The Social Impact of the Horse Sector in Europe

Since the Second World War, the leisure sector/recreational market has grown substantially as a result of the socio‐economic development in Europe. Today, the size of the horse sector is significant, with an annual economic impact in Europe estimated at over 100 billion Euros. The social impact of horses on the health, education, leisure, environment and youth areas is described. Increasing the social impact requires close cross‐sectoral cooperation of all stakeholders within the equine field. Enhancing such cooperation is one of the purposes of the European Horse Network (EHN).