Horses actors of land conservation and preservation

In rural areas, horse husbandry competes with other farming activities for land space.

However, the different sectors are in fact complementary. Some farms use horses in their pasture management system with cattle or sheep. Farmers are also the main suppliers of forage, cereals and services (loan of equipment, mowing fields) for local horse owners.

In suburban areas, equestrian leisure activities are both in competition, and compatible with residential development. In fact, the presence of leisure horses is motivated by suburban residential developments, probably due to the arrival of new people in these spaces.

In addition, some horse owners take part in this movement to delocate from big cities towards the countryside, as they wish to live in close proximity to their animals. Horses then take up residence of the unused space, whether unused because of the nature of the land (woodland or garigue (heath)) or having been made free as agricultural activity leaves more space for urban development. Thus, horses take part in the occupation and upkeep of the land. However, as residential areas densify, horses are pushed out from the built up areas towards the outskirts of towns, which incurs problems of access to land for horse owners.

Lastly, even though horses have a positive image with the local population (upkeep of the land,  contribution to the scenery, creation of jobs….), they also bring conflict, especially in suburban areas (horses escaping, smell and insects, conflicting interests for the use of trails and country lanes….).

Breeders of competition or race horses use two types of land space : fields for stud farm horses, and paddocks for horses in training.

These breeders use a rotational system in their fields to ensure pasture land and to produce hay which they harvest themselves, or which they have the local farmers harvest for them.

The rider space includes arenas and training tracks set up on the property. Outside, only a few nearby country lanes are used for physical fitness training. This type of horse owner is very mobile both locally and sometimes even nationally, as they are often away for competitions or races.

Owners or custodians of horses for hacking are often either individuals with no specific structure, or professionals of the leisure riding sector.

The horses’ space is mainly fields or paddocks, where the horses are kept. These types of structure have little interest in land management, and more often than not the land is not used to feed the animals.

The space dedicated to the rider includes arenas and other work out areas for the horses, as well as the lanes and trails nearby for hacking out. This type of owner has a wide local network of acquaintances and they travel extensively for competitions or gatherings for treks.

Pleasure horse owners are first and foremost looking to buy a residence which enables them to have their animals close by. The horse’s space is often limited to a small plot of land located next to the owner’s house.

Rider space is either inexistant, or limited to a few nearby country lanes and trials for hacking out. This type of horse is mainly bought for the pleasure of having and caring for an animal. The acquaintance network of these owners is restricted and limited to the care and feed of their animals.