Horse - Iceland
Horse - Iceland
Icelandic horse, nature and interaction
You will be assigned 1-2 horses that will be "yours" this year. You'll spend a lot of time on horseback in beautiful nature, together with others who share the same interest. You'll learn about the Icelandic horse's 4-5 gaits and practice mastering them. You'll also learn about the horse's natural behavior, needs and body language. Here you can develop together with your four-legged partner and combine horse training with trail riding, outdoor life and socializing. In the fall, we go on a class trip to Hjerkinn Fjellridning where we get to enjoy 2 days of high-mountain riding and luxury.
Varied and horse-friendly
We have a strong focus on motivation and varied work. You'll learn to work with horses in a natural and horse-friendly way and to work in a practical and varied way, both from the ground and from horseback. You will learn to understand the horses, how they communicate with each other and with us and why they react as they do. We take this knowledge with us in our training and use it to educate safe and harmonious horses.
Horse health
It's important to us that horses feel good both physically and mentally. You'll learn about the horse's natural needs for herd life, movement, nutrition and active temperature regulation. Knowledge of basic anatomy, hoof care and equine massage is also something you will gain experience with. You'll be there when the veterinarian, dental hygienist, farrier and equitherapist work with the horses.
Horse - Iceland on social media
Here you can check out our instagram account and get a little insight into what we do throughout the year!
Short and sweet
You will learn
Groundwork in round paddock
Horse psychology
Horse husbandry and horse massage
Breaking in young horses
Farriery and saddle fitting
The Icelandic horse's 5 gaits
You get to experience
Trip to Hjerkinn - mountain riding
Study trip to Iceland
Leatherwork - sew belt/headgear
Dog sledding - Snøhetta husky
Outdoor life with horses
Martha-Oline about Horse - Iceland
Martha Oline is a former student of the program and tells you a little about what you will experience and learn with a year at Horse - Iceland. There's nothing to look forward to!
Teacher
Anne Aamodt
Anne is a trained agronomist and runs her own farm with horses, sheep and goats. Her farm has been a large-scale horse farm for many years. Anne is also a trained hoof specialist, and is 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 USA, where she apprenticed with Leslie Desmond, among others. Anne has also taken horsemanship courses with Stefan Forsman, Klaus Ferdinand Hempfling and many others.
Despite her impressive track record, Anne is a down-to-earth and humble person who gets on well with both animals and people. She has a warm and calm nature, which easily rubs off on both horses and students. A year at the horse line at Nordvestlandet Folk High School will allow you to take part in Anne's knowledge, experience and skills with horses.
Equipment you need
Riding helmet
Warm clothes and shoes for all seasons
Study trips
At Nordvestlandet Folk High School you can choose a study trip! In November, the entire school has a travel period where you choose the program you find most interesting. This is a unique opportunity to get to know more of the students at the school and learn more about yourself and the world we live in.
Bali - Lombok
We're packing our bags and traveling to Bali and Lombok! There we will experience jungle, volcano, rafting and surfing. Get to know Indonesian culture better and visit humanitarian work. Every evening we have dinner together and an evening gathering.
Training camp Gran Canaria
During the training camp you will get to try padel, beach volleyball, wave surf, tennis, frisbee ultimate, cycling and swimming. In addition to some ball activities, there will be some sessions with basic training, strength and fitness, in idyllic surroundings. Every evening we have a joint evening gathering with socializing and fun.
Norway - a round trip
On this trip we will visit a number of important historical sites and you will get an insight into Norwegian culture and nature. We visit Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim and Stiklestad National Cultural Center, where you get a good insight into Viking and medieval culture. The tour continues south to Ålesund. We will also go on a cabin trip and do exciting activities along the way.
Fjord route
Join us on a fantastic cabin-to-cabin hike in the mountains on the islands between Kristiansund and Surnadal. Right next to the ocean, you will experience magnificent nature, improve your map and compass skills, clothing and hiking food. On this hike, you will learn a lot about and from being in nature.
Kenya
In November we are traveling to Kenya. Here we will see fantastic nature, visit many significant places and learn a lot about ourselves! Before we travel, we are working on North/South issues.
Read more about our study tours on the study tour page!
Study trip to Iceland
We round off the year with a fantastic trip to Iceland. We'll rent cars and drive around the island to take in much of what Iceland has to offer. It will be a packed week where we get to experience the homeland of the Icelandic horse, its culture and history. We'll be bathing in hot springs, we'll see impressive waterfalls, geysers, volcanic craters, black lava beaches and of course we'll RI!
Ski week in Oppdal
In February, the whole school goes to Oppdal Ski Center. We'll be staying at the IMI-Stølen campsite, which has excellent facilities for accommodation and socializing. There will be lots of skiing fun, games and cabin fun!We have skilled instructors with us and you will receive instruction at your level. We offer instruction in alpine skiing, telemark, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. You get 5 days of ski passes, so this is a unique opportunity to improve your skiing skills or learn something completely new.
Price
Get an overview of your costs.
Norwegian citizens will receive NOK 151,690 in loans and grants from the loan fund for the 2025/26 school year.
Basic cost
167 000 NOK
Enrollment money
Cost/charge (standard)
Major program cost
Joint expenses / joint trips
Incl. study trip to Iceland
Optional study trip
The Fjord Route
included
Training camp
Gran Canaria
17 000 NOK
Kenya
29 000 NOK
Norway - a round trip
3 000 NOK
Bali - Lombok
29 000 NOK
Other
High-standard double rooms (w/bath) cost 7 000 NOK per year, single rooms (w/bath) 9 000 NOK per year.
Most electives are free of charge. Some electives cost extra, check the electives page.
Personal equipment such as skis, poles, backpack, hiking clothes, etc. must be provided by you, some can be rented at the school.
Passports, travel insurance and vaccinations required for international travel are not included.
Special diets for allergies and more. 300 NOK to 1 000 NOK per month.
Some experience weeks are free and some cost extra, check the electives page.
