Horse purchase in Iceland
First I would say: A horse purchase over photo, catalog or offer list in the Internet I became do not transact, but the things are simply too difficult and too multilayered. There one must be simply locally, and all to regard more exactly, like appearance, pace (4-speed or 5-speed, much Tölt or little Tölt), a character, health condition etc. if you a purchase consider, you proceed yourselves thus not too naive.
But we come once for commercial and tariff-legal execution.
For the moment (conditions 2010) one can acquire a horse in Iceland - with good breeding line - already for approx. 80,000 ISK (approximately 500 euros). The price is in addition, an good deal, counts you better with approximately 1000 to 1500 euros. These are however not the only costs. Consider that still the transport costs with approx. 1000 to 1200 euros and other handling costs strike here to beech. Before the horse for an export will ship, it is of a veterinarian; "chiped".
I white, you want facts and numbers to see. In order to give you a to some extent useful answer here, here once the vague costs (conditions 2010)
Transport approx. 1000 bis 1200 Euros
Export document 60 Euros
Veterinarian costs in Iceland (chipen, without X-ray) 120 Euros
Microchip 30 Euros
Operaterkosten (shipping company etc.) approx. ca 120,--
Handling and shipping costs in Iceland 50 Euros
The most animals get later a violent Ekzem (also summer-ekzem called). The summer-ekzem is however not a consequence of the changed fodder admission (however often falsely so accepted), but rather is here an allergy against the saliva of the beard mosquito (Ceratopogonidae) responsible. There is not this insect in Iceland, therefore the animals are there also to a large extent exempted from it. It is not to mean however in such a way that there is not this horse illness in Iceland. Isolated it arises, to causes also there is then however another. Usually become in Iceland then - as soon as the animals are already recognized as foal and as Ekzemer - slaughtered, are recognizing only in later years taken place, then state bad tongues that these animals are exported abroad. How far this statement applies, white I, do not want to deepen me in addition, at all therein or not speculate in it.
However it is, your bought horse got once this Ekzem later, then one knows a treatment with a veterinary surgeon would then only drive through. Also those are then problems and additional costs. Fact and fact are that - proportionally seen - imported Icelandic horses get sick far more frequently with this Ekzem than domestic pulled animals.
After alldem I would say:
I would buy a horse only abroad if the race is not available absolutely here in the home area or if it concerns an absolute breeding horse or top horse.
The fact that, one can buy, however, no Icelandic horses here in the home area, however, one cannot say. There are in Germany numerous good stut farms and even in your homeland which breed Icelander's horses.
Imported Icelandic horses are not better than here pulled horses. They also have here in your homeland more possibilities to bring, when on site in Iceland to themselves by a purchase an expert horse expert.
Think about it by a purchase of an Icelandic horse that the animals are wild horses, it means, the horses live mainly in a big extensive freedom, a big width, while they will stand here then on a narrow pasture and behind fence. Also this is a huge psychic incision for the animal.
I can not necessarily recommend you with a quiet conscience a horse purchase in Iceland. It can go well, but it can also fail!
On one`s own account:
I am no stated horse expert, have pursued the horse riding even as a leisure hobby, also I am no veterinary surgeon and also no expert for customs legislation. In this respect I also raise no claim that my implementation is entire and complete, rather it should be a coarse clue.
My objections for a horse purchase in Iceland, remain, however, nevertheless, the same ones!
