2 – Horse Economics and People Flashcards
Canadian Equine Sector: Soc-Economic Insights 2023
- 43% involved in equine in ON (then BC and AB)
- 40 informant interviews (most from ON, QB, none from SK, MB)
- Difficult to create an accurate estimate of number of horses
Trying to determine the number of horses in Canada
- No national mandatory traceability system for equines
- Census of Agriculture by Stats Canada every 5 years
o Produce livestock or animal products
o Did not include racing, sport or personal use - 2023 sector report tried to determine ratio of equines not counted by Census of Agriculture
- *estimated 509,099 (in 2010: 963,500, not sure what happened)
Equines can have overlapping roles in the industry (%)
- Recreation: 28%
- Amateur sport: 24.5%
- Working: 19%
- Breeding: 14%
- Professional
- Elite sport
- Racing
Donkey and mules number
- 2021: ~6k donkeys, ~3k mules
- 2016: found on equine farms, beef cattle or sheep farms
- 2011: ~11k donkeys and mules
- 44% decline in 10 years
o Fewer animals, movement of donkeys to non-census farms or reduced reporting?
What are the issues with lack of national information and regulation?
- Issues with requests for funding in sport
- Issue with request for funding during a crisis (ex. Covid-19 pandemic)
o 60% were running out of resources
o Estimated $17.2M needed per month to aid in care
o Concern on closure of facilities and euthanasia of healthy animals
Covid-19 and federal funding
- Issues with defining horses in legislature
- Not sure which governing body provide funding
- w/o proper definition many businesses were unable to qualify for support
Equestrian Canada definitions for Active Equine Facility and just Active Equine
- Active Equine Industry: active equines to generate revenue
- Active Equine: equines not kept or raised for food processing or pharmaceutical industry
What does the equine industry contribute to the Canadian Economy?
- $8.69B to Canadas GDP
o >$8.3B on equine keeping
o Large equine sport venues serve as economic drivers - $894M to provincial taxes
- Many full time jobs and acres used
What are the cost of equine care?
- Feed
- Bedding
- Housing: boarding or cost to maintain property
- Veterinary
- Farrier: every 5-8 weeks
- Tack
- Others: breeding, competition feeds, training, memberships
Amount of money spend on equine keeping for elite sport vs. breeding+working equines and those kept for recreation?
- Breeding+working: 3x higher for elite sport
- Recreation: 2x higher for elite sport
Equines are good for people
- Interaction with equines contribute to human health and well being
- Riding can put children and youth on a positive course towards lifelong healthy habits
- Equine-assisted services used to help manage mental and physical disabilities
Participation of children in equestrian activities stats
- 3.1% 5-14 involved in equestrian (44% in soccer)
- 3rd most expensive kids’ sport (water skiing and hockey)
o Annual average: $1434/child - Many kids know more than their parents
What is the regulation for sport and activities?
- Governing sport associations and provincial ones but enrollment is NOT required
o Boarding
o Lessons
o Rodeos
o Racing
o Shows/competition - Ex. 4-H, Pony clubs, provincial horse federations
What are the individual animal welfare issues?
- Denied access to important psychological resources (social interaction): HERD ANIMALS
- Inappropriate drug use
- Denied access to physical requirements
- Lack of proper professional care
What are the industry level welfare issues?
- Ignorance/lack of knowledge
- Overpopulation of horses
- Lack of regulation at the industy level
