New action plan presents concrete measures to save the Faroese Horse

2024.03.27

Native to the Faroe Islands, the Faroese Horse has roots that can be traced back to when the Norse settlers arrived in the islands more than 1 000 years ago. Today, the breed is severely threatened by extinction and urgent action is required. Suggestions on concrete measures for saving the breed for the future are now described in a newly published Action Plan for the Conservation of the Faroese Horse.

The Faroese Horse is small, but hardy and resilient. Through the centuries, it has adapted to the Faroese climate and way of life, and it is now a crucial part of our cultural heritage. In the 1960’s, the breed was close to extinction with only a handful of individuals remaining. Since then, the struggle to save the breed has been ongoing.

“At the Agricultural Agency we can see the need for a holistic approach in saving the Faroese Horse. As the action plan suggests, an official and well-funded breeding program me is key for expanding the horse population. But inbreeding monitoring, a cryoconservation programme, documentation and marketing of the breed are also important tools that need to be in place – and this must be conducted with close cooperation between both the governmental authorities and the private horse owners as well as the Faroese Horse Association.

Last spring, the Agricultural Agency delivered a suggested roadmap on the domestic breeding work needed, to the ministry responsible for agricultural affairs, and we are eagerly awaiting their response now”, says Chief Agricultural Officer Tróndur Gilli Leivsson at Búnaðarstovan, the Agricultural Agency.

The export and replacement of horses in the beginning of the 20th century led to important genetic material being lost forever - a bottleneck which left the horse breed sensitive to inbreeding. This can be overcome, but collaboration is key.

“The Faroe Islands Horse Association (Falagið Føroysk Ross) was formed in 1978 as an organization dedicated to saving the breed. Thanks to the commitment of our members and the collaboration with local authorities such as the Agricultural Agency, we now have 82 horses in the Faroe Islands. This itself is a success story and a remarkable recovery.

However, for almost a decade, we have been attempting to reach over 100 individuals. Unfortunately, this task has proven to be impossible given the circumstances we are working with. Instead of increasing in size, the population decline from 95 individuals to 82 in the past few years. If this trend continues, the Faroese horses will experience a second bottleneck event.

"We cannot rest yet, the challenge persists,” says the chairperson Signa Kallsoy Joensen at the Faroe Horse Association.

The now published action plan has been developed in cooperation with the Faroese Horse Association (Falagið Føroysk Ross), the Agricultural Agency and NordGen.

“The suggested measures in the Action Plan are concrete, science-based and in line with the guidelines from the United Nations’ organization for food and agriculture, FAO. We have high hopes that they, if realized, can lead to a substantial revitalization of the Faroese horse population so that these horses can be enjoyed by future generations as well”, says Mervi Honkatukia, Leader of the farm animals section at NordGen.