Workers set to leave for a holiday but unsure what to write in their out-of-office message can relax and leave it up to horses from Iceland as part of a bizarre stunt.
The whacky idea is part of a new campaign by Inspired by Iceland.
Known as Outhorse your Email, people can request a special message written by one of three animals - Little Star, Rhymes or Crochet.
A video shared by the tourism agency showed their human team setting up a large keyboard which one of the three horses is led across to create the unique out of office message.
Inspired by Iceland wrote: “Did we really teach the horses of Iceland to type on a giant keyboard? Yes, we did.
“Nothing ruins a vacation like an email from your boss.
“Thankfully, Iceland has the perfect solution: OutHorse your Email. Yes, seriously!
“Iceland’s very special horses will write real out of office replies so you can enjoy your vacation in peace.
“Even though they might be a bit smaller than many are used to, they're strong, smart, and unique with their 5 gaits and... can answer your emails!”
One person replied: “You could potentially get the same result after six glasses of wine, but this sounds like much more fun (and better for your liver!).
“Not only are Icelandic horses the most gorgeous creatures, but it turns out they have excellent business communication skills too.”
The idea came about after a survey by the tourism group found at least 55% of workers check their emails while on holiday. Of those, 60% said their bosses expected them to reply, despite being away from their desks.
Jelena Ohm, from Horses of Iceland, said: “We received a very large replica of the keyboard so they got used to how to walk over it.
“I think they’ve been really enjoying themselves, they’ve been playing along really well and having some fun as well.
“I think you’ll be able to see that and yeah, it’s been a great day.”
Despite the horses’ best attempts, most of their responses read along the lines of “qwfghhhhhhhtututjtiu9p.”
Sigríður Dögg Guðmundsdóttir, head of Visit Iceland, said: “When visitors travel to Iceland we want them to fully experience everything our nation has to offer, from breathtaking surroundings to endless landscapes and friendly faces.
“Our ‘OutHorse Your Email’ service lets them do just that, taking away the pressure of feeling as if they have to be always on and instead allowing them to be present throughout their trip.”
