Leisure horses

The notion of a leisure horse is difficult to define. According to various sources (including Carlos Henriques Pereira), it is a horse defined by its adaptation to all forms of equestrian leisure, rather than by a particular breed or type, as can be the case for sport and stock horses.{{Cite book |last=Budiansky |first=Stephen |title=The Nature of Horses |publisher=Simon and Schuster |year=1997 |isbn=0684827689 |pages=257}} As such, leisure horses can be highly varied in terms of breed and morphology.

File:Campolina Grande Marchador.JPG

The main criteria for a good leisure horse are a supple, easy-going character, sociability, and the ability to support beginners in horseback riding.{{Cite book |last=Pereira |first=Carlos |title=Marketing et management de l'équitation: suivi de Élevage et commercialisation du cheval de selle à la fin du xxe siècle |publisher=éditions L'Harmattan |year=2002 |isbn=2747521737 |pages=64–65 |language=fr}} The versatility and character of a leisure horse can also be acquired through appropriate training and work.{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=27}} In 2015, the award of a label for pleasure riding in France made it possible to define the qualities required in these horses: a willing and courageous mind, an unemotional character, limbs and hooves of excellent quality, a rather modest size to make it easier to get on and off the saddle and great versatility, unlike sport horses which specialize in a single equestrian discipline.{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=28}}

File:Haflinger3.jpg generally makes an excellent leisure horse]]

Although there are a large number of horses with no pedigree (grade horses) among leisure riders, certain breeds are a better fit for leisure riding, such as the Haflinger,{{Cite web |title=Le choix de la race et du sexe |url=https://crte-bretagne.ffe.com/tl_files/jlc1/fichiers/Cheval/race-sexe.pdf |website=Comité régional de tourisme équestre Bretagne |language=fr}} the Fjord horse,{{Cite journal |last=Bataille |first=Laetitia |date=2011 |title=Le Fjord : un petit cheval plein de charisme |url=http://www.cheval-savoir.com/485-fjord-cheval-loisir-charisme |journal=Cheval Savoir |language=fr |issue=17}} the Camargue and the Mérens, breeds renowned for their hardiness and modest size. In the United States, we find the Appaloosa,{{Cite web |date=2013 |title=L'appaloosa, au-delà de la couleur |url=https://www.chevalmag.com/chevalmag/Magazines/Sommaires/Cheval-Magazine/2013/n-505-decembre/Connaissances/L-appaloosa-au-dela-de-la-couleur/ |website=Cheval Magazine |language=fr}} Quarter Horse, Tennessee Walker{{Harvtxt|Lee|1978|p=83}} and Arabian breeds. For children, it's the American Shetland{{Harvtxt|Lee|1978|p=84}} and the Pony of the Americas.{{Harvtxt|Lee|1978|p=89}} In France, racehorses of the French Trotter and Thoroughbred breeds can be converted into leisure horses by dedicated organizations or experienced riders.{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=33}} The same phenomenon can be found in the United States, where many pleasure horses are Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds.{{Cite book |last=Kilby |first=Emily R. |url=http://www.americanequestrian.com/pdf/us-equine-demographics.pdf |title=The State of the Animals IV: 2007 |publisher=Humane Society Press |year=2007 |isbn=978-0974840093 |edition=1st |chapter=The Demographics of the U.S. Equine Population}}

Some breeds have specific qualities. Arabians and Barbs, for example, are renowned for their stamina, while Franches-Montagnes and Hensons are known for their temperament. Some draft horse breeders (particularly in France) also select their animals for leisure purposes, giving them the appropriate qualifications, as is the case with the Breton.{{Cite journal |last=Valren |first=Amélie Tsaag |date=2014 |title=Le Breton, cheval de loisir ? |url=http://www.cheval-savoir.com/1615-race-equine-breton-cheval-loisir |journal=Cheval Savoir |language=fr |issue=50}}

