LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Horse Council is asking community members to take part in a survey to determine the local economic impacts of the horse industry.
The survey can be found at the council’s Web site, www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com .
Horses are a significant industry in Lake County affecting the economy of the area.
The council said an accurate knowledge of the economic impact of the horse industry in Lake County is vital for making decisions that will affect the entire county.
There are 9.2 million horses in the United States, with the industries around the sales and servicing of horses and their owners resulting in a total value of $39 billion.
The 2009 gross domestic product contribution from horse production and entertainment services was $25.3 billion – more than the motion picture industry.
Additionally, the horse industry employed 339,000 people, more than is employed by the radio and television broadcasting industries and by the petroleum industry.
In California alone there are almost 700,000 horses, making it the second-largest horse population in the U.S.
More than 311,000 people in California participate in horse events annually, and California hosts more than 170 major regional or national horse shows each year.
Neighboring Sonoma County is home to 22,000 horses and 30,000 equestrians.
Revenues produced by the equine industry amounts to 75 percent of that produced by Sonoma County grapes, and grapes are viewed as the most significant industry in Sonoma County. The horse industry in Sonoma County is second only to grapes.
Horse industry economic impact studies have led to initiatives to open trail access, pass feed assessments, provide for educational grants and to laws limiting liability lawsuits related to equestrian activities.
Visit the Lake County Horse Council’s Web site at www.lakecountyhorsecouncil.com . There you can view their Lake County horse industry video and take the anonymous survey.