Horseback riding in beautiful nature in North-West Norway and a study trip to Iceland! You are assigned an Icelandic horse that you work with throughout the year. You learn to understand "your" horse so that it can better understand you.
On horseback in woods and fields
Do you fancy a year of lots of riding in idyllic natural surroundings and want to learn about the horse's natural behaviour, body language and needs? Then the Hest - Iceland line is for you. This is the horse line for you who want to develop together with a four-legged partner, and who like to combine horse training with trail riding and outdoor life.
On this line, you will be given 2-3 horses that will be "yours" throughout the year. You get to spend a lot of time on horseback in beautiful nature, together with others who share the same interest. It doesn't matter if you are a beginner or have long experience with horses, for us it is most important that you are committed and want to learn. It is possible to bring your own horse!
Varied, horse-friendly work
We focus on working with horses in a natural and horse-friendly way. We believe in practical and varied work, and work both from the ground and from horseback. We learn to understand the horses, how they communicate with each other and with us.
The horse's health
It is important to us that the horses are well both physically and mentally. You will learn about the horse's natural needs. You also get to join in when the vet, dental hygienist and equiterapaut come to visit.
You will get to learn:
- Natural horsemanship
- Horse psychology
- Basic work in the round paddock and on the riding track
- Horse management and horse massage
- Riding young horses
- Hoofing, saddle fitting and hoof care
- The Icelandic horse and its 5 gaits
You also get to try:
- Study trip to Iceland
- Trip to Hjerkinn - mountain riding
- Leather work - sew your own belt/bridle
- Dog sledding - Snøhetta husky
- Outdoor activities with horses - bonfire and accommodation
Du kan også velge "Ridning - gårdsliv" som valgfag å få en ekstra dag med hestene i uken. Les mer valgfag her.
Follow Natural Horsemanship - Iceland on Instagram to have a look at everyday life with this class.
The teacher: Anne Aamodt
Anne is a trained agronomist and runs her own farm with horses, sheep and goats. On her farm there has been large-scale horse riding for many years. Anne is also an educated Strasser hoof specialist and an instructor in basic and advanced hoof care. In addition to being an authorized horse masseur at Axelssons, she has had several stays in the United States where she studied with Leslie Desmond, among others. Furthermore, Anne has taken horsemanship courses with Stefan Forsman, Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling and a number of others. On top of her impressive track record, Anne is still a down-to-earth and humble person. She works well with both animals and people due to her warm and calm personality. Anne will be happy to share her knowledge and experience with you.
+47 99 40 36 93 
anne@nordvestlandet.no
Equipment
The school has a lot of horse riding equipment available to borrow, but you need your own helmet, warm clothes and shoes for all seasons. For the complete equipment list see equipment list horse.
Costs
47.000,- NOK includes activities and trips - also study trip to Iceland
To get an overview of what your year at Nordvestlandet will cost, visit our economy page.
Study trip to Iceland
When April comes, we pack up and travel to Iceland. In April, you can experience Icelandic spring with melting snow and full pressure in the waterfalls. Among other things, we will visit Gullfoss, which is an incredibly beautiful waterfall. When the snow is gone, it also provides more opportunities for tour riding, and we will take advantage of that. We visit the farm Störa kalfalækur and have two days of riding starting from the farm. Here good food and beautiful Icelandic horses! The farm is beautifully located on the west of Iceland, open plains and a good view of the Altlantersea and Snæfjellsjøkulen.
When we arrive in Iceland we rent a car to get around. We will travel around the western half of Iceland from Vik in Myrdal in the south to Langhus farm on the north coast. There will be at least three days of riding on the trip and lots of great nature experiences. The blue lagoon, geysers, waterfalls and black beaches are some of the highlights. There will also be a couple of days in Reykjavik, the world's northernmost capital. The trip lasts a total of 8 jam-packed days of learning, experiences, nature, Icelandic horses, riding and good food together with the class you have become well acquainted with over the past year.
Focus on skills
Throughout the year, we focus on training in various skills; both those that are directly related to horse keeping, and that relate more to the human side, such as becoming a safe and fair leader.
Your major at Nordvestlandet folkehøgskole will be taught three days of the week. You will also attend the Learning norwegian class. In addition you can choose some electives. Read more about our electives here.
Adapt to your level and your goals
Do you want to ride a lot, or do you want to spend more time training young horses? We adapt the teaching to you and the rest of the class' skill level, and help you set your own goals for the year. Together we shape the curriculum that suits you best!
Teaching on an idyllic farm
Maybe you have a dream of running small farm yourself? Since the teaching takes place on an idyllic farm, you will get definitely get taste of that. The farm is about 15 minutes away from the school. In addition to horses they have sheep, goats, chickens and more.
On the farm there are around 30 horses and enough equipment for everyone. The horses are mainly Icelandic, born and raised in flocks. They are working barefoot horses that are allowed to enjoy themselves all year round. The farm is idyllically situated with dirt roads, a round paddock, a large riding track and many cuddly animals. Winter at the farm offers fantastic winter days with sparkling snow. If you want to bring your own horse, contact the school and we will discuss how to facilitate this.
Hiking and lodging
Around the farm there are many beautiful hiking trails and you will experience hiking on these roads. We will also experience spending nights in tents or under the open sky.
In one of the first weeks of autumn we go on a three-day riding tour at Hjerkinn / Dovre. Picture the magical autumnal colours. It is on days like this we get to know each other, experience long riding days in the mountains and simply have a cosy time.
Skiing week in Oppdal
In February the whole school will travel to the Oppdal ski resort. We are going to live in cabins at IMI-Stølen which has a lot of good facilities and cosy rooms!
Here we will have a good time skiing and relaxing in the cabins afterwards. A lot of proficient instructors will accompany us and you will receive lessons to suit your skiing level. We offer classes in alpine and telemark skiing as well as snowboarding and cross country skiing.
