US Horse Industy

1
US Horse Industy

• John Shelle

2
Types of Horse Enterprises

• Boarding Stables
• Pay-to-Rides
• Lessons
• Training
• Race
• Show
• Stallion Stations
• Breeding Farms

• First five types of farms are primarily service
  oriented, operator may not own any horses.
• Breeding farm is product oriented, has the lowest
  opportunity for success.

3
Types and Breeds of Horses

• Three basic types
• Draft Horses
• Light Horses
• Ponies
• All are Equus caballus
• Same number of chromosomes
• Interbreed easily
• Selection pressure has resulted in variation

4
Draft Horses

• Field work, pulling competitions, show hitches
• Small relatively stable population in the US
• Belgians, Percherons and Clydesdales are most
  numerous
• 15 to 18 hands
• 1400 to 2500 pounds

5
Light Horses

• Riding, show, racing, ranchwork
• Largest number of horses in the US
• Arabians, Morgans, Quarter Horses, Standardbreds,
  Thoroughbreds, etc.
• 13-2 to 17-2 hands
• 850-1500 pounds

6
Ponies

• Youth mounts, pets, show
• Small population in the US and is decreasing
• Shetland, Hackneys, Welsh, POAs (Pony of America)

7
Donkeys and Mules

• Donkey, Equus asinus
• Labor, show, pets
• Very important for labor internationally
• small and light
• Mules
• Hybrid cross between Equus asinus x Equus
  caballus
• Normally sterile
• Excellent work animal

8
Draft Horse Breeds

• Belgian
• Clydesdale
• Percheron

• Most numerous, heavy farm use, pulling
  competition, chestnut
• Most recognized, show horse, flashy, feathering
  on legs
• 2nd most numerous, farm use, black and gray

9
Light Horse Breeds

• Arabians
• Morgans
• Quarter Horse

• Oldest breed, used in development of other
  breeds, endurance
• Developed in NE US, foundation one horse,
  multipurpose
• Most numerous, developed in SW US, ranch horse,
  sprint racing

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Light Breeds (continued)

• Standardbred
• Thoroughbred

• Harness race horse, very prevalent in MI
• Racing on the flat and over fences, greatest
  athlete, developed in England, 2nd oldest breed

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Other Light Horse Breeds

• WarmbloodsHanovarians, Lipizzans, Dutch
  Warmblood, Trakehners
• Color BreedsPaints, Pintos, Appaloosa,
  Buckskins, Palominos

• Variety of breeds, used as sport horses,
  excellent athletes
• Mostly stock type, color primary criteria for
  registration

12
Pony Breeds

• Shetland
• Hackney

• Developed on the Shetland Islands, worked mines,
  most numerous, youth mount
• Coach horse, greatest animation in way of going,
  show pony, developed in England

13
Pony Breeds (continued)

• Welsh Pony
• POA (Pony of America)

• Developed in Whales, miniature Arabian, youth
  mount
• Stock type, developed in the US, youth mount,
  miniature Appaloosa

14
Horse Production

• Parturition (gestation 340 days)
• Range (pasture) - Southwestern US, limited human
  involvement, similar to beef cow-calf production
• Stall (inside) - Eastern, Midwestern, western US,
  human involvement may be extensive, frequent
  observation

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Parturition (continued)

• Foaling management varies with value of horses
  and owners concerned
• Dystocias are rare, but are emergencies
• Foaling season may dictate care in Midwest
  (January 1st birth date)

16
Foal Care

• Foal is up and active very quickly usually less
  than 1 hour
• Colostrum very important, most foals will nurse
  within 1-3 hours
• Foal heat scours (7-9 days of age)
• Dry feed, begin at about 2 weeks, significant
  quantities about 1 month

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Foal Care (continued)

• Milk production falls off at about 45 days, to
  optimize growth foal needs supplementation ( 14
  CP concentrate, good quality hay)
• Health care
• Vaccinate - Mare before foaling (increase
  antibodies in colostrum), Foal 1month of age
• Deworming - Foal at 1 month and once per month
  until 1 year of age

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Weaning

• Varies by breed and owner preference
• Two considerations
• Growth rate
• Mental attitude (socialization)
• Three to four months ideal, some may be on mare
  for 6 months
• Method (stress mare not foal)
• Cold turkey
• Progressive

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Weanling Care

• Group feeding
• 12-14 CP concentrate, good quality roughage
• Enhances socialization and provides unlimited
  exercise
• Individual housing
• Usually show horses
• Questionable socially and from an exercise
  perspective

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Weanling Handling

• Imprinting at birth
• Leading and tying
• Midwest generally pre-weaning
• Range raised post-weaning

21
Yearling Care

• Usually handled in groups
• May be shown in halter or longe line classes
• Trained to longe or stand at halter
• Individually stall raised
• Feeding (12 CP diet) corn and oats are most
  frequently used grains

22
Yearling Health Care

• Vaccinations - annual boosters
• Deworming - minimum once per every three months
• Reach puberty at about 18 months of age

23
2-3 Year Old Care

• Training begins in earnest
• Breed and use dependent
• Race, start to race as 2 year old
• Show, stock horses start to show performance as 2
  year old
• Most other breeds start to show in performance as
  3 year old

24
2-3 Year Old Management

• Feeding
• 10-12 CP
• Increased energy demand as a result of training
• Intake may be a problem in the intensely
  exercised horse

25
2-3 Year Old Health Care

• Vaccinations
• Similar to yearling
• Travel as a result of racing or showing may
  result in more frequent boosters
• Deworming at minimum every 3 months
• EIA Equine Infectious Anemia
• Coggins testing required for show or racing

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3-4 Year Old Care

• Basically physiologically mature
• Feeding
• Maintenance horse, good quality hay, may not need
  concentrate
• Exercise or reproduction may increase
  requirements
• Three classes of exercising horses, light,
  moderate, and heavy exercise
• Late gestation and lactation will increase
  requirements for all nutrients

27
3-4 Year Old Health Care

• Handled similar to 2-3 year old and will be
  handled in this manner for the remainder of their
  mature life
• Old horses
• More old animals than in other species
• May need special care relative to teeth and
  overall health

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Reproduction, Stallions

• Start reproductive life as 3-4 year olds unless
  shown or raced
• Stallions may be used lightly during 2 year old
  year, usually fertile into their 20s
• Using stallions for breeding may make training
  more difficult, therefore may be postponed until
  after training is completed

29
Reproduction Mares

• Begin breeding as 3-4 year olds normally, may
  start at 2 most do not.
• Breeding may be delayed to accommodate training
• Mare is seasonally polyestrous
• Transition periods in fall and late winter
• Optimum breeding season spring and summer
• Anestrous in winter (dont ovulate)

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Reproduction in Mares (cont.)

• Estrous cycle
• 21 days in length
• 5-6 days of estrus
• 14-16 days of diestrus
• Ovulation occurs 24 hours before the end of estrus

31
Breeding Methods

• Natural Cover
• Pasture breeding, stallion and mare are free
  roaming
• Hand mating, stallion and mare are restrained
• Artificial Insemination
• Primarily fresh semen
• Shipped semen, coordinate time of ovulation with
  delivery of semen

32
Future of the US Horse Industry

• Back to basic values, youth and amateur
• Strong service industry
• Forages and alternative feed sources will become
  more important
• Leisure time and economy will influence price and
  supply cycle

33
Future of the US Horse Industry (continued)

• International demand for US genetics will
  increase and maintain prices on top quality
  horses
• Changes in gambling laws will change the racing
  industry and potentially the entire horse industry