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What we do
Our aim is to multiply the number of Icelandic horse enthusiasts around the world by promoting the breed, its industry and its community on a global scale. Furthermore, we strive to unify the message surrounding the breed in order to ensure a shared and consistent voice that resonates within and without the Icelandic Horse community.
Who makes it possible
Horses of Iceland is co-funded by the Icelandic horse industry and the
. In practice, this means that the government matches the amount private entities are willing to donate to the project.The project's founding members are
The Icelandic Horse Breeders' Association
(through The Icelandic Farmers' Association),The Icelandic Equestrian Association
andThe Trainers' Association of Iceland
. They each have up to two members on the board of Horses of Iceland. Representatives from the tourism, export and manufacturing industries also have a seat on the board which is presided by an agent of the government of Iceland. oversees and supports the project by covering the expenses of a project manager. This ensures that all funds raised for the projects are dedicated to the work itself but not to paying staff. The close relation to Business Iceland also gives access to priceless resources and experience.How we do it
The capital invested in Horses of Iceland is used to fund many different activities aimed at promoting the Icelandic Horse all over the world. You can read all about our success and testimonials from our partners further down the page.
- Social Media presence: You've probably seen us on social media where we have over 140.000 followers on
Facebook
andInstagram
. - Content making: One of the main goals of Horses of Iceland is to share and make beautiful, professional and clear content about the Icelandic Horse that can be shared within the community and to the outside world and show the amazing qualities of Icelandic Horses. Whether it be making
videos
, 360°content, organising photoshoots, sharing great work, or writing articles, we're here to spread knowledge and please the eye. - Event participation: Over the years, Horses of Iceland has taken part in various events every year such as Equitana and Pferd und jagd in Germany, Equine Affaire in the US, Sweden International Horse Show and Elmia Power Show in Sweden, Landsmót in Iceland, the World Championships in Denmark and the Netherlands and many more. By participating to those events, our aim is to either help new people discover the Icelandic horse or get deeper knowledge about the breed and its community.
- Press trips: The connection to Business Iceland means that Horses of Iceland gets the chance to be in touch with many journalists all over the world. The Icelandic Horse is never a boring subject and we want to make sure journalists present it in the light it deserves. We've organised quite a few press trips over the years and will keep doing so in the future.
Success over the years
By becoming a partner of horses of Iceland, you help the Icelandic horse reach new heights of popularity and spread the knowledge about the breed. This is a long term project and measuring success isn't always easy but here's what we pride ourselves in having achieved or having had a part in since the project was launched in 2015.
- Over
70 partners
in 5 countries have joined the project at some point in time. In 2023 alone, we count 29 active partners (not counting the founders mentioned above). - Close to 2 million people have been to shows where Horses of Iceland had a booth or was presenting the breed
- Articles and documentaries from press trips made in partnership with Horses of Iceland have reached over 293 million people over the years
- The various videos made by or in partnership with Horses of Iceland have been viewed over 1 971 000 times on our channels and shared widely
- The annual number of exported Icelandic horses has risen rather steadily since 2015 and the average number over the 2019/20/21 has been the highest on record since 1995/96/97 with 2 580 horses per year versus 2 668.
- Our social media audience is growing steadily and the worth of its reach in 2022 was valued at over 18,6 million Icelandic Króna (over 126 000 €).
Join the fun!
.Testimonials
Rúnar Þór Guðbrandsson - Hrímnir
We are dedicated to offering high-quality riding equipment for horse and rider as well as providing fundamental knowledge to the Icelandic horse world. The strong partnership with Horses of Iceland is a rewarding and impactful cooperation for us. It allows us to extend our community of Icelandic horse friends all over the world and offer valuable opportunities for networking, visibility, and contributing to the rich cultural heritage of Iceland. Having a common goal, to cherish and protect the Icelandic horse breed makes this partnership very special for us.
HorseDay
Our passion lies in crafting a platform for the Icelandic horse community to register and exchange valuable insights on training and caring for these remarkable creatures. Collaborating with Horses of Iceland, we create networking opportunities, celebrate Iceland's cultural heritage, and promote awareness about Icelandic horses and related businesses. Together, we share our love for this incredible breed through exciting projects that we proudly share with the world.
The Icelandic horse world has grown dramatically in recent years and is likely to grow substantially over the next several years.
This world is very diverse. Most people enjoy being around their horses, riding them in beautiful nature near home.
Others’ interests lie in breeding and competition, and they hope to breed their future riding horse or competition horse.
Many travel to other countries to experience their horse in its country of origin.
Whatever the reason, the Icelandic horse unites diverse people interested in the horse and Iceland.
The “Horses of Iceland” project includes only professionals in all areas, including marketing.
The reason for Eldhestar’s involvement is to strengthen and boost people’s interest in Icelandic horses throughout the world under the guidance of professionals in the industry.
Hróðmar Bjarnason
Manager