October 23, 2009 — The American Horse Publications (AHP) is conducting an equine industry survey to gauge participation trends in the U.S. equine industry. In addition, the survey seeks to gather information regarding the most important issues facing the industry.

Dr. C. Jill Stowe is providing consulting services for data collection and analysis to the AHP. Dr. Stowe is an assistant professor of Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky.

The survey is sponsored by Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health.

Those eligible to participate in the survey are men and women, 18 years of age and older, who currently own, manage, or lease at least one horse and live in the United States.

This study is anonymous; this means that no one, not even members of the research team, will be able to associate information you give with responses. When the survey results are tallied, only aggregated results will be presented.

“The AHP’s member publications, websites and newsletters reach nearly three million people involved in the horse industry in the United States and around the world,” said Kimberly S. Brown, current AHP president. It was Brown who proposed the survey, which was backed unanimously by the AHP board.

“We have been through a rough year, and there are many stories out there of unwanted horses and the decline of the horse industry,” noted Brown. “But I think the real story is the wanted horses and their owners who are still strong despite the economic downturn.

“We think this is a great opportunity for us to use our collective resources and reach into the horse industry to get answers about how we are doing today, how we think we’ll be doing in the near future, and what we are concerned about in our industry.

“Let’s get 100,000 or more horse owners to participate in this survey,” said Brown. “We have a wonderful chance to come together to gather information that can benefit us all, so spread the word!”

“I especially want to thank Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health and Pfizer Animal Health for sponsoring this survey,” said Brown. “Both of these companies–and the people behind the companies–are supporters of the horse industry because of their love of the horse, not just because it’s their business. And I want to thank Dr. Stowe for being willing to contribute her time and expertise to ensure we have a legitimate survey with accurate statistical analysis.”

To take the survey, click here. The survey closes January 15, 2010.

Feel free to pass this link around to every horse-owning group and individual.