Day 13 part 2 - horseback riding

That was fun! Sophie and I had a great time!  Rémi, well, not so much!  He's not very flexible you see.  So sitting legs spread apart on a horse does not do go for inflexible hips.  He was in so much pain we had to stop and let him get down.  The "farmer" had to come and get him in his car!  He had to be in a lot of pain for this to happen.  It was sort of funny though... when we stopped for our "picnic", he couldn't get off it hurt too much!  He was almost stuck on the horse forever =) Next time we ride, if there ever is a next time, he says he needs an anorexic horse - no wider than a motorcycle... good luck with that!

My horse, Foxy, did not like stopping once on the way home!  The guide was telling me to turn him around, which I did, but then he walked backwards and wouldn't listen to me!  That was a little scary.

Icelandic horses are a special breed!
Did you know...

• that they have 4 some 5 different gaits?
• if they leave the island they are not permitted back on the island? -that's to prevent disease -that would be devastating to the country.
• competitions focus on the gait of the horse?
• there are 95 000 Icelandic horses in Iceland?
• they are thought to be the oldest breed of horses?
• the Vikings brought them over?
• they are now found all over the world - Canada included - and Germany has the most of them?
• this rancher gives them white bread as a treat after the ride?
• they will also get extra hay tonight?
• in the winter, their horseshoes will have spikes on them, same idea as cleats?
• they run free from birth until they are 4 or 5 years old?

Fun adventure for some, hell for others!