The age-old passion for horses
grips some 30% of Italian families, with a total of 3.2 million
participants, according to a study by Fieracavalli-Nomisma on
the occasion of the 121st edition of the international
equestrian trade fair at the Veronafiere convention centre.
It is a passion that has lasted beyond the industrial and
digital revolutions.
For sport or as a hobby, more often than for work, a total of
8% of the active population in Italy (18-65 years old, therefore
not counting minors) got into the saddle during the year.
A peaceful army of equestrians with a demographic profile
made up mainly of Generation X, university graduates, in
northern Italy, with an average-to-high income, and above all
with an almost unanimous preference for horseback riding and
equestrian tourism, practiced in 90% of cases.
For each, the average expense for equestrianism is around
1,500 euros per year, due to the benefits expressed, which run
from a sense of freedom to relaxation, from harmony to fun and
commitment.
Even among "non users" the equestrian universe is viewed
positively, with nearly half of Italians saying they would try
the experience, especially those under age 35 (58%).
Horses, nature, and the world of food and wine make a winning
combination for 2.8 million horse enthusiasts, who find their
natural vocation in equestrian tourism.
Nine out of ten "horse addicts" went horseback riding in the
past year (35% regularly), mainly for two to three hours at a
time (44%), but also for a half or whole day (26%), or for a
weekend (3%), with average per-person spending of 150 euros per
day.
The preferred locations are forests (22%), followed by hills
and meadows in the plains (20%) and the sea (14%).
Equestrian tourism is complementary with other vacation
formats where stops for food and wine and moments of relaxation
in wellness centres can't be missed.
It's actually the combination with food and wine that is a
must in added services, with 46% of tourists responding that
during their most recent excursion they tried local products or
tasted wines.
In Italy, 5,000 companies and farms are directly connected to
the business of horses, with 48,000 direct workers, of whom
19,000 are breeders.
There are 2,000 equestrian centres and 4,500 farm stays in
Italy with structures dedicated to accommodating horses.
A total of 510,000 animals in the taxonomic family of Equidae
are registered in Italy, and not all are horses.
In the total there are also horse "cousins" such as donkeys
(89,000), mules (7,000), and even more exotic "relatives" such
as zebra (140).
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