Riding holiday in Iceland - did you disinfect your riding gear before you went?

[TheLoneRanger]

There are complicated rules about disinfecting stuff over here, or paying for it to be done in Iceland. I am wondering if it will be simpler to let them do it over there, or is that daft? One guidebook says we also need a vet certificate to say it's all been disinfected - surely not?

I appreciate that we're very lucky to be going! And obviously want to do the right thing by the Icelandic horse.

[Littlebigbum]

I brought new stuff, cheap dealer boots from the market and jodhpurs off internet. Borrowed a hat and jacket there, went with unicorn trails. Guess it would be more difficult if just popping to stable while on hols.

[Perihelion]

Bought new seat saver, new boots and gloves, washed my jods at a high temp and borrowed a hat and waterproofs when there. Hats and boots that cannot go in a washing machine or be dry cleaned, need disinfected and kept away from horses for 5 days. No used riding gloves or leather equipment.
Have no idea of the cost of disinfecting or the faff, so went with the new/borrow approach.
And you can buy duty free at Keflavik on the way in......

[newfavouritething]

What are you preventing?

[Perihelion]

Equine flu amongst others. Icelandic horses are not vaccinated and have been isolated as a breed. There are no imports of horses to Iceland.

[PipkinsPal]

Iceland are very strict on riding and fishing equipment. It either has to be brand new and unused or have a vet certificate. Because of the geographical nature they have to import a lot of things and that is why it is expensive there. Fishing is one of their main sources of food and to have that wiped out by viruses brought in from outside the country would be a disaster. I'm not sure what the horse thing is though as I was told this info from an Icelandic guide when I visited the island on a day trip back in 1998.

[TheLoneRanger]

You are all brilliant, thank you. Fool that I am, I hadn't even thought of the "brand new in packaging" option. I will buy some new half-chaps, which is my main concern, and wash our jodhs. Boots, I hope, will be available to borrow; but we will take shoes with heels which haven't been near horses. They must have hats to borrow.

Just to confirm - we won't need a vet cert for the jodhs, will we? As it happens, I am seeing our vet this week, so would be do-able. But might cost???

[Perihelion]

//www2.mast.is/import/ridingequipment hope that works...
Most places will have hats, boots, waterproofs and winter overalls to borrow. Jods okay with washing. ( my duty free comment was for buying drink, rather than riding gear .
Don't underestimate how shite the weather can be. I had a day where it was like having buckets of water thrown at me sideways for 6 hours....still an amazing experience.

[higgle]

TLR, I bought all new when I went two years ago, but I think some of teh others in the party ( they were not English) just took their normal stuff and no one asked questions. I hope you have as good a time as I did, there was freak warm weather and I came back quite brown! The Icelandic horses are wonderful, and you see little 12.2s with 6'4" men on board full of enerrgy, flat out.