Horses and the CAP The role of equines in conservation A briefing by the European Horse Network November 2011 In a number of regions where other livestock Barrows Exmoor pony in the EU native ponies such as sheep or cows herd in the UK are Horses European Horse Network are important in areas of could not thrive or would employed to support Horses in Europe President scientific interest, in agri- destroy the habitat. and help regenerate an in Europe Stefan Johanson CEO environment schemes area which includes the HNS, Swedish Horse Council for conservation grazing In addition to providing ‘high brown fritillary’ , “The sector has a Federation and as part of a mixed valuable farm income in Britain’s rarest butterfly. powerful tale to tell to grazing regime less favoured areas they Initiatives like these also EU policy makers during Phone often play a valuable help to protect native the current economic +46 (0)8-627 21 85 These ponies are able conservation role as they ponies, many of whom downturn, not just in to graze in wet delta or are selective grazers. are also endangered terms of business and E-mail exposed upland areas For example, the Gait species. employment growth, info@ but also for the current europeanhorsenetwork.eu debate on the Common EHN and its Members Agricultural Policy.” Julie Website Girling MEP The EHN is a non-profit EPMA - European Pari EMHF – European www. network composed Mutuel Association, and Mediterranean europeanhorsenetwork.eu “This conference, for me of many equine Pole Filiere Equine Horseracing Federation , personally, is a signal organisations operating in (Normandie) representing we have to pay more Europe. the Network of European UET - European Trotting attention to horses” Equestrian Regions, Union, Janusz Wojciechowski, EFTBA - European Vice Chair European The horse sector is a fallen around 60% from many positives in terms Federation of FEIF – Icelandic Horses, World Horse Welfare, Parliament Agriculture dynamic agricultural and their peak income level in of agricultural and rural Thoroughbred Breeders Committee rural force in Europe. 1995, the horse sector as development: Associations, WBFSH – World FECTU – European a whole is growing, with There are over 6 million federation of Sport horses Draught Horse the number of horse riders lEcologically friendly with EHN Regional Conference horses in Europe FEI - International Breeders, Federation. increasing by around +5% a focus on permanent November 2010 grazing over 6 million Equestrian Federation, a year. pasture European Equestrian Swedish Horse Council ESSA – European State hectares of permanent grassland. Market dynamics in Federation, Foundation, Studs Association. lminimal or no use of agriculture and leisure are Around 400 000 jobs are pesticides expected to amplify this CBC-BCP – Belgian provided by the sector. further in future years, Horse Confederation loffering labour- It provides 100 billion making the equestrian, intensive, all round rural euros a year economic horse racing and betting employment impact with a growing sector an important international market contributor for regional lestablished and growing growth in many countries While total revenues from national and international and regions throughout the traditional farming have export markets EU. The horse sector has Horses within the context of the CAP Within the context of less polluting methods of subject to EU market CAP discussions, the farm maintenance. organisation or arable horse sector is in an ideal farming, as horse breeding As well as being a growing situation to positively for example, requires sector, equine enterprises contribute to the common many of the facilities and also provide an added theme throughout – which lends itself to much of the benefit as they can help is the need to promote experience which is used to support other farming sustainable growth for farm other livestock. sectors, by their need agriculture and rural areas to buy grain, hay, straw, A further plus is that The beautiful Icelandic horse in an ecologically balanced and other items provided diversification is often a is just one example of the way. very many native European by other farms and rural viable possibility in the breeds of horse and pony The use of horses as businesses. more difficult upland and working animals on farms remote farming areas which play a significant role In addition, horses provide and in forestry is growing, – through the natural in the maintenance of upland excellent opportunities for and is in perfect harmony synergies between horses and ‘less favoured areas’ in further farm diversification, with the growth of organic and tourism for example. many parts of Europe, as well a out of other livestock providing valuable farm income. farming and the search for Horses in the current CAP proposals True ‘horse power’ in agriculture The Commission’s Horses are an agricultural also because the horse There are still over 800 000 Logging horses in Sweden, worked only with horses proposals emphasise the product, as is clearly breeding and production working horses used on for example, are used to start to fruit (one to) two importance of permanent shown by their inclusion in also often takes place as small farms in Central and transport more than 1 years earlier than those grassland and the need livestock policies and, for a valued part of a more Eastern Europe, particularly million metres cubed of growing in soils compacted to look at agriculture as a example, by the consistent varied farm enterprise. in rural and remote areas logs a year. by tractors. (SCHARNHÖLZ holistic part of the overall application of European of Romania for example. 