Als Bridle Route

On Als you find some of the most beautiful scenery in Sønderjylland, with undulating, unspoilt landscapes and long stretches of coastline. A perfect way of experiencing this beautiful countryside is on horseback, which provides a unique and intense experience.

In May 2015 a 100-km bridle path opened on Als. It runs both along the coast and takes in the centre of the island.

Around one third of the path is across fields and along gravel tracks, whilst the remainder of the path follows minor tarmac roads. As the path forms a ring, you can start and finish wherever you like. Most people choose a section of the route and make a day trip of it. There are several places en route where you can “park” your horse while you take a rest.

If you’re ambitious enough to ride the whole route or choose a section longer than you can manage in a day, this is also possible. Indeed, there are 11 places to stay overnight en route – including a B&B with overnight paddocks for your horse. 

The most challenging adventure, however, is to use the so-called “hay hotels”, of which there are several along the route. Here you sleep in a shelter out in the great outdoors close to your horse – which is quite an experience!

Six good horse advices

We have received the following advices from Ann Sophia Bertelsen and Anna Ydegaard, who enjoyed a tour on the bridle route in the summer of 2020

- Four shoes on the horse, the route follows many gravel roads with stones. Front shoes where not enough and we had to call a blacksmith (beslagsmed) during our tour, who put on hind shoes on one of our horses.

- Use a draw rein as reins. “You can ride with a draw rein as reins, but you cannot tie up a horse with leather reins”. So spare some pack and use a draw rein as reins :-)

- Elastic band under the stomach of the horse, to keep the saddle bags in place and prevent them from bouncing too much. Test and train the use of saddle bags at home before going on tour.

- Remove the noseband from the bridle. It is important to let the horse grass on the tour. A horse grasses better without a noseband and you can easily ride without. Small grassing breaks of 3-5 minutes are important.

- Spare noseband, martingale and other equipment, you can easily manage without it. The less equipment and pack the better.

- Chance in tempo is important for the horse (and rider). If the tour is made in a monotone pace, the horse gets in our experience stiff and sore. Put in some intervals of trot and gallop on the longer stretches, to provide some more movement and prevent stiff joints and sore muscles.