Every year during summer months in the rural parts of Iceland horses are set free to roam and raise the young ones. Hundreds of horses are running together in the wild and enjoying the freedom. When the fall comes, farmers come together to round up, sort the horses and take them home.
The most spectacular part of this tradition can be observed during the last weekend of September. The event, called Laufskálarétt, happens in Skagafjörður, Northern Iceland. It is the most popular horse corral in the country. Thousands of guests watch how farmers are dealing with hundreds of horses.
Before the sorting starts, horses should be gathered. They are brought into Hofsós and put into the corral. Then the farmers get into the centre and sort the horses one by one. When the owner founds his horse, he has to make the animal come back home and forget about the freedom till the next summer. Sorting usually starts at around 11 a.m. on Saturday. When the work is done, it’s time to celebrate. You can enjoy the horse show, riding, singing, dancing and having fun with the locals celebrating the return of their wild horses.
