Photographing Icelandic horses at Stable Stop, Northern Iceland 2023

65.6707691707623, -18.401143997921537

October 2023

There is a kind of casualness to the Icelandic landscape that I cannot quite get used to. At Stable Stop, in the Hörgárdalur valley north of Akureyri, the back garden ends in a gorge, with a waterfall just beside it. Nobody at the farm mentions either. They are just there, the way a hedge or a fence might be somewhere else.

I stayed for a few days, in the apartment that belongs to the family home. Anna Maria and Halldor let me share their meals and their company, and trusted me to photograph their animals. Berber Zorgdrager was there for training and guiding rides. I had photographed her earlier that year on Terschelling, with her own horses, and now she was here, riding the training horses she had been working with for months.

We had a session day together with the horses. Her training horses, and the ones she had grown most fond of. Berber was patient with every one of them. The rain made the light soft and the colours deep, and the photographs that came out of that day are some of the quieter ones I have made. I also got to photograph the family, easy company, in front of a camera as much as around a table.

What I remember most is Lysingur. He stood in the back garden as if he belonged to the gorge, the waterfall, and the landscape behind him. The kind of horse that makes you forget what you came to do.

The morning before I left, I photographed Nero, the farm's Border Collie. And one afternoon I drove out with Berber to a friend of the family to photograph Panda, an Icelandic sheepdog. I have had them for more than 25 years, and there is something about that breed that always pulls me in, the alertness, the way they meet your eyes.

The horses and both Nero and Panda stayed with me long after the trip ended.

I keep thinking about that gorgeous backyard.

Horse Riding at Stable Stop

If you're interested in riding, you can connect with Anna Maria and Halldor for some unforgettable experiences. Curious? Check out their site at https://stablestop.is/.

Thank You! A huge thank you to Anna Maria and Halldor for your warm hospitality, lovely company, and delicious meals. I appreciate your trust in allowing me to photograph your animals and for making the session with Panda possible.

And of course, a big shoutout to Berber Zorgdrager for the wonderful days, your help, time, and patience during the sessions with the horses and dogs. Without you, these photos wouldn’t have been possible!