Boss Mares on the Trail

For the woman who got back on.

Maybe you rode as a girl and life got in the way. Maybe you never stopped. Maybe you're more scared now than you were at twelve, and you're going anyway.

Either way, you're one of us. Pull up a hay bale.

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A rider in a helmet tölting a black Icelandic horse down a wooded trail in early fall28% 22%

Sound familiar?

You might be a Boss Mare if...

  • You said “one quick ride” and came home three hours later with burrs in your hair.
  • You got scared. You got back on anyway. That’s not luck. That’s grit.
  • Somebody told you you're too old for this. You're still out here.
  • Your horse has opinions. So do you. You've learned to pick your battles.
  • You rearranged a whole week around the farrier and didn't think twice.
  • The barn is where you go to breathe. Nobody else has to understand it.

Nodding along? Good. You found your herd.

Find your herd match

Which one of us are you?

Six Icelandic horses live at HestaRokk Farm in Cambridge, Wisconsin. Every one of them has been through something. Every one of them is still here. Sound like anyone you know?

  • The Leader

    Glytja

    Her mother, Gigja, died protecting her. Glytja grew up anyway and became the one everybody looks to when things get hard. She also charges a carrot toll on the trail. Leadership has perks.

    For the woman who holds everyone together. Take the cookie.

    Shop the Boss Mare collection

  • The Comeback

    Stjarna

    Laminitis took her off the trail. Glue-on shoes, good medicine, and a great deal of sass got her cleared to ride again this fall. She thinks she was born in Iceland. It was Indiana. Don't tell her.

    For the woman who was told to slow down and found another way to keep going.

    Shop Stjarna's collection

  • The Survivor

    Kommi

    Beat cancer four times. Still barges into the grain room first. He can't be ridden, so he made himself the herd's fitness coach. Wears full zebra print. No notes.

    For the woman who got knocked down more than once and kept her sense of humor.

    Shop Kommi's collection

  • The Steady One

    Gössi

    He rounded up sheep in Iceland. Now he carries Robin down every trail with one blue eye and zero panic. They call him the Viking Marshmallow.

    For the woman everybody calls when things go sideways.

    Shop Gössi's collection

  • The Mentor

    Hermi

    Came from Iceland at six and did his time in the show ring. Now he's the wise one, highly motivated by snacks. Kommi's best friend for 23 years.

    For the woman who shows the new girl around the barn.

    Shop Hermi's collection

  • The Earnest One

    Fróði

    Perfect tölt. Takes every single thing seriously. Deserves his own warning label.

    For the woman who's still learning and loving every minute of it.

    Shop Fróði's collection

Want to meet them in person? Stay at HestaRokk Farm

An Icelandic horse named Glytja

I know what it takes to come back.

I'm Robin. I started IamGlytja in 2019 and named it for a mare whose mother died protecting her. Glytja grew up anyway, and she grew up to lead.

The barn is where I go to breathe. Glytja has been at the center of my heart through every hard season. I survived breast cancer. I survived losing my dad to suicide. She was there for all of it.

In 2024, after I finished chemo, two people I love promised me a riding trek across Iceland. They kept that promise. It wasn't graceful. I got back on.

Everything I build carries Glytja with it. Every shirt, every book, every ridiculous post about Kommi's zebra suit.

This place is for you if you got back on. And if you're still standing at the mounting block deciding, it's for you too.

Robin, and Glytja, who approves of very little

Read our story

Boss Mares on the Trail

You don't ride alone anymore.

Almost a quarter million people follow this herd. Riders from Alaska to Germany. Women who bought their first horse at 40, and women who did it at nearly 70. Nobody here is too old, too new, or too scared to belong.

Boss Mare Spotlight

Carol stopped waiting.

Carol bought her first horse, an Icelandic mare named Spurning, when she was nearly 70. She'd been following this herd for a while. Then she decided she was done watching from the fence.

Read more Boss Mare stories

  • Ride with the Boss Mares

    Our ambassadors are chosen for trail miles, not follower counts. Applications close November 1.

    Apply to be a Boss Mare

  • Tell us your story

    Got back on after years away? Bought your first horse late? We want to hear it. You could be our next Spotlight.

    Send Robin your story

  • Read stories from the trail

    Getting back in the saddle, riding after a fall, and whether you're too old to start. You're not.

    Read the stories

  • Follow the herd

    Daily life at HestaRokk. Trail tax, zebra fly gear, and very strong opinions.

    Join us on Facebook

Real women, real words

From the herd

This darling shirt is exactly what I wanted. The color and fit is perfect. At my age, I might have chosen a crew neckline...but, then again, at my age who cares!

Elaine, Fort Lauderdale, FL

The store customer service was very helpful and kind. Real people, not AI. There are so many fun products here, it was a difficult choice.

Julie L., verified customer

Wear your herd

Wear what you are.

Not costumes. Reminders. Of the girl who loved horses, and the woman who never stopped.

The herd's favorites

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Ride with the herd

Six free herd wallpapers. Then the good stuff.

Join the list and all six horses land on your phone. After that you get trail stories, first looks at new pieces, and the occasional update from Kommi. No spam. Glytja wouldn't allow it.

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