While there are several industries, which flourish on live animals like the dairy and meat industry, there is the racing sector where equines are in high demand. Horses and other equine animals of the superlative breed are a major trading material. Horses are one of the main export animals. There are various legal formalities and certifications, which are compulsory and that every exporter or importer has to follow. Only after following those rules, selling or buying of horses or other equine animals like asses, mules or donkeys, is legal.

　　

The Top Exporters

There are various countries, which make a fortune with the export of horses, and other live animals. Among them, the United Kingdom tops the list with an export value of $463,989,000. This figure pertains to the latest 2015 ranking obtained from the International Trade Center Data. The country exports equines to foreign countries like China and most of these are of superior breeds. These are for stud farms, primarily meant for horse racing purposes. The demand for Cleveland Bay remains high while that of Hackney has gone down. The next position is that of the United States, which earns $400,143,000 through export of live horses. Breeds like American Cream are hugely popular and has found takers across the world too. However, the US has claimed that there is a drop in the percentage of equine and other live animal exports. This year’s first quarter saw a reduction of 28 percent as per statistical reports. The third country, which is one of the topmost exporters is the Netherlands, which earns $303,926,000 from exporting horses. This figure is indeed huge, and the reason is that the breeds raised here are of very high quality. The Royal Dutch Sport Horse is one of the most important breeds of horses that are popular here for jumping and dressage sports. The Dutch horses earn around $60,000 and one of the principal buyers is the United States. Gelderlander, Jumping Horses, and eventing horses from the Netherlands are great export quality horses that are in popular demand. However, the Frisian horse is one of the most sophisticated breeds from the Netherlands. It is most often seen in winning competitions and hence, quite an asset to the country. However, now there are other countries too like Ireland, France, and Germany, which follow suit in this competition to rank as some of the top exporters of superior quality equines.

　　

Need For Strict Regulations On Trading Horses

While most cases of trade in horses and other equine animals occur due to the use of these animals for recreational purposes only, in many other times, it is not so. Recently, a scandal came out regarding the horse slaughter that is rampant in many countries. Illegally traded horses are sold for meat, and this is strictly against the animal welfare laws of many countries. Hence, contacting the Horse Welfare Organizations in the country and alerting them would be a wise step.