11/05/07 Equine impact

Never turn your back on the tide, I'm Jeff Keane and I'll be right back with how the horse industry is flooding the nation. Much like the ocean the horse industry can have highs and lows, here's Becky with more on this rising tide. Well Jeff, it appears that, for now, the waves are rushing in the for the horse industry carrying with it a huge economic impact. At it's peak there were between 25 and 27 million horses in this country and at it's lowest the number drifted under four million. But today, according to the latest reports from the American Horse Council's 2005 study, the numbers show horse interests are on the rise once again, with well over 9 million horses in our country, influenced strongly by the onset of the equine hobbyist. Making up largest group of equestrians with nearly 4 million, horses used for purely recreation. Also on the rise are the horses and riders hitting the show circuit, throw in horse racing and other horse related work such as police, carriage and rodeos and you'll find the American horse involves 4.6 million horse owners, employees and volunteers. The industry behind these four-legged critters provides Americans with around four hundred sixty thousand full time jobs, a direct economic impact of over thirty nine billion dollars annually. It does seems like now would be a good time to ride the wave and enjoy the positive influence the horse industry is bringing to the American economy, I'm Jeff Keane.