HORSES OF THE WORLD: THE LEGACY OF THE HORSE: OVERVIEW

The final legacy of the horse is an increasing equine population of pure and distinct breeds; horses of quality and beauty, horses for sport, work, and pleasure. Today there are hundreds of breeds and types of horses. According to the American Horse Council, in 2001 there were approximately 6.1 million horses and 7.1 million people involved in the horse industry in the U.S. The same survey indicated that the horse industry directly produces goods and services of $25.3 billion and has a total impact of over $112 billion on the U.S. gross domestic product. The industry's contribution to the U.S. GDP is greater than the motion picture, railroad and furniture and fixtures manufacturing industries. It is only slightly smaller than the apparel and other textile products manufacturing industry. The industry pays a total of $1.9 billion in taxes to federal, state and local governments.