MARYLAND EQUINE
Results of the 2002 Maryland Equine Census



Special Report made possible by the Cooperative efforts of the Maryland Department of Agriculture, the Maryland Horse Industry Board, and the Maryland Agricultural Statistics Service

EQ-01-02
December 06, 2002

Equine Inventory | Places, Acreage & People
Equine Related Assets | Equine Related Expenditures
County Data | Breed Data | Other Data | Trail Riding Preferences
PDF Format of Draft

According to the 2002 Maryland Equine Census, there were a total of 87,100 horses, mules, donkeys, and burros in the State of Maryland. Light Horse Breeds accounted for about 48 percent of the total, followed by Thoroughbreds with 33 percent of the total. Ponies and Standardbreds each accounted for about 7 percent, followed by draft breeds and mules, donkeys and burros. The value of the equine inventory at the time of the census was a little over $680 million, putting the average value per animal at about $7,810. There were a total of 20,200 equine places in the State during the Census. This includes racing, breeding, and all sizes of boarding facilities as well as private residences where horses are being kept for recreational purposes. On these places, there are 38,000 people actively involved with the equine. These equine operations account for a total of 685,000 acres, of which, 206,000 acres were used primarily for equine related purposes. The value of all equine related assets totaled $5.2 billion, including the value of the inventory. The value of land, fencing, and buildings made up about 76 percent of the total assets. The value of the inventory accounts for 13 percent and equipment and supplies made up about 11 percent of total reported assets. Equine related expenditures amounted to nearly $766 million, of which 62 percent were operating expenditures and 38 percent were capital expenditures. There were 8,400 horses sold during the past year with an average value of sales of $14,196. Less than 100 mules, donkeys, and burros were sold.

INVENTORY Number
Equine associated with the racing industry:
Standardbreds 5,800
Thoroughbreds 28,800
Other Race Breeds 200
Equine not associated with the racing industry:
Light horses Breeds 42,000
Draft horses Breeds 2,200
Ponies All Breeds 5,900
Donkeys, Mules & Burros 2,200
Total Equine Inventory 87,100

EQUINE PLACES ACREAGE & PEOPLE
Number of Places Having Equine 20,200
Number of People Involved 38,000
Total Acreage Reported 685,000
Acreage used for equine purposes 206,000

EQUINE RELATED ASSETS (Dollars)
Value of equine inventory 680,240,000
Value of land, fencing, facilities 3,965,780,000
Value of equipment and supplies 552,850,000
Value of other Asssts 22,500,000
Value of all Assets 5,212,370,000

EQUINE RELATED EXPENDITURES
(Dollars)
Total Operating Expenditures 475,670,000
Total Capital Expenditures 290,110,000
Total Expenditures 765,780,000

 

EQUINE SALES (Total)
Horses
Number Sold (Hd) 8,400
Total Value of Sales $119,250,000
Donkeys, Mules & Burros
Number Sold (Hd) 50
Total Value of Sales $25,000

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COUNTY DATA

Maryland equine are concentrated in central and northern counties. The 5 largest counties, in terms of inventory numbers are, Baltimore (12%), Montgomery (10%), Frederick (10%), Prince George's (9%), and Harford 8% . The top ten counties, all in northern and central Maryland, account for 79% of the total inventory. The average inventory value by county is influenced greatly by the racing and breeding operations located in each county. In addition, the counties with large concentrations of show horses tended to have higher average values. The 5 largest counties in terms of the number of equine places and their respective percentages of the total number of places are: Montgomery (13%), Frederick (11%), Baltimore (10%), Washington (8%), and Harford (7%). The average number of people in each county (excluding hired labor) involved in equine activities varied from 2.6 people per place in Washington county to 1.5 people per place in Dorchester county. The acreage devoted to equine by county is concentrated in Baltimore, Frederick, Harford, Montgomery, and Cecil counties where 51% of the total acreage devoted to equine was reported.

Equine Inventory, Value, Places, Acreage and Number of People Involved by County
Counties Total Equine
Inventory 		Total Value of
Equine
Inventory 		Number of
Equine Places 		Total Equine
Related Acres 		Total Number
of People
Involved*
(number) (thousand
dollars) 		(number) (acres) (number)
Allegany 270 685 120 1,300 240
Garrett 1,410 2,900 370 3,400 820
Baltimore 10,630 121,800 2,100 31,200 4,200
Carroll 5,730 31,735 1,290 14,700 2,430
Frederick 8,290 47,310 2,180 22,000 3,570
Harford 7,390 73,115 1,360 18,400 2,160
Howard 5,190 61,265 1,200 11,200 2,280
Montgomery 8,470 60,555 2,590 17,700 4,070
Washington 4,460 12,295 1,560 10,200 4,090

Anne Arundel 4,590 27,035 1,330 8,900 2,320
Calvert 1,510 9,980 420 3,500 750
Charles 1,640 7,375 490 4,300 1,110
Prince George's 7,420 63,610 1,170 11,700 1,860
Saint Mary's 2,710 7,540 620 8,600 1,510

Caroline 1,310 7,290 260 3,300 530
Cecil 6,580 68,345 900 15,300 1,580
Kent 1,610 29,025 170 4,000 410
Queen Anne's 2,000 18,070 300 3,800 550
Talbot 1,930 8,375 700 4,200 1,600

Dorchester 460 5,280 160 1,200 240
Somerset 280 800 80 500 130
Wicomico 2,260 9,860 650 4,400 1,200
Worcester 960 5,995 180 2,200 330

