AHP Releases Additional Data on Ways Horse Owners Use their Horses

Press Release – American Horse Publications

The American Horse Publications (AHP) is launching its second Equine Industry Survey to gauge trends in the U.S. equine industry. The AHP Equine Industry Survey is being sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, Merck Animal Health, and Pfizer Animal Health.

In 2009, AHP conducted an online nationwide survey made possible by the sponsorship of Intervet/Schering Plough Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health.  Upon its conclusion on Jan. 31, 2010, a total of 11,171 usable responses was collected.  This completed the largest-ever equine industry survey of hands-on horse industry participants in the United States.1  AHP will strive to exceed that number with the current survey.

As in the previous survey, the purpose of the 2012 survey is threefold. The first objective is to obtain information regarding past, present, and expected future participation in the equine industry. The second objective is to identify which issues currently facing the equine industry are perceived as being most critical to those who own, or manage horses. The third objective is to analyze issues pertaining to horse health. In addition to questions on vaccines and deworming, the 2012 survey includes questions relating to nutrition, feed, and nutritional supplements.

Those eligible to participate in the survey are men and women, 18 years of age and older, who currently own or manage at least one horse and live in the United States. This study is anonymous; this means that no one–not even members of the research team–will be able to associate information that is given with responses. When the survey results are tallied, only aggregated results will be presented.

AHP members who have publications, websites, social media outlets, and professional organizations in the equine industry will promote the survey to their communities of horse owners for several months. AHP members who participate in promoting the survey will receive the complete results of the 2012 survey to release through their own channels. Full survey results will be released to the general equine industry 30 days after that.

To show the type of important information AHP collected in the first survey, following is new data from the 2009-2010 AHP Equine Industry Survey on how horse owners use their horses.  These responses have been broken down by geographic region and discipline.  Within each region, the most popular use of horses is for pleasure or trail riding.  It is also the most popular activity nationwide.  After pleasure or trail riding, the top 5 most frequently reported activities in each region are identified.

To download the results of the 2009 AHP Results Discipline by Region Table, click on the link below.
http://www.americanhorsepubs.org/resources/2009-AHP-Results-Discipline-By-Region-Table.xls

AHP members and survey sponsors receive a complete set of these results. The general equine industry may request a copy of this new information by contacting the AHP office at [email protected] after April 1, 2012. Data will be available online at www.americanhorsepubs.org at that time.

Click here to take the 2012 AHP Equine Industry Survey.

The survey closes May 15, 2012.

The 2012 AHP Equine Industry Survey is being conducted by American Horse Publications (AHP). AHP is a nonprofit association that promotes excellence in equine media; Its members include equine-related publications, digital media, professionals, students, organizations and businesses. Dr. C. Jill Stowe is providing consulting services for data collection and analysis to the AHP; Dr. Stowe is currently an assistant professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky. The survey is sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research, Merck Animal Health, and Pfizer Animal Health.