Horses are everywhere. Literally, they’re in every US state. In total, there are 9.2 million horses across the country. Most are used for recreation (3.9m) and showing (2.7m). Others are used for racing, farm and ranch work, rodeo, sport (polo), police work and as carriage horses.
Two million Americans own horses. And they’re not all rich. 46 percent of horse owners have an income of between $25,000 and $75,000. 34% have a household income of less than $50,000.The equine world is sprawling and diverse. There’s even a TV network Horse Lifestyle that offers half a dozen shows to better understand horse behavior and to “discover the horseman within.” One priority of this vast, inclusive horse industry is immigration reform. The industry employs 701,946 people directly (and spending by suppliers and employees generates additional jobs for a total employment impact of 1.4 million full-time jobs). Many of the workers employed in the industry lack legal status. The American Horse Council is lobbying for the new low-skilled, guest worker program (W-Visa) which would grant foreign workers a 3-year visa.
