Horses and the rural economy in the United Kingdom.
Abstract: The horse industry is large and varied, but until comparatively recently its contribution to the economy of the UK has been virtually ignored and this, together with the disparate nature and small size of the individual businesses involved, has resulted in a general lack of universally available data. What is undoubtedly true, however, is that the horse touches upon the professional and recreational aspects of many peoples' lives and that, without the horse, not only would a significant proportion of the rural working population be unemployed but many ancillary industries would have considerably less work available. This paper reinforces the concept of the horse being at the centre of a large, though disparate and dispersed industry and, what is more, that it is an industry of essential importance both to the welfare of the countryside and to the economic viability of the UK. It also attempts to quantify the size of the horse industry based upon limited information. The paper concludes that 125,000 people (expressed in full time equivalents) are employed directly, there are 600,000 horses and an economic contribution in excess of 1000 m Pounds.
Publication Date: 2001-04-21 PubMed ID: 11314232DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05153.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research explores the crucial role the horse industry plays in the UK’s rural economy, employing around 125,000 people (in full-time equivocal terms), involving an estimate of 600,000 horses, and contributing 1000 million pounds to the economy. The article calls attention to the contribution of this previously overlooked industry and its significant influence on individuals’ professional and recreational endeavors and the economy as a whole.
Importance of Horse Industry
- The paper highlights the significant role that the horse industry plays in the UK’s rural economy. In the past, this contribution has been overlooked due to the lack of widespread data. Its importance is underscored by the fact that if it were not for the horse industry, a sizable portion of the rural working population would be jobless and many supplementary industries would have substantially less work.
Horses’ Impact on People’s Lives
- The research explains how horses interact with the professional and recreational aspects of many peoples’ lives. Whether it’s directly through occupations involving horses or simply as a leisure activity, horses influence people’s lives in many ways. This understanding broadens the scope of the horse industry beyond just breeding, selling, and racing, extending its effects into various social and personal dimensions.
Economic Viability of the Horse Industry
- The paper presents the horse industry as an economic powerhouse essential to the viability of the UK, contributing a substantial sum to the country’s economy. The industry is estimated to provide employment to around 125,000 people (expressed in full-time equivalent terms), meaning that it supports an extensive workforce and plays a fundamental role in the employment landscape of rural areas.
Quantification of the Horse Industry
- The article attempts to quantify the size of the horse industry based on limited information. These estimations include sector employment levels, the number of horses involved, and the economic contribution of the industry. The research concludes that there are around 600,000 horses contributing over 1000 million pounds to the economy.
Cite This Article
APA
Suggett RH.
(2001).
Horses and the rural economy in the United Kingdom.
Equine Vet J Suppl(28), 31-37.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb05153.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Warwickshire College, Moreton Morrell, Warwickshire CV35 9BL, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Husbandry / economics
- Animal Husbandry / statistics & numerical data
- Animals
- Employment / statistics & numerical data
- Horses
- Humans
- Rural Population
- Socioeconomic Factors
- United Kingdom / epidemiology
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Boden LA, Parkin TD, Yates J, Mellor D, Kao RR. Summary of current knowledge of the size and spatial distribution of the horse population within Great Britain. BMC Vet Res 2012 Apr 4;8:43.
- Tinarwo M, Dennis SJ, Hitzeroth II, Meyers AE, Rybicki EP, Mbewana S. Development of an African horse sickness VP6 DIVA diagnostic ELISA. Virol J 2025 Aug 12;22(1):276.
- Bonsi M, Anderson NE, Carder G. The Socioeconomic Impact of Diseases of Working Equids in Low and Middle-Income Countries: A Critical Review. Animals (Basel) 2023 Dec 15;13(24).
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