In Lexington, Ky. on April 28 and 29, horse industry experts gathered for two days of workshops on the challenges and struggles facing the equine industry.

Meant as a coalition-building and problem-solving exercise, experts came to the conclusion that the horse industry, while far from fading, does face unique challenges in the next few decades.

Decreasing land availability, the high cost of gas and feed, the lack of resources available to market equestrian events to the general public, and perhaps most importantly, the fragmented nature of equestrian disciplines have prevented the horse industry from working together on the important issues that face everyone who loves, owns or makes their living through horses.

Some interesting data surfaced during the conference: According to the American Horse Council study, there are currently over 9 million horses in the United States. That’s far more than in 1950 (1 million), and close to half the number of horses in the U.S. in the early part of the 20th century, when they were still used for farm work and transportation (20 million), according to Richard Wilcke, Director of the Equine Industry Program at the University of Louisville, and host of the conference. 

Stephen Day, CEO of Dover Saddlery, noted that 18 percent of the U.S. population has expressed interest in being involved in horses in some way; nonetheless, many believe that there isn’t a facility nearby or that the sport is too expensive, when neither is true, he said. Urban areas are hotbeds of horse activity and horseback riding lessons generally cost no more than other recreational activities.

Day noted that the horse industry needs a “Got Milk” or “Go RVing” campaign, where the industry pools its resources to develop a marketing effort designed to boost participation in and education about equestrian sports and horses.

Meanwhile at the Montana State University Equine Conference, expert panelists noted that horses are being neglected or abandoned at record rates. The reason? The increased price of keeping them and the current economic crisis, combined with a record number of horses.

In addition, the closure of slaughterhouses in the U.S. has meant that some owners simply abandon their horses on federal lands, according to an MSU informational release. The Bureau of Land Management’s Dean Bolstad, wild horse and burro specialist with the Bureau of Land Management in Nevada, recommended adoption through the BLM's Wild Horse and Burro program, while other panelists recommended spaying mares and better horse owner education to deal with the problem of unwanted horses.