In Antiquity and the Middle Ages, the horse may have been used as a de facto leisure animal, but generally on a small scale and by a wealthy social class,{{Cite book |title=Le cheval, animal de guerre et de loisir dans l'Antiquité et au Moyen ge: Actes des Journées d'étude internationales organisées par l'UMR 7044 (Étude des civilisations de l'Antiquité) |series=Bibliothèque de l'Antiquité Tardive |publisher=Brepols Publishers |year=2012 |volume=22 |isbn=978-2-503-54440-3 |language=fr |doi=10.1484/M.BAT-EB.6.09070802050003050404040003}} without being defined as such. The legal notion of "leisure horse" was introduced on March 27, 1888. A Scottish man asked the British parliament for an exact definition of a pleasure horse, since it was suggested that owners of this type of horse should be taxed. He was told that a horse kept as a "luxury item", not for commercial use but for "what we call leisure", met the definition of a pleasure horse. However, some horses can be used for more than one activity.{{Cite book |last1=Parlement de Grande-Bretagne |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1888/mar/27/the-financial-statement-definition-of-a |title=Hansard's Parliamentary Debates |last2=Curson Hansard |first2=Thomas |date=27 March 1888 |pages=402–404}} The same type of question, that of the "legendary and clerical beast of Flanders: the mixed horse", arose in Belgium in 1878, when Flemish peasants, supporters of the Catholic party, used their draft horses for Sunday rides to pay a tax enabling them to vote, in a country where {{clarify span|text=censal suffrage|date=April 2025}} existed.{{Cite book |last=Gilissen |first=John |title=Le régime représentatif en Belgique depuis 1790 |publisher=La Renaissance du livre |year=1958 |pages=197 |language=fr}} In 1964, in the Canadian Parliament, the same issues were raised with a view to differentiating between draft and leisure horses, particularly when the same horse was used for both activities.{{Cite journal |last=Parlement du Canada |title=Debates: Official Report |journal=Queen's Printer |volume=8 |page=8562}}

The idea of the leisure horse has been codified much more recently. Particularly in France, it has accompanied the expansion of outdoor equitation. The idea was raised as early as 1988, and put into practice in 1993.{{Cite journal |last=Willemart |first=Alain |date=1998 |title=Belgique : Pour un label "cheval de loisir" ? |url=http://www.equinfo.org/elevage/loisir.htm |journal=HippoNews |language=fr |issue=267}} The "leisure qualifications" were created to assess the qualities of horses intended for leisure purposes, and to enable buyers to better orient themselves within an abundant offer. Over the years, the system has met with a positive response.{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=29}}{{Cite web |last= |title=Les qualifications loisir : un label qualité pour chevaux de loisir |url=http://www.sfet.fr/page/257/qualification-loisirs#.WJ2UxrF7TX8 |access-date=28 May 2015 |website=Haras nationaux |language=fr}} The creation of the "riding horse" register in 1994 was intended to create a breeding ground for leisure horses, but few people actually use the leisure qualifications: in 2000, only around a thousand horses passed them.{{Cite web |last=Cheval Magazine |date=2002 |title=Races : qui fait quoi ? |url=https://www.chevalmag.com/non-classe/races-qui-fait-quoi/ |access-date=29 June 2015 |website=Cheval Magazine |language=fr}} In Switzerland, the Franches-Montagnes breed has been selected specifically for equestrian leisure since the 1970s, thanks to very selective behavioral tests, making it highly valued.{{Cite journal |last=Valren |first=Amélie Tsaag |date=2013 |title=Le Franches-Montagnes : objectif loisirs atteint |url=http://www.cheval-savoir.com/1548-race-equine-franches-montagnes-objectif-loisirs-atteint |journal=Cheval Savoir |language=fr |volume=48}}

The development of pleasure riding in Western countries is also recent (early 1990s), and studies are still lacking (2011), despite the widely observed multiplication of "leisure horse" purchases.{{Harvtxt|Vial|Aubert|Perrier-Cornet|2011b}} The term "hobby breeding" did not exist in academic publications in 1997, yet in the two townships of Ganges and Saint-Martin-de-Londres alone, horses accounted for 72% of the 138 leisure animal farms surveyed that year.{{Harvtxt|Roche|Labouesse|Moulin|Dimanche|1997}} This growth in the leisure horse market has been accompanied by an increase in the number of amateur riders who, depending on the region, owned between 45% and 85% of leisure horses in France in 2011.{{Harvtxt|Vial|Aubert|Perrier-Cornet|2011a|pp=42–57}} It is also helping to transform the {{clarify span|text=territories|date=April 2025}} and skills required, for example by equine veterinarians, who need to adapt to this new clientele.{{Cite book |last=Desbordes |first=Anne |url=http://www.cheval-savoir.com/1548-race-equine-franches-montagnes-objectif-loisirs-atteint |title=Vétérinaires équins mixtes: comment répondre à la demande croissante des propriétaires de chevaux de loisir en France ? |publisher=École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse |year=2006 |pages=242 |language=fr}}

