popular scenic driving route on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry. We started off our drive in the town of Killarney. It’s touristy, but a good jumping off point, because there are lots of good restaurants, pubs and places to stay. We’re staying in Foleys Townhouse, right in the center of town. We had the typical big Irish breakfast before we began our drive.

Driving on the left side of the road is no joke. I am totally not used to it. Every time I make a turn, I have to remind myself to drive on the left side. It’s very strange. It’s also disconcerting to see the many signs along Irish roads, telling you how many people have died on the road that you are just about to venture down.

Our GPS system, who we have named Matilda, though very helpful in getting us from A to Z, also is very helpful in leading us onto the tiniest one lane roads in any given area. Sometimes it’s great, like when it leads us to a ruined castle, totally off the beaten path and not in any guidebooks that I have seen. Other times, Matilda leads us to onto roads most certainly too narrow for our rental SUV.

Some of the roads on the Ring of Kerry remind me of Amalfi Drive in Italy. They really wind around along the coast, with great views. Just fasten your seatbelt and hold on tight as you drive in Ireland.

Killarney's Ring of Kerry Part 2

After lunch, we continued our trek up towards Windy Gap with Aoife of Killarney Riding Stables. The spot where we were riding was the picturesque spot that a multitude of tour buses below were looking up at. Let me tell you, the best views are not from a tour bus looking AT the scenery. The best viewes were from where we were, up on the trails in the mountains.

The ride up to Windy Gap got increasingly cold and, well, windy. It was good to be on horseback, as we headed up a steeper rocky incline. Once at the top, the views were breathtaking. We could look out to see verdant green fields cut by small stone fences, the bright blue waters of Dingle Bay, Dingle’s sandy beaches and green islands in the distance.

The road that we were riding our horses on was an old mass road. Since there was only one Catholic church in the area, people would walk barefoot from the village of Glen Car, ten miles away, to get to mass. On horseback, it was a nice ride. but I couldn’t imagine doing it barefoot up the steep, rocky Windy Gap.

At the top, Aoife pointed out islands in the distance that were devastated by the potato famine. It was there, on the windy gap, that I began to have a new appreciation for the Irish people’s heartbreaking and triumphant history and their proud heritage.

Amid the mountains and lakes of County Kerry, Aoife told us stories of local folklore. Her horse Alladin, led us down the Windy Gap. It was a magical end of the day.

Killarney's Ring of Kerry Part 1

With beautiful sunny skies, our crew headed to Killarney Riding Stables right outside of the center of Killarney. There’s a reason why so many tourists flock to this part of County Kerry, it’s absolutely gorgeous. There’s also a reason why Donie O’Sullivan has been leading riders from this spot since 1968. O’Sullivan is in a great location, right outside of downtown Killarney, where there are restaurants, pubs and shopping.

You can take an hour long or five day, six-night ride that will take you along the Ring of Kerry to the bright blue waters of Dingle Peninsula, beach riding and everything in between. The stables are at the entrance to Killarney National Park, so you can ride straight from the stables into the park.

We visited with some of the newborn foals before taking off on our day ride to Windy Gap and the Kerry Way. Donie raises many of his own horses and had his hands full with ten newborns on our visit.

Donie’s daughter Aoife would take us out for a picnic day ride, along with Annika, who also leads rides at the stables. I rode Navilluso, O’Sullivan spelled backwards, a 12-year-old Irish Draft horse, who was a great companion for the ride. Navilluso was responsive and willing as we began the ride up Kerry Way.

Aoife is getting her masters in folklore, and having grown up riding in the area, you can have no better guide for your riding journey. We began by Caragh Lake, a stunning four-mile-long lake, surrounded by mountains. As we rode, Aoife answered my many questions about Irish history, the local flora and fauna and the old stone cottages that we passed.

Everywhere I looked, the views were absolutely stunning. Annika, who was riding with us, is from Germany. She had come to Killarney Riding Stables to work for a six month stint. That was six years ago. Annika ended up staying, because she loved the riding so much. I could see why she stayed, as we set up our picnic lunch on a patch of overlooking Caragh Lake.

After riding for a couple of hours, anything would have probably tasted good to me, but I have to admit that our lunch of ham and sausage sandwiches, piping hot tea, mint chocolate cookies and muffins was really tasty.

Mount Juliet Estate

We’re exploring Mount Juliet Estate, an eighteenth century country estate, on horseback. Mount Juliet is located in County Kilkenny and has a world-class golf course, great fishing and over 1500 acres of land for riding.

Eleanor, who grew up in nearby Tipperary County, led me out on Harold, a strong, but well behaved Irish Sport Horse. We rode down to the River Nore, where I would later fly fish for trout and salmon. We cantered along the banks with views of the main house in the background. Up until the 1980’s, Mount Juliet was a private residence, complete with a staff of 100, so it’s neat to be able to stay and ride there- reliving history.

Though I didn’t catch any fish on my fly-fishing adventure, I did get in two great rides, one on horseback and another via bicycle. I’ll sleep well tonight!