Facts from the Kentucky Horse Industry Survey

The horse industry is worth $23.4 billion to Kentucky, according to a survey conducted in 2012 by the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Assistance was provided by the University of Kentucky’s College of Agriculture and the Kentucky Horse Council. Among other organizations, the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund helped to finance the survey.

Information was collected on all breeds of horses, ponies, donkeys, and mules across the state. Statistics compiled by the survey showed that 242,400 equines call Kentucky home. Light horses were most popular, numbering 216,300. Next in line were 14,000 donkeys and mules; 7,000 ponies; and just over 5,000 draft horses. Value of all horses totaled about $6.3 billion, with an additional $17.1 billion estimated for the value of equine-related assets such as land, buildings, vehicles, equipment, and other materials.

Thoroughbreds were the most popular, with Quarter Horses, Tennessee Walking Horses, and Saddlebreds holding the next three places on the list. Donkeys/mules, Mountain Horse breeds, and Standardbreds were also strongly represented.

Kentucky horse owners enjoyed trail riding and other pleasure riding above all other equestrian pursuits, with almost 80,000 horses used for these purposes. Broodmares (38,000) outnumbered breeding stallions (3,900) almost ten to one. About 23,000 horses were still too young to be in training or work; about 33,000 mature horses were idle; and 24,500 were in show or competition careers.

Expenditures by equine operations for equine-related expenses totaled about $1.2 billion. Out of this total, more than 75% of the money stayed in Kentucky. Expenditures for the purchase of equines, property, equipment, and maintenance were estimated to be $337 million. Management expenses such as boarding, feed, bedding, veterinary supplies, farrier services, breeding, maintenance and repair, insurance premiums, utilities and fuel, taxes, rent and/or lease, fees and payments, shipping and travel, training, and other fees accounted for about $839 million.