British Equestrian releases State of the Nation 2024 report
Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Today British Equestrian has published our annual overview of the equestrian sector, the State of the Nation report, which details a comprehensive analysis of the equestrian landscape across the UK.
Drawing on research and data from British Equestrian, our member bodies, industry partners and national statistics, the report is used to track trends, highlight challenges and shape strategic plans and projects for the year ahead to support a sustainable and inclusive future for the equestrian sector.
The 2024 report builds on last year’s inaugural edition and reflects on sector progress, as well as drawing attention to opportunities for development to improve sustainability, resilience and inclusion across equestrianism.
Key highlights from the 2024 report:
- Participation and engagement on the rise: Federation memberships across our 19 member bodies rose by 11.7% between 2023 and 2024, and social media following across British Equestrian and our member body social media accounts increased by 13%.
- Resilient but pressured equestrian centres and charities: Riding school numbers remain under pressure, but 57% express an interest and capacity to grow.
- Cost-of-living impact remains: Rising costs continue to be a concern for current horse owners and newcomers alike.
- Environmental sustainability in focus: Our Environmental Sustainability Report highlights climate-related risks to equine welfare and continued growth of the sport. Recommendations have been laid out to safeguard the future of the sector, starting with the launch of our Environmental Sustainability Strategy.
- Social value of equestrian activity: Initial findings from stage one of British Equestrian’s social value research involved a literature review which found significant physical, social and mental wellbeing benefits linked to horse riding, equestrian-related activities and equine-assisted therapy.
- Workforce challenges identified: Research from the British Grooms Association revealed low wages, contract non-compliance and mental health concerns among grooms. However, where there are strong employment practices in place, working in the industry can positively impact employee wellbeing and job satisfaction.
- Public perception: World Horse Welfare’s research on public attitudes, conducted by Voconiq, shows moderate trust in equestrian sports, with welfare, ethics and accessibility identified as areas for improvement to maintain the industry’s social licence.
Building for the future
The State of the Nation 2024 report sets the foundation to build on projects and initiatives aligned with our five year strategy, launched earlier this year. Ongoing investment in research and improved data capture will enable more informed decision-making and allow for year-on-year tracking of trends that impact the equestrian community.
Key future research priorities for 2025 include:
- Calculating the overall social value of equestrianism.
- Developing solutions to workforce challenges with a new steering group who will identify challenges and steps to take aligning with the Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP).
- Continuing to advocate equine welfare with the equine welfare steering group.
- Continue ongoing research to identify patterns and trends impacting riding establishments, allowing the federation to provide targeted support for riding schools.
Mandana Mehran Pour, Head of Participation and Development at British Equestrian, commented, “Data-driven insight gives us the foundation to take meaningful action. The findings provide a clear direction of how we can better support the people, horses and organisations that define our sector. By deepening our understanding through data, we’re able to plan more strategically, respond more effectively, better represent the industry and shape a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient future for equestrianism across the UK.”
Abigail Bevan, Insight and Research Manager at British Equestrian, added, “The ability to collect and analyse a wider range of data allows us to build a full picture of the equestrian sector, from workforce wellbeing and environmental impact to participation and public perception. This evidence base helps us track progress over time and shape the future of the sector.”
state of the nation report 2024