Letter from the MHC President THE MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL


by Kimberly K. Egan MHC President January brings not only a new calendar year but for many, a new fi scal


year as well. It is also the beginning of tax season, when horse businesses and horse owners reckon with their fi nancials, as uplifting or as heart- breaking as that might be. Lucky for us, the highly anticipated results of the American Horse


Council’s national economic impact survey are fi nally available, and the data for Maryland show a robust and rapidly growing industry. In all, the Maryland horse industry grew by almost $1 billion-with-a-b


over the last fi ve years – from $2.1 billion in 2018 to a $2.9 billion in 2023. Our industry grew by ~$1 billion despite the economic downturn caused by the COVID pandemic, despite a 7% decrease in the horse population nationwide and in Maryland, and despite the 2022 uptick in the rate of infl ation. In 2023, almost 1 in 3 Maryland households contain at least one horse enthusiast. T e top line data from the survey is below.


Competitive Riding T e next most popular sector for equestrians is the competition sec-


tor. Maryland is blessed with over 30 diff erent equestrian disciplines, and we are home to competitions licensed by numerous competition governing bodies including the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA); the Arabian Horse Association (AHA); the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA); the International Jousting Association; the US Dressage Federation (USDF); the US Equestrian Federation (USEF); the US Eventing Association (USEA); the US Hunter Jumper Association (USHJA); the US Polo Association, the US Polocrosse As- sociation; the US Pony Club (USPC); the National Reining Horse As- sociation (NRHA); and the United Professional Horseman’s Association (UPHA), among others. AHC calculated that the total economic impact of Maryland’s compe-


tition sector is $371 million dollars. T ough a signifi cant sum, we know it is likely an under-estimate because it does not refl ect the many unsanc- tioned competitions we host, nor the fact that most competitions are run almost entirely by volunteer labor. Indeed, AHC calculated that there are over 38,000 volunteers supporting the Maryland horse industry.


Thoroughbred Racing T oroughbred racing in Maryland contributes almost a fi fth of the eco-


nomic impact of Maryland’s horse industry – an amount estimated at $591 million. T ere are 5,937 full- or part-time jobs in the T oroughbred racing sector, and the sector generates $227.9 million in direct value-add to Mary- land’s GPD, $378 million in total value add to GPD, a direct economic output of $346.7 million, and a total economic output of $591 million. * Value added contributions consist of wages, salaries, benefi ts, income taxes, proprietor income, property taxes, and taxes on production.


Recreational Riding It will come as no surprise that most riders in Maryland are recreational


riders. According to the AHC survey, almost 10% of all Maryland house- holds, an amount equal to 230,763 households, participate in trail riding specifi cally. Eighty-seven percent of those trail riders use the equestrian trails on public lands. In addition, 141,238 Maryland households have at least one member who takes riding lessons at one or more of Maryland’s 800 boarding and lesson barns. In total, recreational riding in Maryland has an annual impact of $421 million on Maryland’s economy.


Additional Sectors T e “big three” of recreational riding, competitive riding, and T or-


oughbred racing are, of course, not the only economic drivers in our in- dustry. Standardbred racing has a $284 million impact on Maryland’s economy, our equine-assisted services community has a $37 million eco- nomic impact, Quarter Horse racing has a $3.5 million impact, and our equine academic institutions contribute $2 million. T e American Horse Council will be releasing the full national and


Maryland state breakout report, along with pretty graphics, later this month. Until then, stay warm and count your pennies!


Thank You To Our Maryland Horse Council Sponsors! join.mdhorsecouncil.org www.equiery.com | 800-244-9580 THE EQUIERY YOUR MARYLAND HORSE COUNCIL PUBLICATION | JANUARY 2024 | 7


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