Faroese horses given a lifeline

An anonymous Faroese donor recently granted DKK 1.5 million to FFR, the Faroese Horse Association.

This much-needed support will bolster the association’s breeding efforts as time dwindles to save Faroese horses from extinction.

In the 18th century, there were about 800 Faroese horses. This number has now declined to 90.

The grant will help bring the number up to 100. This is, however, just a drop in the bucket because 6,000 breeding mares are required to sustain the Faroese horse population.

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“The situation is critical. This grant will help us boost the population by transferring ten embryos from Faroese mares to Icelandic mares, which can then be transported to Denmark where they will give birth to ten Faroese foals,” says FFR chairwoman Signa Kallsoy Joensen.

”This will help, but it will not save Faroese horses from extinction.”

Establishing a breeding population outside of the Faroes is crucial because there are nowhere near enough Faroese foals in relation to the total horse population.

“Restricting the breeding of our horses to the Faroes will inevitably lead to increased inbreeding, which will make the mares infertile in the long run,” she says.

“And, in any case, to reach a sustainable number, we would obviously have to export some mares because we simply do not have space for 6,000 mares here in the Faroes.”

A legal obstacle race against time

The FFR has long been calling on politicians to remove the legal obstacles that prevent exports of Faroese horses.

“We have the necessary tools to issue horse passports. Horse breeders abroad are interested in Faroese horses,” says Joensen.

“We simply need permission to export Faroese horses abroad for breeding to increase the number of individuals.”

The new grant will also help finance a documentary aimed at raising awareness and garnering support for the FFR’s efforts to save Faroese horses from extinction.

Read the Faroese version of this article here.

English version by prosa.fo.

More Faroese News in English.