Last preparations, test rides and a little excursion

So, today it was time for most of us to get started. After having breakfast together in the main house, the horses were collected, brought to the stable, and assigned to the individual riders. Magnus had already prepared all the saddles and bridles, so we could start quickly. All new riders had to ride their horses briefly in the riding arena so that he could see if the horse-rider pairs fit well together. Then we started. Eight of us rode out to test. It went quite well, except for one rider who didn't get along well with her horse. Since Magnus was leading the ride, we were going at a good pace :-). Today I was allowed to ride Goa, both today and tomorrow, and I could also choose my saddle - of course, the one that fits me best. I'm glad because it seems like we'll be out riding for a longer time tomorrow. My plan was to ride behind the group today, to make sure that we don't lose anyone and to be able to help if needed. But Goa didn't find it funny at all. By the halfway point, she was just annoyed and angry. So I decided to leave my position for the last stretch and let the racehorse run. That was so much fun. We came back as the first ones again, grinning. When we got back, Magnus' mom had cooked a big meal. We had a goulash made from goat meat with rice and potatoes - it was super delicious and everyone loved it. I then went for another ride with Lilli and Bjartur, and Lilli also found her horse for tomorrow, Seiva. So all the house guests are taken care of for tomorrow. In the afternoon, I went to Hvammstangi with Bjartur - I had to exchange the wool I bought by mistake at the supermarket - and after a short shopping trip, we sat on a bench by the sea and had a very nice conversation. Back at the farm, I changed back into my work clothes and helped out in the stable for a while. Elias was there with Jökull and Jaki, the shoes were removed, and the two of them were allowed to go to the big paddock on the slope. Now I even got to see my big dappled gray horse again, and of course, the dog Tira from his parents. For dinner, we had the most delicious rice pudding. What more could you ask for? And then the whole group started singing songs that are known in all languages, and we sang a canon in the respective language - it was totally crazy and funny. The lyrics were quickly googled on the internet, so there was no excuse and everyone could join in. To temporarily conclude the day, everyone jumped into the hot tub together.. but we didn't sing anymore - now we're all super excited about tomorrow....