According to the American Horse Publications (AHP) survey sponsored by Zoetis, the equine industry has found stability and shows positive signs of growth. The survey included responses from over 10,662 horse owners.
Among the highlights, the third online nationwide equine industry survey shows:
· For 2016, 88.6% of respondents expect to own or manage the same number of horses or more horses.
· This year, 93% of respondents plan to enter the same or more competitions than last year, and 95.1% expect to compete in the same or more events in 2016.
· A high number of respondents (84.7%) rely on their veterinarians for vaccination advice, and respondents are increasingly relying on veterinarians for deworming advice.
“It appears the industry is beginning to recover from the Great Recession of 2008, as indicated by the percentage of respondents participating in the industry, either through owning/managing horses or competing with them, at the same or greater levels than three years ago,” said Jill Stowe, Ph.D., associate professor of agricultural economics at the University of Kentucky, who analyzed the data and consulted on the results.
The survey was conducted from Jan. 6 through April 1, 2015. It sought to gauge participation trends and management practices in the U.S. equine industry, to identify critical issues facing the equine industry as perceived by those who own or manage horses, and to better understand issues pertaining to horse health and nutrition.