HORSE COURSE
THE SETTLER
Ingolfur Arnarson wasn’t the first to reach Iceland, but he was the most
prepared to endure its winter, becoming its first recognized permanent resident
in the ninth century. Legend holds that as his boat neared land, he threw the
pillars of his high seat overboard, bidding the god Thor to divine where he
should live. The spot the pillars landed is known today as Reykjavik.
Brought by Viking settlers some 1,000 years ago, Icelandic
horses are coveted for their flowing manes, good temperaments, and graceful
gaits. Walk, trot, gallop, and tolt
(a natural gait unique to the breed) astride one of these beauties through the
meadows, lava fields, and sandy beaches of Snaefellsnes Peninsula-all in the
shadow of Snaefellsjokull, the glacier-capped cone volcano that inspired Jules
Verne’s Journey to the Center of the
Earth. Refuel at simple country guesthouses, where hosts regale you with
Viking sagas. Women only. Adventure Women: “Horseback
Riding in Iceland: Land of Fire and
Ice,” 9days; $3,995
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