The horse industry in the United States contributes $39 billion in direct economic impact and generates about $102 billion in total spending, according to a detailed economic impact study released June 28.

The Economic Impact of the Horse Industry in the United States was conducted by Deloitte Consulting and commissioned by the American Horse Council (AHC). Major funding for the report came from the American Quarter Horse Association, The Jockey Club, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and Breeders’ Cup, the Keeneland Association, the American Paint Horse Association, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, the United States Trotting Association, the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, and the United States Equestrian Federation.

The study is the first of its kind since 1996. During the AHC National Issues Forum in April, a Deloitte representative said the number of participants surveyed for the latest study was about 17,000, up from 5,000 for the 1996 document. Because of that, information is expected to be more meaningful and accurate.

“This study paints a portrait of an industry that operates in every corner of the country and contributes mightily to the American economy and culture,” AHC president Jay Hickey said in a release. “Never before has the impact of our industry been so dramatically demonstrated