Horse riding in Greenland – A Journey of Discovery

Horse Riding in Greenland – A Journey of Discovery

“I don’t know anyone who has been to Greenland”, was the way we introduced ourselves to each other at the airport gate in Reykjavik. We almost remained a part of that population as our flight was delayed by 41 hours due to low cloud in Narsarsuaq. Not all that uncommon, so we now understand. Welcome to horse riding in Greenland!

But made it we did, and thank goodness we persisted. Our guides, Jtte, Emily, and Iris more than made up for the lost time. After a short boat ride over the fjord to the hostel and a quick change into riding gear, we were whisked off in an ATV buggy to find our horses for the week.

There are no road systems outside of the towns, so it was quite a fun ride up and over the mountains to find them. Jtte introduced us to each of the horses and we were soon paired up, perfectly well. Throughout the week, we were able to swap horses should we wish, but everyone had formed such a firm attachment that we were quite happy to keep our respective partnerships to ourselves! The horses were in excellent health, full of character and the tack was very comfortable and well kept. Our luggage was taken from farm to farm via the ATV which meant we could carry just our necessities in the saddle bags. These little details are what made my first horse riding in Greenland adventure such a joy.

So off we went. We had the absolute pleasure of staying with local sheep farmers and their families along the way. They were so kind and inviting into their homes and lives. Typically we were in a hostel next door to the family home and enjoyed meal times around their kitchen table. Each day we were treated to homemade local dishes, fresh arctic trout, lamb from their farms, and delicious homemade desserts. Over dinner, we were able to learn about their way of life, culture, and history.

Did you know anorak and kayak are Greenlandic in origin? Very appropriate words for us to adopt, having now been there! There was an array of knitwear around the table as everyone compared patterns and skills. One of our hosts was also the local teacher, and I think they are well ahead of us in terms of utilising remote teaching by Zoom!

We were sent off each day with fresh homemade bread for sandwiches. Each evening, we would take a stroll nearby, either down to the sea edge to take in the awesome power of the icebergs, or a potter out to visit the orphaned lambs, who having been bottle fed, were very keen to make our acquaintance!

I feel I have really experienced the true Greenland. The views we woke up to were breathtaking. Listening to the icebergs slowly cracking and popping, indeed at one point exploding, was magical; they almost feel like a living beast. We were lucky enough to bump into a bearded seal; as horses and seal paused, quietly and calmly taking one another in, while the rest of us frantically tried to capture the moment on camera.

Every corner turned was another ‘wow’ moment, the landscape changed with each turn. ‘50 shades of green’ would be another way to describe things! Whilst Greenland is not so green in the winter months, we were clinging to the only bit of exposed green land, right on the edge of the glaciers and ice cap. Every now and then the wind would remind us of how close to the ice cap we were; all normal while horse riding in Greenland

Occasionally, we would pass by the remains of a Viking settlement. Every so often riders would feel the curious eyes of a ewe and her lambs watching them go by, wondering if now was the time for their annual round-up, or not! The terrain was certainly varied and this afforded us great opportunity for lots of different riding. Like mountain goats, the Icelandics took to the ups and downs with ease. Wherever we had a reliable, firm stretch, we stretched out our legs and necks and enjoyed a tðlt, a pace, or a canter.

As we moved a little further inland, the sea fjord water turned a bright turquoise blue. Up here, the farms use the power of the water for their electricity. The weather was kind to us when we finally arrived. We saw wall-to-wall sunshine on all but one day. I was grateful for layers and some decent waterproofs on the one drizzly day, and could well imagine you’d need the gear on a very wet day, but also remember to pack that sun tan lotion; a standard item on a northern hemisphere packing list! Lunch stops were welcomed by all, a chance to take the saddles off and with a quick drop of the shoulder a good roll for most of the horses.

When we returned to Qassiarsuk, and our penultimate night, we enjoyed some local Greenlandic beers at the hostel and a walk around a living history museum. It was the 100^th anniversary of the founding of this settlement, Qassiarsuk, and so locals were heading in for the celebrations. We took a trip to the cafe and souvenier shop, where we were welcomed by those farming families we had just been staying with while out on our trips. We very much felt a part of the community. They had set up a small marquee, a small stage, and two porta-loos ready for their celebrations, move over Glastonbury.

A windy forecast meant we needed to make sure we crossed over the fjord in time for our flight home, the locals reading the weather so well, timed it just right. We managed to visit the arboretum once at Narsarsuaq, the only place one will find trees! And I managed to source the local gin from the supermarket, yes even Greenland has a gin.

I still don’t know anyone else who has been horse riding in Greenland, or even just to Greenland, but I am sure glad I experienced this trip of a lifetime and will cherish the memories I have been fortunate to make.

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