An aggressive agenda to increase visibility of horse sports, along with stepping up horse welfare, is part of the U.S. Equestrian Federation’s new strategic plan.
At its annual meeting last week, where the theme was “It’s All About the Horse,” USEF reported its competing membership grew 8 percent from 2023 to 83,000 in 2024, and the number of horses competing was up 2.7 percent, to 85,970. Altogether, the number of fans and members amounted to more than 500,000. There were 1.65 million followers on social media. USEF had more than 73 million video views across all platforms, up over 189 percent.
All that offers an opportunity to let people know more about horses; how they are used, what their lives are like, the way they are cared for. It’s a powerful tool in combating the negativity of those who don’t believe horses should be involved in competition, or in some cases, ridden or driven at all.
Because here are some scary statistics: An FEI Ethics and Well-Being survey showed 52 percent of the non-equestrian public believes the welfare of sport horses should be improved, and 78 percent of equestrian stakeholders believe horse welfare standards need improving.
“There is no question that horses, horse welfare and safety need to be our top priorities,” said USEF Bill Moroney.
An interesting hands-on example involved helping the U.S. Army, which had serious horse well-being issues with its caisson horses used in funerals. With the help of USEF board member and retired Navy Rear Admiral Jon Krietz, Chief of Sport David O’Connor and USEF board member and world driving championships medalist Chester Weber, the unit made a comeback. Its horses were seen this month in the services for the late President Jimmy Carter.
For the sport to be sustainable, Moroney said, USEF and its members have to do three things: “Celebrate the horse, educate our members and the public and regulate the treatment of horses and protect them.”
That last item should have priority with everyone involved with horses.