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Home / Equine Research Bank / Transl Anim Sci / Ohio horse industry survey: feeding and housing management p...
Translational animal science2025; 9; txaf072; doi: 10.1093/tas/txaf072

Ohio horse industry survey: feeding and housing management practices.

Abstract: Equine industry housing and feeding management strategies vary widely. Management choices are important as horses spend most of their time in housing environments and demonstrating ingestive/foraging behavior. As of 2023, over 1.4 million Ohioans identified as horse owners and/or enthusiasts. The objectives of this survey were to determine demographics of the Ohio horse industry, commonly used sources of information, knowledge gaps regarding equine management practices, and to explore what may influence equine management choices. Using Qualtrics (Provo, UT), a 52-question online, anonymous survey was made available to Ohio horse owners and industry personnel through local horse organizations and social media from October to December 2023. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, frequency) and relationships between variables were explored using Pearson chi-square tests or Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests in SPSS (Armonk, NY). A total of 1,011 usable survey responses were collected. Most respondents had between 1 to 10 yr of horse experience (64%) and identified as primarily white (63%), females (61%), between 35 to 44 yr of age (31%). Quarter Horses (29%) were the most represented breed. Overall, the primary sources of equine management information were internet (15%), veterinarians (14%), and personal contacts (12%). There were differences between respondents' main source of equine information based on horse owners' experience level (X = 60; P < 0.01) and awareness of resources provided by Ohio State University (OSU) Extension (X = 80; P < 0.01). Respondents' familiarity/use of body condition scoring differed based on awareness of OSU Extension resources (H = 234; P < 0.01). For housing management, most respondents either stalled horses with unlimited turnout (31%) or group housed horses on pasture (32%). For feeding management, most respondents fed concentrates (96%), primarily measuring concentrates either by weight (42%) or visual estimation (46%). However, forages were more commonly fed by visual estimation (52%) rather than by weight (18%). Feeding forage twice per day was most common, regardless of access to pasture (49%) or not (30%). Concentrates were more commonly provided once per day (41%) with 21% feeding twice per day. The results from this study can be used to assist in developing educational opportunities and resources and to design horse management research to benefit Ohio's equine stakeholders.
© The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science.
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Publication Date: 2025-07-15 PubMed ID: 40666790PubMed Central: PMC12260154DOI: 10.1093/tas/txaf072Google Scholar: Lookup
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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.

This research focuses on the housing and feeding management strategies in the Ohio equine industry, utilizing an online anonymous survey to gather data from horse owners and industry personnel.

Objective of the Research

  • The research aimed to establish demographic data regarding Ohio’s horse industry, identify common sources of information for equine management, highlight knowledge gaps in relevant practices, and explore influences on management choices. The study was intended to benefit Ohio’s horse-lovers and create a roadmap for development of further educational and research opportunities.

Survey Methodology

  • The research was conducted via a 52-question online survey, available to Ohio horse owners and industry personnel through local horse organizations and social media platforms between October and December 2023. The anonymity of respondents was maintained and over 1,011 useful survey responses were gathered.
  • The survey data was analyzed by utilizing descriptive statistics to summarize the data (looking at aspects like mean, percentage, and frequency), and Pearson chi-square tests, Kruskal-Wallis H and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to probe the relationships between various variables.

Survey Results: Demographics

  • The majority of the respondents had 1 to 10 years of horse experience (64%), were primarily Caucasian (63%), females (61%), and within the 35 to 44-years-old age bracket (31%). Among horse breeds, Quarter Horses were found to be the most popular, represented by 29% of the owners.

Survey Results: Sources of Information

  • The top sources for acquiring equine management information were the internet (15%), veterinarians (14%), and personal contacts (12%).
  • The survey responses indicated variations in the main source of equine information depending on the horse owner’s experience and awareness of resources provided by the Ohio State University (OSU) Extension.

Survey Results: Housing and Feeding Practices

  • The survey results showed that most respondents either stalled horses with unlimited turnout (31%) or housed horses on a pasture in groups (32%).
  • Respondents mostly fed horses using concentrates (96%) and the measurement was either by weight (42%) or visual estimation (46%). However, forages were more usually estimated visually (52%) rather than weighed (18%).
  • The data showed that feeding forage twice per day was most common, irrespective of access to the pasture (49%) or lack thereof (30%). Concentrates were normally provided once per day (41%), with only 21% feeding it twice per day.

Impact of the Research

  • This research’s findings can help develop new educational resources, support further research into horse management, and directly benefit equine stakeholders in Ohio.

Cite This Article

APA
Share ER, Mastellar SL, Rumble JN, Eastridge ML. (2025). Ohio horse industry survey: feeding and housing management practices. Transl Anim Sci, 9, txaf072. https://doi.org/10.1093/tas/txaf072

Publication

Translational animal science
ISSN: 2573-2102
NlmUniqueID: 101738705
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 9
Pages: txaf072
PII: txaf072

Researcher Affiliations

Share, Elizabeth R
  • Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
Mastellar, Sara L
  • Agricultural Technical Institute, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA.
Rumble, Joy N
  • Department of Agricultural Communication and Extension Leadership, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH, USA.
Eastridge, Maurice L
  • Department of Animal Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. Preliminary results were presented at the 2025 Equine Science Society Symposium.

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