Demographics of Australian horses: results from an internet-based survey.
Abstract: To obtain information on the types of Australian horses, how they are kept and their activities. Methods: An invitation to participate in an opt-in, internet-based survey was sent to 7000 people who had registered an email address to receive information from the Australian Horse Industry Council Inc. Results: There were 3377 (48%) useable responses from owners of 26,548 horses. Most horses were kept on small properties (usually 2-8 ha) in paddocks in rural areas of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Most horses were female or geldings and the most common of 54 different activities was breeding. Owners reported 19,291 horses were used in different activities and 6037 (23%) horses were not kept for any stated purpose or activity. Owners used an average of 1.95 horses in 2.9 different types of activities. The most common of the 43 breeds were Thoroughbred, Australian Stock Horse and Australian Quarter Horse. Only 1% of the total numbers of Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds in this survey were used in horse racing, indicating there is a demand for these breeds in non-racing activities. Microchip was the most favoured method of horse identification and 36% favoured compulsory registration of horses. Most respondents reported owning some other animal species. Conclusions: There is a wide variation in horse breeds used in different activities by Australian horse owners. There are regional differences in various management systems. There needs to be considerable improvement in the collection and recording of information to improve the validity and reliability of horse industry data.
© 2016 Australian Veterinary Association.
Publication Date: 2016-02-26 PubMed ID: 26914949DOI: 10.1111/avj.12411Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research paper discusses an Internet-based survey of Australian horse owners held to gather data on the breeds, uses, and the manner of keeping these animals.
Research Methodology
- An Internet-based survey was conducted, offering horse owners the option to participate willingly.
- The opportunity to participate was extended to 7,000 individuals who had voluntarily registered their email addresses with the Australian Horse Industry Council Inc. to receive relevant information.
- Out of the addressed population, 3,377 responses were considered useable as they provided satisfactory data pertaining to the ownership of 26,548 horses.
Results and Findings
- Most Australian horses were found to be kept in small rural paddocks, largely within the states of Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.
- Among the horses, female and gelding horses were most common and were primarily utilized for breeding purposes.
- The analysis indicated that 19,291 of respondents’ horses were used for various activities, while 6,037 horses (around 23% of all horses accounted for) did not have a designated purpose or activity.
- On average, each owner used around 1.95 horses across almost three distinct activities.
- Among the horses surveyed, Thoroughbred, Australian Stock Horse, and Australian Quarter Horse breeds were the most prevalent.
- Despite the horse racing industry’s common association with Thoroughbred and Standardbreds, only 1% of the aforementioned breeds in the survey were reportedly being used for racing. The relatively low proportion indicated a higher demand for these breeds in non-racing activities.
Identification and Registration
- Microchipping horses was the most preferred method of identification among the respondents.
- In addition, the survey found that 36% were in favor of making horse registration compulsory.
Ownership of Other Animal Species
- Most respondents, besides horses, reported the ownership of other animal species.
Conclusions
- The research highlighted that horse breed preference and usage in Australia vary greatly based on the intended activity.
- Additionally, regional differences were identified in the horse management systems used across the country.
- The study underscored the need for enhancing the collection and recording of horse industry data to improve its validity and reliability.
Cite This Article
APA
Smyth GB, Dagley K.
(2016).
Demographics of Australian horses: results from an internet-based survey.
Aust Vet J, 94(3), 52-59.
https://doi.org/10.1111/avj.12411 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Australian Horse Industry Council Inc., Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
- Australian Horse Industry Council Inc., Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry / methods
- Animal Husbandry / statistics & numerical data
- Animals
- Australia
- Breeding
- Demography
- Female
- Horses / classification
- Horses / physiology
- Internet
- Male
- Sex Distribution
- Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Chapman M, Fenner K, Thomas MJW. Lessons learnt from horse-related human fatalities: Accident analysis using HFACS-Equestrianism. Heliyon 2025 Feb 15;11(3):e42276.
- O'Dwyer L, Thompson K. Attachment, Bushfire Preparedness, Planning, and Response among Animal Guardians: A South Australian Case Study. PLoS Curr 2018 Aug 2;10.
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