During the last year, 2,320 Icelandic horses were exported from Iceland. The preliminary report comes from Business Iceland (Íslandsstofa), which published data showing an increase in demand for Icelandic horses around the world.
1,509 horses left Iceland in 2019, which means that in 2020 there was a 53% increase in their exports.
According to Statistics Iceland, the total value of horses exported in 2020 was just over ISK 1.5 billion, half a billion more than in the previous year.
The last time that many horses were sold abroad in 1997. 2,565 horses were exported then.
Exports to the United States increased by 176%, and exports to the United Kingdom doubled. Íslandsstofa officials say these good statistics are due to the deliberate marketing carried out by Horses of Iceland over the past few years.
Most horses went to Germany (974), Sweden came second (306), followed closely by Denmark (271).
The number of horses that entered Belgium in 2020 (43 of them) has tripled compared to sales in 2019.
Íslandsstofa representatives are satisfied with the growing demand in Great Britain, where 31 horses went. They said for Visirthat “exporters have long appreciated the UK market for its proximity and links to strong markets elsewhere in Europe ”.
Icelandic horses can also be admired in Poland, at the Punktur stud, located near Lwówek Śląski.
Source: Yle