Bosnia and Herzegovina has no state laws protecting the country’s only indigenous breed of domestic horse, the Bosnian Mountain Horse, but Slovenia has made an effort to protect the species when its Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food registered it as an autochthonous breed in the territory of Slovenia.

There is no state-level law on animal husbandry in BiH, and thus no state program for the protection of native and endangered breeds of domestic animals.

Meanwhile, the news that Slovenia registered the Bosnian Mountain Horse as an autochthonous breed in the country enraged many in BiH.

However, the association which requested the move explained that this does not mean that Slovenia is trying to appropriate the breed.

“The fact is that in accordance with the national legislation in Slovenia, the Bosnian Mountain Horse did not become a Slovenian autochthonous breed, but an autochthonous breed on the territory of the Republic of Slovenia,” the International Association of Bosnian Mountain Horse Breeders said.

“We are trying to breed Bosnian mountain horses together with breeders in nine other countries in order to increase the number of thoroughbred horses,” it said.