2009) success and development food safety and welfare As farming becomes In other parts of Europe Research has shown that of rural areas. We fully regulations. ever more diversified there is an increasing draught horses can be In this way, again, we support this focus. and environmental land re-use of the horse on an economically sound see horses as central to Their historic and close management becomes ever farms as a draught animal alternative to machines. the debate about how to Horses graze a significant connection to the land and more important, it also as the horse is a perfect Organic farms particularly maintain productivity and percentage of Europe’s how it is farmed means becomes more important to renewable and ecologically welcome the re-emergence farm incomes while also permanent grassland, and they need to be considered fully integrate horses into friendly energy source. of horse power as the use ‘greening’ the CAP and therefore contribute to the along with other livestock any new proposals. of horses do not pollute encouraging biodiversity “ breeding and rearing of upkeep of many areas, as such as cows and sheep, Draft horses are the produce, and do not and more environmentally ”Young vines fruit earlier equidae, and in particular of well as providing significant not least because of the increasingly being used compact the soil in the sound land management. if worked by horses – an horses, is generally included sources of income for local millions of hectares which in the forestry logging same way as tractors and example of productivity and in the farming sector. It population. they graze, but obviously business throughout other machines. This is not We would like to see the ecology in harmony” constitutes a source of Europe. Unlike large just seen in mainstream use of working horses income for part of the logging machines, they or organic farming. In recognised and supported farming population” are able to preserve vineyards, research has much more in terms of the Some initial comments on the proposals fragile ecosystems and shown that young vines benefits they can bring to EU Council cause minimal damage. growing in a vineyard small working farms. Directive 2009/156/EC. Definition of active status of the horse and the growth of the rural farmer - The proposed applying different historical economy and jobs as a definition of agricultural models of the Single Farm whole rather than the focus The horse – present in every EU country activity makes it clear that Payment. on artificial market support the breeding of livestock mechanisms on individual The horse is also of The KINCSEM” Horse scientific interest is the as well as the grazing of The movements crops or animals. importance as it grazes Cluster is based in part-EU funded Lake Pape animals, makes farmland towards the SFP land and contributes to Kecskemét in middle of project in the remote eligible for direct payments. as an integral ‘land We also support the focus farm incomes in every Hungary - the town region of south-west management system’ the need to ensure that country of the EU. itself is called the horse Latvia along the Baltic However, we would urge seems inherently sensible high animal welfare capital of Hungary and coast close to the border that this definition is and we support this. standards are adopted In some countries horses the horse cluster initiative with Lithuania where a key made clear at EU level – including seeking the are vitally important for concentrates on the feature of the project was to remove the unfair The further emphasis highest meat hygiene regional economic clusters. education of all kind of the re-introduction of wild and unlevel playing field on rural development standards for those horses For example in the area horse races and activities. horses to help maintain which currently exists measures and that are slaughtered for of Basse-Normandie in It provides major jobs in important grasslands. due to member states’ diversification is also human consumption. France you will find 10% the region and regularly interpretations of the welcome in terms of of the whole French horse organises national and Another example is population, and 20% of international horse in Romania in the the foals, the sector there events, and also exists to Carpathians where a The international strength of EU breeders provides more than 10 000 promote horse clusters scheme is being set jobs The thoroughbred at a European level and up to support local Supporting farmers who to this goal.