The horse industry, or equine industry, is the economic activity associated with

horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million yea ...

s. This includes core agribusiness activities related to the use, possession or ownership of horses, as well as

leisure Leisure has often been defined as a quality of experience or as free time. Free time is time spent away from business, work, job hunting, domestic chores, and education, as well as necessary activities such as eating and sleeping. Leisur ...

activities and related economic activity that provides associated goods and services. Businesses directly or indirectly related to horses include

equine nutrition Equine nutrition is the feeding of horses, ponies, mules, donkeys, and other equines. Correct and balanced nutrition is a critical component of proper horse care. Horses are non-ruminant herbivores of a type known as a " hindgut fermenter." Hors ...

equipment Equipment most commonly refers to a set of tool A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, onl ...

, publications,

veterinary Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in animals. Along with this, it deals with animal rearing, husbandry, breeding, research on nutri ...

care, education, and sports clothing.https://www.okcareertech.org/educators/cimc/free-samples/ag-cluster/pdf-files/ag1student.pdf In the U.S., about 6 percent of

veterinarian A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...

s specialize in horse care, within the larger field of large animal veterinary care.

Economic impact

A 2009 survey conducted by American Horse Publications found that the horse industry had an economic impact of about 300 billion dollars, based upon a US horse population of four million animals, and it generated 1.6 million full-time jobs. Two previous studies were completed in 1996 and 2005. The 2005 study determined there were 9.2 million horses in the United States, a plurality of which were used for recreational purposes. That study identified a direct economic impact of $39 billion and combined direct and indirect spending having an economic impact of $102 billion, supporting 1.4 million full-time jobs. Texas, California and Florida had the most horses, but the study also found a horse population of at least 20,000 animals in each of 45 of the 50 states. Though other states have higher horse populations and more farms, the Equine industry in Kentucky led the nation in 2009 for total sales and the highest market value of "equine products."

Law and lobbying

In the United States, some animals in the horse industry are protected by the

Horse Protection Act of 1970 The Horse Protection Act of 1970 (HPA); (codified ) is a United States federal law, under which the practice of soring is a crime punishable by both Civil law (common law), civil and Criminal law, criminal penalties, including fines and jail ti ...

, which prohibits certain forms of

animal abuse Cruelty to animals, also called animal abuse, animal neglect or animal cruelty, is the infliction by omission (neglect) or by commission by humans of suffering or harm upon non-human animals. More narrowly, it can be the causing of harm or suf ...

. U.S. state laws governing the industry are "uneven" with horses being sometimes treated as

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to animal ...

, sometimes pets, with widely varying requirements. In many U.S. states, landowners are protected by statute from liability lawsuits resulting from injuries caused by horses and mules. Trade associations such as

National Thoroughbred Racing Association The National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) is a broad-based coalition of American horse racing interests consisting of leading thoroughbred racetracks, owners, breeders, trainers and affiliated horse racing associations, charged with incr ...

and the American Horse Council lobby lawmakers for favorable outcomes for the industry.

References

{{Equine Agriculture in the United States Industries (economics)