Different breeders talk about how to educate and train a leisure horse. Genetics play a role: horses from cold-blooded parents are more likely to be predisposed to leisure work. Similarly, life in the field is recommended for more balanced horses. Breeders handle foals extensively from an early age, haltering them,{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=30}} and picking up their hooves, to obtain horses that are closer to humans. Some breeders train their leisure horses in natural horsemanship techniques.{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=31}} Serious breeders also train their horses to be less sensitive to the environment.{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=32}} {{clarify span|text=Horses retired from racing often have to undergo specific training for leisure riding, as most of them are not adapted to it.|explain=Awkward; need rephrasing|date=April 2025}}

In addition to their diet, leisure horses require specific care to ensure their well-being. Equine vets generally identify three types of cases in the treatment of these horses. Sport and leisure riders tend to medicalize their horses and seek specific advice from professionals. Trail riders are more independent and tend to look after their horses themselves, with varying levels of satisfaction. Owners of "companion horses", who do not ride them, are often the most ignorant of their animals' needs. From a veterinary point of view, they are similar to {{clarify span|text="canine clients".|explain=Poor translation needs rephrasing because people are not dogs|date=April 2025}}

File:Ragdale in Leicestershire - geograph.org.uk - 883362.jpg]]

According to a prospective study carried out by INRA in 2012, the leisure horse market is booming and will become increasingly profitable (particularly in France) if enough people have the financial means to acquire this type of animal.{{Cite journal |last= |date=2012 |title=La filière équine française à l'horizon 2030 |url=http://institut.inra.fr/Missions/Eclairer-les-decisions/Prospectives/Toutes-les-actualites/Prospective-La-filiere-equine-francaise-a-l-horizon-2030 |journal=INRA |language=fr |access-date=29 June 2015}} However, the economic crisis{{when|date=April 2025}} that has hit the eurozone has led to fierce competition between leisure horse breeders. In France, since the increase in VAT, these animals are sold at higher prices than in other European countries such as Ireland, Germany and the Iberian Peninsula, despite a drop in the average selling price from €2,700 to €2,400 in 2014.{{Cite news |last=Simon |first=Marianne |date=2014 |title=Le monde du cheval frappé par la crise |language=fr |work=Le Figaro |url=https://culturefinanciere.com/le-vrai-cout-dun-cheval-de-loisir/ |access-date=30 August 2015}} An important aspect of leisure horse activities is that they consume a lot of space in rural areas. The horses themselves occupy a territory for their breeding, grazing and working areas, to which must be added the space given over to the paths used by riders.

Leisure horse owners generally have very few animals (fewer than five in the USA) and do not practice responsible breeding. A significant proportion breed a favorite horse for sentimental reasons. When it comes to maintaining leisure horses, there are two types of owners: those who delegate to professionals (such as equestrian centers), and those who keep their horses at home. They are generally motivated by the need to minimize transaction costs: owners of a single leisure horse often place their horse in a professional facility, but try to keep them at home as soon as they have two or more. Some owners aim to maintain a special relationship with one or more of their horses, and therefore keep them at home, although this requires more skill and time. This solution is only possible for horse owners living in rural areas. The desire to participate in non-competitive equestrian sports is also a factor, as sports facilities are generally only available in professional establishments. Independent owners are usually people of modest incomes, with land and equestrian skills, who attach little importance to having freedom of movement. The hypothesis that interest in leisure horses contributes to the development of a peri-urbanization phenomenon is plausible.

The average monthly cost of keeping a leisure horse in France in 2011 was estimated at over €300 in a professional facility, compared with less than €150 at home. However, this cost does not take into account all expenses: including feed, routine care and farriery, the cost of maintaining a leisure horse in a professional facility is over €5,000 per year.{{Cite web |last=Phil |date=2014 |title=Le vrai coût d'un cheval de loisir |url=https://culturefinanciere.com/le-vrai-cout-dun-cheval-de-loisir/ |access-date=30 August 2015 |website=Culturefinancière.com}}

File:Riding horse on farm.jpg

A leisure horse can be put to a broad range of uses, depending on the rider's wishes. This includes trail riding and "strolling" most of the time, with the vast majority of leisure riders wishing for a riding horse that can be ridden over a variety of terrains. However, pleasure riders may also wish to try out other equestrian disciplines such as dressage or polo. Riders often teach circus tricks or simple dressage to leisure horses.{{Cite book |last=Penquitt |first=Nathalie |title=Figures libres : Exercices pour les chevaux de loisir |publisher=De Vecchi |year=2008 |isbn=978-2732889016 |pages=32 |language=fr |translator-last=Barzilaï |translator-first=Caroline}}

