25/11/2025
Europe understands the economic value of the horse At the European level, the equine sector is described in official documents as one of the most significant components of rural, sporting and recreational life. The European Commission, through the CAREQiPSC research project published on the official CORDIS portal, reports that the continent’s equine sector generates an annual economic impact of more than €100 billion, a figure encompassing sport, breeding, racing, tourism and leisure activities. The same source indicates that horseracing betting alone accounts for an additional €25 billion each year. The European Parliament, in its report Responsible ownership and care of equidae (A8-0014/2017), paints an equally striking picture. The number of equids in the Union is estimated at around seven million, spread across approximately 2.6 million hectares of agricultural land. The report also notes that at least 900,000 jobs depend directly on equestrian sports: facility staff, instructors, grooms, breeders, veterinary technicians, service workers and many other professionals revolving around the horse. Furthermore, the European Commission, in the equine information notes issued by the Directorate-General for Health (DG SANTE), stresses that the sector is highly labour-intensive, requiring substantial human resources, and serves as a crucial source of income for many agricultural enterprises, often located in marginal rural areas. Here too the numbers are significant: the European horse population is estimated at around six million animals, a figure which confirms the sector’s importance but also highlights a disquieting reality — even European authorities do not possess precise numbers, given that the Commission’s and the Parliament’s estimates differ by one million equids.
Taken together, these official documents show that the horse is a high-value economic asset, capable of generating wealth and employment. And it is precisely this economic centrality that underscores what IHP has long maintained: where such strong economic interests exist, the risk of exploitation is extremely high.
Italy, meanwhile, lives in statistical darkness The comparison with the Italian situation is stark. In our country there is no up-to-date official overview that quantifies the number of horses, the economic value of the equine supply chain or its impact on employment and land use. The last comprehensive study dates back to 2010, published by what was then UNIRE (Unione Nazionale Incremento Razze Equine) under the title The horseracing sector as an economic system.
In that report—now more than fifteen years old—the estimated horse population was approximately 437,000, with tens of thousands of donkeys and mules in addition. The same study indicated that the “core” sector involved more than 48,000 operators, including breeders, owners, jockeys, drivers, grooms, racetrack employees, farriers and veterinarians. Land use was equally significant: more than 610,000 hectares were devoted to breeding or forage production, an area comparable to some of Italy’s most important crop sectors. The study also estimated that fiscal revenues generated by the horseracing sector amounted to dozens of millions of euros per year; in 2009 alone the Treasury collected €96 million from betting, in addition to more than €11 million for the then-AAMS agency, plus various VAT and income tax contributions.
The problem is that these figures—although official—refer to a period in which the sector was profoundly different from today. Since then, no comprehensive update has been produced. We do not know how many horses are in Italy today, we do not know the true economic extent of the equine sector, nor its impact on land use or public finances. In practice, we lack the minimum information required to shape effective public policy. And without solid data, any attempt to monitor the equine registry, animal welfare or end-of-life pathways — including the fate of horses that disappear into illegal slaughter circuits — becomes nearly impossible.
For IHP, this void is deeply troubling not only from a statistical standpoint, but above all from an ethical and political one: how can we protect equids if we do not even know how many there are or where they are located? How can we oversee the allocation of public funds to the horseracing sector — substantial every year — without a clear understanding of who benefits from them and what the actual impact is?
Knowing in order to protect While Europe clearly recognises the economic value of the horse, Italy continues to operate in the dark. And in darkness, exploitation thrives. This is why we have long called for the launch of an official, updated, transparent and accessible data collection effort. It is not merely a matter of statistics: it is a matter of protection, legality and civility.
In our country, the horse remains an animal whose numbers, status and destiny are unknown. It is time to fill this gap. Because without knowing how many they are, we can never truly guarantee that they are protected.