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Ministry of Agriculture and Lands

Horses

WHAT ARE HORSES?

[horse]A horse is a solid-hoofed four legged, plant-eating mammal with flowing mane and tail. A female horse is called a mare; the male a stallion. The young are called foals. A filly is a young female horse and a gelding is a castrated male horse. In BC, horses can be divided into four main groups: race horses, sport horses, recreational horses and work horses.

WHERE ARE HORSES LOCATED IN BC?

Horses can be found throughout the province. There are higher horse populations in the Lower Mainland (20%), Peace River area (19%), and Okanagan (16%).

HOW MANY HORSES ARE THERE?

In BC, there are 30,000 horse owners, 15,000 producers and 76,000 horses. This is roughly 35,000 recreational horses, 13,000 of each race and sport horses and 15,000 work horses.

HOW ARE HORSES PRODUCED?

[horse]Most horses are located on small farms which are 5 to 15ha in size. Horse producers maintain breeding stock in order to produce young horses to be sold. Some large ranches still have stallions that roam free with mares and "range breed" but most breeding is done using pre-arranged mating. Farmers who raise horses will maintain the necessary facilities to feed and properly care for their animals. When young animals are old enough, the farmer sells them, often to people who keep horses for recreation or show purposes.

Individual horse owners generally supply their animals with proper stabling, feed and grooming. In many instances, these owners may not have these facilities on their own property and therefore board their horses at local stables.

WHAT DO HORSES LOOK LIKE WHEN I USE THEM?

Horses can be used as companions in endurance or pleasure riding. There is a growing guide and packing industry in BC. Horses are used to perform work on ranches and in selective forestry. You can also watch sport horses at equestrian shows, such as dressage, jumping or three-day events, or watch race horses at the race track.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE HORSES LEAVE THE FARM?

People who want to buy horses can directly contact a breeder or attend an auction. There are local live horse markets in BC, Alberta and Washington state.

Fresh meat from old animals is sold in European or Japanese markets or used domestically as fox feed.

WHAT CHALLENGES DO HORSE PRODUCERS FACE?

The market for horses is driven by the end use. A lack of access to safe riding areas and adequate facilities for show and race horses can reduce the market value of horses. The horse producer, like other livestock producers, faces high input costs and uncertain markets. The value of an animal also depends on how the horse is conformed and what its athletic performance is like.

WHO'S INVOLVED IN PRODUCING HORSES?

  • Horse farmer
  • Rancher
  • Horse jockey
  • Farrier (horseshoer)
  • Auctioneer
  • Veterinarian
  • Stable owners and workers
  • Horse trainers
  • Trail guides

Interesting Fact About Horses:

The horse industry is a growing segment of BC agriculture. It is labour intensive and contributes 5000 full-time equivalent jobs to the economy.

Contacts and other resources:
 
BCMAL - Horse Information
Horse Council BC