Like any horse, a leisure horse can theoretically be slaughtered for the horse-eating market by its owner.{{Cite journal |last=Rossier |first=Emmanuel |date=1972 |title=Cheval de loisir et cheval de boucherie : produire ou détruire ? |journal=Centre d'Étude et de Recherche sur l'Économie et l'Organisation des Productions Animales |language=fr |volume=6}} In France, however, a growing number of leisure horse owners are refusing this option, in particular by campaigning for the horse to be recognized as a pet rather than a livestock animal.{{Cite web |title=Respect pour les chevaux |url=https://one-voice.fr/loisirs-et-compagnie-sans-violence/respect-pour-les-chevaux/ |access-date=30 August 2015 |website=www.one-voice.fr}} In Switzerland, horse owners have a definitive choice in the legal status of their animal, depending on their activity, with leisure horses excluded from the food chain.{{Cite web |date=2012 |title=Les chevaux sont-ils des animaux de rente ou des animaux de compagnie ? |url=http://www.fnch.ch/Htdocs/Files/v/6779.pdf/Ethik_im_Umgang_mit_dem_Pferd_2_12_f.pdf?download=1 |access-date=30 August 2015 |website=www.fnch.ch/ |language=fr}}{{Cite book |last1=Frey |first1=Alfred |url=http://www.hypona.ch/files/Le_cheval_animal_de_rent_ou_de_loisir.pdf |title=Le cheval, animal de rente ou de loisir? |last2=Mühlethaler |first2=Urs |publisher=Spécial Revue UFA |year=2010 |pages=14–16 |language=fr}} Around 66% of young sport and leisure horses (aged 2 to 7) are slaughtered because their behavior is unsuited to their intended activity.{{Cite journal |last1=Lesté-Lasserre |first1=Christa |last2=Booth |first2=Andy |date=2015 |title=Pour le meilleur du cheval... et du cavalier |journal=Cheval Magazine |language=fr |issue=524 |pages=51}}

A survey carried out in the United States in 2003 revealed that 43% of horse owners own horses for leisure. In May 2015 in France, 64% of registered horses are leisure horses,{{Harvtxt|Chauvin|2015|p=26}} and half of these are used solely for trail riding. Farms specializing in leisure horses are in the minority, however, with only 15% breeding such animals. A large proportion of declared leisure horses (60,000) are in fact racehorses that have been retired and rehabilitated for use as leisure horses. The same statistic is found in the United States.

• Pleasure riding
• Trail riding

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last=Chauvin |first=Maylis |title=Cheval de loisir : inné ou acquis ? |publisher=Cheval Magazine |year=2015 |language=fr |issue=523}}
• {{Cite book |last=Herlin |first=Christine-Emmanuelle |title=Cheval de loisir: mode d'emploi |publisher=Larivière |year=2000 |isbn=9782907051361 |language=fr}}
• {{Cite book |last=Lee |first=Hollis |title=The pleasure horse |publisher=Countryside Books |year=1978 |series=Country home & small farm guides}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Roche |first1=Bénédicte |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/282308765 |title=Un phénomène mal connu : les élevages de loisirs autour des villes |last2=Labouesse |first2=François |last3=Moulin |first3=Charles-Henri |last4=Dimanche |first4=Marc |publisher=Le Courrier de l'environnement |year=1997 |language=fr}}
• {{Cite journal |last1=Vial |first1=Céline |url=http://economierurale.revues.org/2911 |title=Les choix organisationnels des propriétaires de chevaux de loisir dans les espaces ruraux |last2=Aubert |first2=Magali |last3=Perrier-Cornet |first3=Philippe |journal=Économie rurale |year=2011a |issue=321 |pages=42–57 |doi=10.4000/economierurale.2911 |language=fr}}
• {{Cite journal |last1=Vial |first1=Céline |url=http://www.cairn.info/revue-d-economie-regionale-et-urbaine-2011-3-page-549.htm |title=Le développement de l'équitation de loisir dans les territoires ruraux : entre influences sectorielles et périurbanisation |last2=Aubert |first2=Magali |last3=Perrier-Cornet |first3=Philippe |journal=Revue d'Économie Régionale & Urbaine |year=2011b |volume=juin |issue=3 |pages=549–573 |doi=10.3917/reru.113.0549}}

Category:Equestrianism

Category:Horse racing

Category:Equine welfare