Gasoline shortage in Russia leads to a sharp increase in demand for horses

In some regions of Russia, the fuel shortage has led to a sharp increase in demand for horses. As finding gasoline becomes more difficult, rural residents are returning to using traditional transport—horses—instead of cars.

According to local residents, keeping a horse is in some cases cheaper and more convenient than constantly fueling UAZ or Niva vehicles. Horses serve as an effective means of transport for navigating off-road areas, going to the forest, hauling hay, and performing various household tasks.

According to information provided by horse farm owners to the Mash publication, the number of buyers has increased several times over in recent weeks. While it used to take months to sell a single horse, some stables are now selling or pre-booking 7–8 horses per month.

Experts note that the rise in demand has prevented about a thousand horses from being sent to the slaughterhouse. Currently, the price of horses ranges from 100,000 to 200,000 rubles, depending on their age, breed, and condition.