[1] Businesses directly or indirectly related to horses include equine nutrition, equipment, publications, veterinary care, education, and sports clothing.
[6] The 2005 study determined there were 9.2 million horses in the United States, a plurality of which were used for recreational purposes.
That study identified a direct economic impact of $39 billion and combined direct and indirect spending having an economic impact of $102 billion, supporting 1.4 million full-time jobs.
[8] U.S. state laws governing the industry are "uneven" with horses being sometimes treated as livestock, sometimes pets, with widely varying requirements.
[9] In many U.S. states, landowners are protected by statute from liability lawsuits resulting from injuries caused by horses and mules.