Case Study:
Australian Horse Industry Council – Size & Scope of the Australian Equine Sector

Size & Scope Study

The Australian Horse Industry Council (AHIC) is the peak body for the non-racing equine community. The AHIC is made up of a collection of breed societies, performance and competition associations, and service providers who represent the interests of horse people and the health and welfare of hoses in the Australian horse sector.

IER was chosen to quantify the economic, employment and social contribution attributable to the Australian equine sector. One of the primary functions of this analysis was to inform the AHIC on the national equine population to support disease and bio-security preparedness. This involved estimating the equine population, identifying the number of people involved in the sector, the direct expenditure associated with the sector and therefore the value-added contribution to the Australian economy and the associated full-time equivalent employment.

The study was the first of its kind in Australia to comprehensively measure the non-racing equine sector and involved significant consultation with industry stakeholders in conjunction with two national surveys, the first to a nationally representative panel and a second to those engaged participants involved in the sector. This presented an opportunity to delve into the social and community importance of participation and involvement in the sector, particularly in regional parts of Australia.

The study found that there were 1.03 million non-racing horses in Australia who are supported by 373,000 horse carers and another 340,000 support staff and volunteers. The non-racing Australian equine sector was responsible for generating close to $15.75 billion in value-added contribution to the national economy in the 2023-24 financial year. The economic output generated by the industry was also directly responsible for sustaining 101,462 full time equivalent jobs across the country, with around 53% sustained as a direct result of the sectors activity.

In addition to the economic contribution to the national economy, the non-racing equine sector provides significant social benefits to those in the industry. More than 9 out of 10 of those involved with horses agree that their involvement improves their physical and mental health while the number one motivation for being involved in the industry was for the love of horses.

More details can be accessed: Here

Image Credit: Lisa Wyatt