British Equestrian’s The Power of Horses Report

British Equestrian’s landmark report, The Power of Horses, explores equestrianism social value. It measures how equestrian activity benefits health, wellbeing and community life across the UK. In addition, the report also highlights the shared responsibility across the sector to sustain participation and access for the future.

In this context, social value refers to the wider benefits equestrianism brings to society. For example, these benefits range from improved mental and physical health to greater confidence, inclusion and life satisfaction.

The findings are compelling. Equestrianism generates an estimated £1.2 billion in social value every year. It reaches millions of people through participation, learning and volunteering. The research puts numbers behind what horse people have always known: that time spent with horses changes lives.

The findings are encouraging. However, they also raise an important question: what enables that value to exist, and how do we make sure it continues?

Every statistic in the BEF report relies on one essential foundation: access. From the £292,000 of social value created by an average riding school to the millions of lives touched through lessons, volunteering and events, all depend on access.

The Foundation of Social Value in equestrianism

Every statistic in the BEF report, from the £292,000 of social value generated by an average riding school to the millions of lives touched through lessons, volunteering and events, relies on one essential foundation: access.

• Access to safe, well-run spaces where people and horses can come together.
• Access to training, events and programmes that support development.
• Access to the physical and organisational frameworks that keep equestrianism open, visible and thriving.

British Equestrian’s report describes riding schools and centres as ‘local hubs with national impact.’ They create the conditions for participation and community connection. Those hubs, and the events that surround them, rely on well-planned, safe environments; the physical foundations that allow people and horses to come together.

That foundation, the layer of value that often sits unseen, is what Woodhouse helps to sustain.

Creating the conditions for participation

Equestrianism’s impact is created wherever people engage with horses. This not only in competition but in riding schools, community projects and learning environments. These are the places where confidence is built, skills are shared and the next generation discovers what horses can offer.

Every structure we deliver plays a part in the ecosystem that enables participation to thrive. This applies whether it’s a temporary stable block at a major event or a long-term installation at a training centre. Each setting contributes in its own way, providing the physical environment for competition, preparation, connection and learning that keeps equestrianism part of the cultural and social landscape for all.

Economic and workforce value in equestrianism

The Power of Horses report also highlights equestrianism’s wider contribution. It generates £5 billion in economic value each year and supports more than 250,000 jobs across the UK. Those figures are underpinned by skilled people working in logistics, engineering, design, manufacturing and event delivery.

Each season, our teams design, plan, build and maintain temporary stabling and event structures. These support organisers, competitors and exhibitors across the sector. Behind every project sits real employment and development. Apprentices learn new skills. Meanwhile, site leads manage complex builds across the country.

As a result, these projects create lasting careers and build transferable skills. They sustain rural economies and keep specialist knowledge alive. When equestrianism thrives, horses, people and communities thrive too.

Supporting access and opportunity

Sustaining access also means helping new riders and professionals take their next step. We are proud to work with organisations that make participation possible for more people, from training camps led by world-class dressage rider Sophie Wells to our long-standing partnership with the British Racing School, supporting the next generation in racing.

We provide our temporary stables and facilities for these programmes. This helps riders learn and train in professional environments that mirror top-level competition standards. It is one way we reinvest in the future of equestrianism, widening opportunity and keeping pathways open.

Partnership and sponsorship

Partnership plays an essential role in the successful delivery of equestrian events. Our temporary stables are part of the critical infrastructure that allows horses to compete safely and comfortably. They’re used at major fixtures such as Royal Windsor, Wellington International and Osberton International. We work closely with organisers to ensure every build meets the highest standards of welfare, efficiency and presentation.

Alongside this, sponsorship provides another way for us to support the sport and its future. At events such as Wellington International and Osberton International, we contribute both as a delivery partner and as a sponsor. Most recently, we provided stables for the Yesteryear Village at Osberton.

Ultimately, whether through partnership or sponsorship, our goal is the same. We help create settings that bring horses, riders and audiences together, supporting safe competition and shared enjoyment of the sport.

Shared responsibility and social licence in equestrianism

The Power of Horses reframes equestrianism as a public good – an activity that contributes to national wellbeing, inclusion and community resilience. It also reinforces equestrianism’s social licence: the public’s trust and acceptance that horses are cared for, people are included, and the sport delivers genuine benefit.

At the launch, British Equestrian CEO Jim Eyre described the research as “a significant milestone for the equestrian sector – the beginning of a new stage, where we are able to clearly demonstrate our contribution to public health and wellbeing.”

Maintaining that trust depends on every part of the industry continuing to act responsibly and transparently – from governing bodies to organisers, suppliers and partners.

It is a shared effort, and one we are proud to contribute to through the standards we uphold, the access we enable and the partnerships we support. Explore our commentary on temporary stabling and welfare-led design.

Looking ahead

The BEF’s findings confirm what so many already know: that equestrianism makes a tangible difference to people’s lives. Our role, and the role of everyone involved in the sector, is to make sure that difference endures.

We protect access, support participation and invest in the people and places that make equestrianism possible. Together, these actions strengthen the ecosystem that supports us all. When the industry thrives, from grassroots riding schools to international events, everyone benefits.

That is how equestrianism’s social value endures: through shared responsibility, thoughtful partnership and the standards we uphold together.