Top British dressage rider and trainer Carl Hester shares his thoughts on getting more people involved with horses around the world
I have been reading with interest all the opinions being shared on social licence, and the figures and percentages when it comes to different opinions on equestrian sport.
The recent surveys shared by World Horse Welfare, which were conducted through YouGov, have value. However, I couldn’t get my head around the fact that the results were drawn from a panel of 4,000 people.
Despite the name, YouGov is not run by the government; rather, people sign up and get points by taking part in surveys on anything from politics to toothpaste brands.
I was scratching my head wondering how we can get an even bigger picture of public opinion, and what it might show, when the man with the answers drove onto the yard.
Tauseef “Taz” Qadri has a lifelong passion for horses. He also has mind-blowing qualifications in management and technology, experience working with businesses from start-ups to Fortune 250 companies, and has lived all over the world.
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His passion for horses, technology, culture and people led to founding Cavago, an online platform where you can browse and book all kinds of horse-related trips and experiences around the world. The platform aims to showcase the communities and cultures, diversity and inclusivity that the horse world offers and the immense positive impact that the “hidden” horse world can have on countries and economies.
As Taz revealed to me, there are more than 60 million horses globally with 500 different breeds, and more than 120 different disciplines associated with them. There are over 850,000 horses in the UK alone with more than 374,000 households owning at least one horse. Plus, 27 million people have an interest in the equine industry, which is the second-largest employer in the rural sector after agriculture.
When Taz tells investors and venture capitalists that in the USA alone the horse industry has a greater economic impact than the film industry and that this “niche” industry in fact encompasses 30.5% of US households – with 38 million containing at least one horse enthusiast – they are, of course, astonished. But the figures speak for themselves.
Another astounding fact is that there are some five million lapsed riders in the UK, who no longer pursue their passion. This is largely down
to not knowing where to find riding or what sort of riding they’d like to do. To help with this, we need to provide better access to facilities and information at the touch of a button.
My experience of meeting Taz went from head-scratching to eye-opening to utterly heart-warming in the space of about an hour. It’s great to have such expertise, passion and innovation involved in our sport, with Cavago the title sponsor for some major equestrian events this summer.
There is so much positivity we can draw on, and so much opportunity to help those who don’t frequently interact with horses get involved by looking at the bigger picture, and by showcasing and emphasising the diversity of experiences horses can offer. After all, where would humanity be without horses?
Sources: US Equine Business Association Economic Impact Study (2017), Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, BETA National Equestrian Survey (2019)
● How do you think we can introduce more people to horses? Tell us at hhletters@futurenet.com, including your name, nearest town and county, for the chance to have your views published in a future edition of Horse & Hound magazine
This exclusive column will also be available to read in Horse & Hound magazine, on sale Thursday 6 July, 2023
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One of Britain’s most successful dressage riders and trainers, Carl Hester MBE is an Olympic gold medallist and multi-medallist at European and world championships. He is also the holder of more than 65 national dressage titles and is responsible for the development of the outstanding partnership of Charlotte Dujardin and Valegro. A regular Horse & Hound columnist, you can read Carl’s views in the magazine or website subscribers can view them online below.
