Rider Ability Levels at Ishestar

The “Rider Ability Levels” are based on Ishestar’s criteria, specific to our horseback tours. The aim is to counter confusion that may arise when equestrian terms are understood in culture-specific ways. Moreover, it is important to note that the levels we use pertain to a rider’s current skills (irrespective of the time spent practising to achieve them) and encompass general horsemanship experience.

NON-RIDER
– level sufficient for the Lava Tour or a private tour at Ishestar Center.

A person who has never ridden a horse or who has had some minor experience on horseback.

BEGINNER RIDER
– level sufficient for the Lava Tour or a private tour at Ishestar Center.

A rider who can lead, mount, dismount, walk, turn and stop a quiet horse. May have tried trotting and has received some prior instruction in an arena.

NOVICE RIDER
– level sufficient for the Lava Tour or a private tour at Ishestar Center.

A person who is competent at riding a quiet horse at walk and rising / posting trot. May have tried cantering and has received some prior instruction in an arena. Also a rider who has cantered but is nervous or not done so in a while.

INTERMEDIATE RIDER

– level sufficient for the Viking Tour and a selection of multi-day tours

A person who rides regularly. Is competent at riding and control a horse at walk, rising / posting trot, and canter. Can saddle up a horse, adjust girth and stirrups unaided. Has received instruction in an arena, which included some sitting trot and riding without stirrups. A rider who is confident riding outside of an arena.

Also a person who may have ridden regularly in the past to an advanced level, but is currently a regular yet less advanced a rider.

ADVANCED RIDER

– level sufficient for the Viking Tour and all multi-day tours

A person who is competent and confident at riding a horse at walk, rising / posting trot, sitting trot, and canter / gallop. Can saddle up a horse, adjust girth and stirrups unaided. Can maintain secure seat when riding in demanding terrain, such as rocky paths, narrow trails, river crossings, steep inclines and declines. Can control a more advanced horse when cantering / galloping in company in open spaces, and not overtake the horse in front. Is riding-fit and rides regularly at this level.

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USEFUL, YET NOT INDISPENSABLE
ABILITIES ON TOURS

ABILITY TO RIDE IN THE ICELANDIC SADDLE

All our horses are ridden Icelandic style. Icelandic saddles are similar to dressage ones, yet with flat seats, aimed at helping the rider with increased flexibility in the pelvis, to suit the horse’s gaits. If you have only Western-type saddle experience, it is advisable that you have taken English seat riding lessons before coming to Iceland for a horseback tour.

ABILITY TO RIDE WITH THE HERD

This ability is not required of our riders. The herd is taken care of by our experience staff riders. However, by booking a multi-day tour that involves riding with the herd, the rider is expected to have read Ishestar’s explanation of what “riding with the herd” actually means and entails.

ABILITY TO RIDE AT TOLT

This ability is not required of our riders, even of advanced ones. It is assumed and hoped that the skill can be experienced, or (in the case of advanced and intermediate riders) even learned, while on the tour . It needs to be underlined that, even though fit multi-day-tour Icelandic horses can maintain tolt over relatively long distances, an experienced emphatic rider will encourage the horse to trot when terrain is unsuitable for tolting, and will allow the horse for much appreciated rest from tolting. The partnership that the rider thereby offers is rewarding to the horse, and Ishestar aims at promoting such an equine-friendly approach to riding on multi-day tours in Iceland.