Report - Section 3.3

3.3   The value of the local equine industry

HWBG carried out a survey amongst horse owners to gather information about horse keeping and their riding activity. Based on a response of 77 members, they identified that the average total annual cost of keeping a single horse was £3,905. (This spans from £780 p.a. for a small family pony to £9,100 p.a. for a competition horse.)

If this figure is applied to 3600 horses, shown above to be a conservative estimate of the horse population in the Leaderplus area, the annual spend on horse keeping in the area amounts to £14.058m.

A number of businesses in East Sussex derive their income from horses kept and ridden locally. From the British Equestrian Directory (2002) which are paid entries, and local HWBG research, there would appear to be:

• 23 saddlers and retailers:
• 14 feed merchants;
• 15 riding schools;
• 14 livery yards;
• 6 riding clubs;
• 2 driving clubs;
• 40 farriers (35 Part I, 5 Part II);
• 11 vet centres;
• 6 rescue centres;
• 6 holiday/trekking centres in the South Downs and 4 in the rest of East Sussex (18 in West Sussex, 6 in Surrey).

The actual number of businesses who do not advertise in paid directories are far higher and difficult to quantify.

Plumpton College run courses for training instructors and other equine programmes (full time and day release). HWBG reports that Hadlow College has been expanding their equine department by 20% p.a. over the last 5 years. This is to fill the need for more staffing in marketing, lecturing, the feed industry and grooms up to senior level. They have a variety of flexible programmes to cater for the age groups from 14-mid life and up to degree level. There is a growing need for work placements.