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About Horses
Horses are an important component of livestock in New York State. Racing was believed to be the largest portion of the horse industry nationally and in the state however, the 2017 Economic Impact Study of the U.S. Horse Industry, performed by the American Horse Council, showed that the recreational horse industry has become the leader. Of the over 200,000 horses residing in New York, 70% are involved in showing and recreation with a value of over $2 billion dollars.
The leading use of equines is for pleasure. Equine used for breeding was second followed closely by equine used for the competition of sport (excludes racing). New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Office of Parks and Recreation provides some of the best equine trail systems in the nation. NYS Ag & Markets provides information about a variety of diseases that horse owners should be aware of and regulations horses owners need to comply with.
Equine Industry Insights
The New York State equine industry is the second-largest agriculture commodity after dairy.
Our horse industry produces goods and services valued at $2.4 billion annually, and the national industry has a $4.8 billion impact on the New York economy.
Our state is home to nine racetracks.
The industry provides 35,773 full-time equivalent jobs in New York. There are 258,100 New Yorkers involved in the industry as Owners, Service Providers, Employees, Volunteers, and Spectators.
