Icelandic horses in their natural landscape in Iceland. Photo: iStock

Horses have accompanied the residents of the Nordic countries for thousands of years and have had several purposes during the last centuries. It is uncertain how the first horses came to Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Finland, but traces of horses have been found as far back as 3000-2000 B.C. The first horses that came to Iceland and the Faroe Islands are believed to have travelled with new settlers during the Viking age (9^th and 10^th centuries).

The horses have had different purposes depending on the country they resided in and the period in history. For example, in Denmark, horses were primarily used in warfare during the Middle Ages (5^th-15^th century). More recently, horses were a crucial part of the Finnish army during the WW2. Horses have also been used for transportation of goods, which required sturdy and sure-footed breeds such as the Fjord horse in the Western terrains of Norway or the Icelandic horse in Iceland. In later years, the majority of the Nordic horse breeds became an asset in agriculture and forestry.

Societal interest in horses has also been influenced by the upper class and the royals. For instance, in Denmark, the Frederiksborg horse – considered the first established Danish breed – became popular because of the breeding efforts of the Danish crown during the 16^th century. When new royals took over the throne, the interest in horses dropped.

As society changed and modernization of agriculture occurred during the 20^th century, the purpose of horses became more associated with leisure and sporting events, such as dressage, jumping and racing. This led to import of breeds from continental Europe of larger and nobler riding types, causing a rapid decline in the populations of the native breeds.

Today, there are approximately 900,000 horses in the Nordic countries. 54% and 21% of them reside in Sweden and Denmark, respectively. Finland, Iceland and Norway’s share of the total number of horses varies between 7.7% and 9.4%. The smallest number of horses is found on the Faroese Islands (0.01%). In general, commercial sport horses are dominant in numbers.

There are 14 horse breeds that are considered native to the Nordic countries; three in Denmark, one in each of the following countries: Faroese Islands, Finland and Iceland, and four each in Norway and Sweden. The Nordic countries might have different criteria for which breeds are considered as native and worthy of conservation. In Norway, breeds are considered worthy of conservation when they were established in the country before 1950, and has a historical or cultural purpose. In addition, they should not be based on too much imported genetic material. To be applicable for subsidies, they also need to be endangered. Horses that are developed locally in a country in later years (e.g. many warmblood type horses) are thus considered as local breeds, but not native, and some breeds that are not endangered, e.g. Coldblooded trotters, are considered native but not in need of conservation. This report covers breeds that are considered native by their own country’s definitions. The native breeds only make up about 4% and 3% of the horses in Sweden and Denmark. For the Faroe Islands, Finland and Norway they make up 18%, 28% and 36% respectively, while 100% of the horses on Iceland are the native Icelandic horse, as they have a prohibition of import of horses to the island.  All the Nordic native breeds (except for the Icelandic horse, the trotter line of Finnhorse, and the Norwegian and Swedish Coldblooded trotters) are considered endangered or critically endangered. The Icelandic horse is an exception as it is a popular breed all over the world and it is not at risk. Since most of the breeds are endangered, they need active conservation measures to safeguard them.

The overall management of the population size and population trends are important parts of conservation work to be able to manage the breed in a sustainable way, and to spot detrimental trends before they become too difficult to turn around. Obtaining accurate numerical data on the Nordic native breeds for this report proved challenging, even with good connections among stakeholders within the Nordic countries. The data is scattered, and the frequency of census data registration varies considerably. Data sources can also provide different estimates, which makes it difficult to assess the correctness of the data. In the worst cases, the information is outdated or completely missing. FAO’s maintained livestock diversity database, DAD-IS is used for reporting on the global status and trends of animal genetic resources. Despite its potential impact on decision making, several of the Nordic countries have shortcomings in updating the DAD-IS -database.

The native Nordic horse breeds are adapted to rough environmental conditions because they have been exposed to them for centuries. In addition, genetic variation between and within breeds ensures their capability to adapt to changing environments, which becomes vital in the face of climate change. Genetic diversity enables their use for many different purposes in society, which is also essential for the breed's survival in the future.

In addition to the population data, not all phenotypic characteristics of the native breeds have been mapped yet. Based on our previous study, 30 % of the Nordic horse breeds lack proper phenotypic characterization (Kierkegaard et al. 2020). Maintaining the genetic diversity both between and within breeds (both commercial and native) is essential for the survival of the different populations in the future as low genetic diversity and inbreeding not only increases the risk of genetic defects and susceptibility to diseases, but also reduces their ability to reproduce and adapt to environmental changes. Furthermore, understanding the underlying genetics of different traits such as behaviour, tolerance (e.g., against diseases or harsh environments), and performance as well as development of genetic diseases and syndromes, is vital for maintaining a healthy population. Better knowledge on genetics will enable more informed breeding decisions for both commercial and native breeds.

The equine sector contributes to economic growth in various of the Nordic countries. For example, the sector has contributed to a turnover of 22.5 billion DKK in Denmark. Furthermore, estimates of the horse industry's employment impact vary between 6500 to 15 000 person-years in Finland. In Sweden, the equine sector is a large and growing part of the economy and the interest in owning horses increased during the COVID-19 pandemia (2020-2022).

As interest in and the use of horses has changed, the role of horse owners has also changed from being a producer to being a consumer. The owners and breeders carry most of the financial responsibility. Most of the practical conservation work of the native horse breeds are carried out by voluntary private horse owners. Conservation of native breeds, which may not generate as much income as commercial breeding activities, can therefore be an economical burden for those involved. Most of the Nordic countries provide some subsidies for the native horse breeds, but the requirements for obtaining the subsidies vary between countries and breeds. Economic incentives could lead to positive ripple effects through increased activity in horse enterprises using native breeds, for example in animal assisted therapy or ecosystem services.