The European nation where horses roam free

Once considered a nuisance, herds of semi-wild horses roaming the countryside in Bosnia-Herzegovina are now drawing tourists.

The rock-strewn valleys and rugged mountains of western Bosnia and Herzegovina conceal an elusive and extraordinary sight: herds of semi-wild horses roaming freely across the landscape.  

Currently totalling around 1,000 horses, these herds wander the Cincar Mountains and other areas between the towns of Livno, whose stone-built homes and mosques at the base of Mount Krug are a testament to 400 years of Ottoman rule, and Kupres, the highest city in the country. They're Bosnian Mountain Horses, descendants of domesticated horses that were released into the wild due to various reasons, from war to industrialisation, and have since been saved from extinction.

"Horses like this were once the backbone of the agricultural industry here," BBC Travel Show host Rajan Datar said in a recent episode on the region. "But once tractors and modern machinery arrived, many farmers set their horses free to fend for themselves in the wild."

Because of their domesticated roots, the horses are less wary of humans than true wild horses, which has made them a draw for tourists but also a source of tension. In winter, they can often be found licking salt from roads in the winter, becoming a danger both to drivers and themselves. They have also been known to raid local farms for food, destroying crops and stealing water from livestock. Many locals see them as a nuisance, and some farmers have even gone so far as to kill horses found on their land. A 2009 decision to protect the herds was rescinded in 2017 due to the overwhelming cost of the damage claims.

Yet, in recent years, attitudes have begun to shift. As tourism to the country has increased in the past two decades, so has visitor interest in the animals. Their nomadic nature means that local guides are necessary to view the horses, and a host of local tourism businesses have cropped up to meet this demand, creating a significant economic impact in this rural region.

Local community organisations, such as the Environmental Association of Borova Glava, have also stepped in to help care for the animals and mitigate conflicts. For volunteers like Zeljko Kristo, a spokesperson for the organisation, the horses also serve as a symbol of how the country has healed from the war, which raged from 1992 to 1995 following the breakup of Yugoslavia.

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"Besides humans, horses also found themselves in an awkward situation because [of the war]," he explained. "Looking back, years have passed, and we managed to save them – but at the same time, we saved ourselves."

For travellers interested in seeing the horses, Livno is the best place to start. The animals are commonly found roaming the hills and valleys around this part of the country, but their movements can be unpredictable. To increase the chance of seeing them, it's highly recommended that visitors hire a guide, who will be more knowledgeable about the horses' movements and habits. Local tour companies also provide transportation from town to the more remote areas where the herds can be found. What's more, many of these businesses donate some of the proceeds from their tours to the care of the animals, ensuring they can continue to roam these wild landscapes for years to come.

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