The outside of my ski jacket is saturated. As the pit-a-pat of raindrops increase, I’m sure the water will come through to the inside any second. Thankfully, thoughts of this impending soaking are magically blown away because right now I have the sensation of gliding above the ground. Bringing up the rear of a lengthened procession of horses, Gjáska is bowling down the hill in tölt. The tölt is a smooth easy to sit gait, and I relish every stride. Because the rain obscures everything apart from the road and track, I use this period to delight in my Icelandic horse and the gait she is giving me to experience on this ultimate ride.

So, ends the final ride on a riding holiday in Iceland. Where Northern Lights dance across the night sky, and geysers erupt. It may be the end of the trip, but it’s the start of a journey. A journey that takes Rachel Lofthouse to the pyramid fields outside Cairo; an industrial past in the UK, and to a Mediterranean retreat on the island of Mallorca. Against these backdrops, Rachel faces her fear of jumping, experiences the exhilaration of galloping in the Sahara and the sensation of swimming with her horse. There is an unintentional canter on the road, a reluctant equine partner on a beach ride and another who performs a circus trick. With each experience, a more confident and skilled rider emerges, who knows her limitations.

By sharing these exceptional experiences, Rachel hopes to inspire the reader to have a horse-riding adventure of their own. Rachel’s remarkable equestrian travel journey has begun, maybe it’s time to start yours.