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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 Icelandic government
The project's founding members are The Icelandic Equestrian Association The Icelandic Horse Breeders' Association The Trainers' Association of Iceland
In daily operations, Business Iceland
How we do it
The capital invested in the project 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, the 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 26 active partners. - Over 1,6 million people have been to shows where Horses of Iceland had a stand 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 past three years (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!
Would you like to support this great project? Here are the packages we offer and what you can get in return:
⮕ WALK - 50 000 kr / 350 €
- 1 to 2 members in the closed Horses of Iceland partners Facebook group: news about the project, inside discussions and exchange of ideas
- Information meeting 1x/year: report of the previous year and plans for the next, exchange of ideas, networking...
- Partner name with link published on Horses of Iceland's website's
Partners' page
⮕ TROT - 150 000 kr / 1 000 €
- Everything included in Walk and:
- Pin on Horses of Iceland's
Map of Partners
(published onPartners' page
) - Permission to use Horses of Iceland's brand in the partner's own marketing activities
- Licence to use Horses of Iceland's promotional material
- Special presentation of breeding farms inviting guests to visit during Landsmót 2024
⮕ GALLOP - 300 000 kr / 2 000 €
- Everything included in Trot and:
- Logo on Horses of Iceland's website's
Partners' page
- Presentation of the partner on Horses of Iceland's social media (photo(s) with caption + boost on Facebook and Instagram post)
- Assistance/training in marketing matter - on the use of social media in marketing and more (upon request)
- Possibility to take over Horses of Iceland's instagram account for 1 day (preparation meeting & terms of use acceptation mandatory)
- Name and logo visible at events and exhibitions in which Horses of Iceland takes part
- Distribution of partner's promotional material (flyers, brochures, ...)
- Blog article published on Horses of Iceland's
blog/news page
(written by partner)
⮕ TÖLT - 500 000 kr / 3 400 €
- Everything in Gallop and:
- Logo on Horses of Iceland's websites
Homepage
- Possibility to join Horses of Iceland at events and exhibitions by sending a representative
- Possibility to connect to marketing activities and events (mailing to target groups, partnerships, featured story on instagram)
- Partner's promotional material (flyers, brochures, ...) included in a media package distributed to foreign journalist coming to Iceland
- Invitation to round table discussions (1x year)
⮕ PACE - 800 000 kr / 5 400 €
- Everything in Tölt and:
- Access to Horses of Iceland's image bank (terms of use acceptation mandatory)
- Logo on all pages of Horses of Iceland's website
- Participation in strategy meetings (1-2x per year): selection of marketing activities, target groups/market areas, budget prioritizations, ...
⮕ GÆÐINGUR - 1 000 000 kr and more / 6 800 € and more
- Everything in Pace and:
- Board observer at project management meetings
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