Maryland Total 87,100 680,240 20,200 206,000 38,000
*Excludes hired labor

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BREED DATA

Light Breeds and Racing Breeds dominated the breed categories across the State, accounting for 48 and 40 percent of the total inventory, respectively. The top 5 individual Breeds in terms of inventory numbers and the respective percents of total were, Thoroughbreds (33%), Quarter Horses (14%), Standardbreds (7%), Arabian and Anglo Arabian (5%), and Other Warmbloods (4%). This breed ranking excludes the Unknown Light Breed category which accounted for 8% of the inventory and All Breeds of Ponies which accounted for 7% of the total. The inventory numbers were reported by land owners who kept equine on their operations. This table provides a breakout of the animals owned by the land holder and the animals boarded for others. Of the total 87,100 equine on Maryland horse places, 61,900 or 71% were owned by the land owners and family. There were 25,200 equine or 29% boarded for other owners. For the major breed categories, 34% of the racing breeds are boarded out and 28% of the Light Breeds are boarded out. The value of the equine inventory at the time of the census was estimated to total more than $680 million or an average of $7,810 per animal. The most valuable breeds were Other Warmbloods with an average value of $16,883. This category groups several warmblood breeds or cross breeds together and includes a large concentration of show horses. The racing breeds ranked next in average value with standardbreds at $13,653 and thoroughbreds at $13,446. There was a wide range of values reported for most breeds with retired animals at the low end of the scale and show or racing animals at the top end of the value scale.

Equine Inventory and Value by Breed
Equine Breeds Total
Inventory 		Total
Inventory
Owned* 		Total
Inventory
Boarded for
Others** 		Total
Inventory
Value 		Average
Inventory
Value
(number) (number) (number) (thousand)
dollars) 		(dollars)
American Saddle 680 520 160 1,185 1,743
Appaloosa 2,790 2,120 670 8,540 3,061
Arabian and Anglo Arabian 4,040 2,870 1,170 16,005 3,962
Miniature Horses 720 670 50 1,085 1,507
Morgan 1,660 980 680 5,520 3,325
Paint / Pinto 2,660 2,110 550 10,890 4.094
Quarter Horses 12,060 9.170 2,890 39,180 3,249
Tennessee Walker 1,700 1,180 520 5,120 3,012
Other Crossbreds 3,280 2,320 960 17,435 5,316
Other Warmbloods 3,600 2,170 1,430 60,780 16,883
Other Light Breeds 1,880 1,390 490 10,290 5,473
Unknown 6,930 4,800 2,130 11,320 1,633
Total Light Breeds 42,000 30,300 11,700 187,350 4,461

Standardbreds 5,800 4,640 1,160 79,190 13,653
Thoroughbreds 28,800 18,250 10,550 387,235 13,446
Other Race Breeds 200 110 90 715 3,575
Total Race Breeds 34,800 23,000 11,800 467,140 13,424

Belgian 690 650 40 1,580 2,290
Percheron 420 330 90 1,985 4,726
Clydesdale 110 70 40 520 4,727
Other Draft Breeds 980 850 130 3,775 3,852
Total Draft Breeds 2,200 1,900 300 7,860 3,573

Ponies, All Breeds 5,900 4,700 1,200 16,480 2,793

Mules, Donkeys, & Burros 2,200 2,000 200 1,410 641
Total All Equine 87,100 61,900 25,200 680,240 7,810
*Total inventory owned by the land owner and/or family.
**This inventory is owned by someone other than the land owner.

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OTHER DATA

Most of the Light Breeds, 45%, were kept at private residences, while 31% were kept at Boarding, Training, Riding, or Show Facilities. As would be expected, most of the race breeds (39%) were kept at Race related facilities while 27% were kept at Breeding facilities. The largest percent of Draft Breeds, 41%, were kept on crop or livestock farms. Ponies are mainly kept at private residences and Boarding, Training, Riding, or Show facilities. Mules, donkeys, and burros were mainly kept at private residences.
Number of Equine by Breed and Primary Function of the Operation
Number of Equine By Breed Category
Type of Equine Operation Light
Breeds 		Race
Breeds 		Draft
Breeds 		Ponies Donkey
Mules or
Burros 		Total
Equine
Boarding, Training, Riding or Show Facility 13,000 5,990 500 2,110 100 21,700
Commercial or Private Breeding Facility 3,870 9,560 150 710 80 14,370
Racing or Race Related Facility 430 13,660 30 170 140 14,430
Private residence with Equine 18,850 3,630 550 2,160 1,420 26,610
Crop/Livestock Farm 4,310 1,270 910 500 410 7,400
All Other Facilities 1,540 690 60 250 50 2,590
Total 42,000 34,800 2,200 5,900 2,200 87,100

Trail Riding Preferences
Total Number of Places Reporting Trail Riding* 11,800
Percent Using State, National, or Region Parks 60%
Percent Using State, or National Forest Land 26%
Percent Using Wildlife Management Areas 24%
Percent Using Private Land 94%
Percent Using Other Locations 8%
*Respondents could indicate multiple trail riding locations.

Of the total number of equine places at, 20,200, approximately 11,800, or 58%, indicated that they had rode trails some time during the past year. Respondents were then asked to indicate where they rode, given the categories listed in the table above. An overwhelming majority indicated they rode on private land, 94%, while 60% indicated they rode on State, National, or Regional Parks. Respondents could choose multiple entries if they rode in multiple areas.

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