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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Investigating the Market Value of Brumbies (Equus caballus) ...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(9); doi: 10.3390/ani13091481

Investigating the Market Value of Brumbies (Equus caballus) in the Australian Riding Horse Market.

Abstract: Feral horses, also known as brumbies, are widely distributed across Australia with some populations being managed largely by human intervention. Rehoming of suitable feral horses following passive trapping has wide community acceptance as a management tool. However, there is little information about the number and relative economic value of feral horses compared with cohorts in the riding horse market. We examined 15,404 advertisements of horses for sale in 53 editions of Horse Deals, published from February 2017 to July 2022. Despite the considerable media attention and public scrutiny surrounding feral horse management, rehomed feral horses represented only a tiny fraction of the horse market in the current study. Of the 15,404 advertisements examined, only 128 (0.0083%) were for feral horses. We recorded phrases used to describe behavioural characteristics and other variables. The following variables were found to be not independent: Ridden Status, Height, Age, Sex, Colour, and Warning terms/more work. Using descriptive statistics to describe basic features of the data, the average price for feral horses ($1408) was lower than that for domestic horses ($1790) with the maximum price for a domestic horse being nearly twice the maximum for a feral horse. Univariate analysis showed feral horses were over-represented among "Unbroken" horses and underrepresented among "Ridden", "Broodmare" and "Harness" horses compared with domestic bred horses (p < 0.001). Feral horses appeared over-represented at shorter heights, among younger age groups (3 years or younger and 3.1 to 6 years) (p < 0.001) and in the dilute colour category (p = 0.008). The multivariable mixed model on price revealed that for domestic horses, the highest estimated marginal mean price averaged across the colour categories was for ridden horses aged 6.1-10-year-old at $1657.04 (95% CI $1320.56-$2074.66). In contrast, for feral horses, the multivariable mixed model demonstrated the similar highest estimated marginal mean averaged was for green broken 3-6-year-old horses that have undergone foundation training under saddle at $2526.97 (95% CI $1505.63-$4208.27). Australian feral horses were valued differently tfromsimilar domestic horses in the recreational riding horse market and further research is warranted to determine appropriate target markets and boost the sustainability of rehoming as a feral horse management tool.
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Publication Date: 2023-04-27 PubMed ID: 37174518PubMed Central: PMC10177323DOI: 10.3390/ani13091481Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the market worth of Australian feral horses, known as brumbies, in comparison to domestic riding horses. The researchers studied advertisement data spanning five years to gain insights into the economic value and perceived characteristics of these horses.

Methodology

  • The researchers examined a total of 15,404 advertisements of horses for sale in publications from February 2017 till July 2022.
  • Key variables noted included Ridden Status, Height, Age, Sex, Colour, and Warning terms/more work, alongside prices and descriptive phrases encapsulating behavioural characteristics.
  • Statistical analysis was employed, utilizing descriptive statistics to highlight the basic features of the collected data.

Findings

  • The study found out that despite significant media attention and public interest surrounding feral horse management, only a minuscule percentage (0.0083%) of the horses advertised for sale were feral.
  • The average price for a feral horse ($1408) was found to be lower than that for a domestic one ($1790), with the highest price for a domestic horse being nearly double that of the highest priced feral horse.
  • Feral horses were over-represented among unbroken horses, but underrepresented among ridden, broodmare and harness horses when compared to domestic ones. They were also over-represented among shorter and younger horses, specifically those aged 3 or less and those between 3.1-6 years.
  • A multivariate mixed model on price was conducted. For domestic horses, the highest estimated mean price was $1657.04 for ridden horses aged between 6.1-10 years. Conversely, the highest estimated mean price for feral horses was $2526.97 for partially trained horses between 3-6 years old.

Implications and Future Research

  • The research indicates that feral horses are valued differently in the recreational riding horse market compared to domestic horses in Australia.
  • Further research is suggested in order to identify appropriate target markets for feral horses and enhance the sustainability of rehoming feral horses as a management tool. This could potentially offer new insights into the economic impact of these horses and improvement of their overall value in the horse market.

Cite This Article

APA
Condon V, Wilson B, Fleming PJS, Kennedy BPA, Keeley T, Barwick J, McGreevy P. (2023). Investigating the Market Value of Brumbies (Equus caballus) in the Australian Riding Horse Market. Animals (Basel), 13(9). https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091481

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 9

Researcher Affiliations

Condon, Victoria
  • School of Environment and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
Wilson, Bethany
  • School of Life and Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia.
Fleming, Peter J S
  • Vertebrate Pest Research Unit, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, 1447 Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.
  • Ecosystem Management, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
Kennedy, Brooke P A
  • School of Environment and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
Keeley, Tamara
  • School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
Barwick, Jamie
  • School of Environment and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.
McGreevy, Paul
  • One Welfare Research Institute, Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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