Interesting snapshot of the horse industry in Canada (research was done in 1998; don’t know how it might have changed in the meantime). Of the 64% of those surveyed in the random sample who are involved in competition with the horses that they ride or drive, approximately 60% compete in more than one discipline. When asked “In which discipline do you MOSTLY compete, please choose ONE”, here’s how people responded:
| Hunter-jumper/Show jumping | 25.78% |
| Dressage | 18.70% |
| Other (not included in list) | 13.88% |
| Western pleasure | 9.07% |
| Barrel racing/Pole bending | 6.52% |
| Team cattle penning | 3.68% |
| Breed-specific competitions | 3.40% |
| Reining | 3.12% |
| Driving | 2.55% |
| Rodeo | 1.7% |
| Halter/Line classes | 0.85% |
| Competitive trail riding | 0.85% |
| Endurance riding | 0.57% |
| Roping | 0.57% |
| Saddleseat | 0.57% |
| Polo | 0.28% |
Breakdown by province:
British Columbia:
1. Dressage
2. Hunter-jumper
3. Western pleasure
4. Eventing
5. Other
Alberta:
1. Other
2. Western pleasure
3. Hunter-jumper
4. Reining
5. Team cattle penning
Saskatchewan:
1. Western pleasure
2. Other
3. Hunter-jumper
4. (tie) Barrel racing/Halter/Dressage
Manitoba:
1. Western pleasure
2. Other
3. Hunter-jumper
4. (tie) Barrel racing/Halter/Dressage
Ontario:
1. Hunter-jumper
2. Dressage
3. Eventing
4. Western pleasure
5. Driving
Quebec:
1. Other (gymkhana)
2. (tie) Western pleasure/Hunter-jumper
3. Dressage
4. Barrel racing
New Brunswick:
1. Dressage
2. Hunter-jumper
3. Western pleasure
4. Eventing
5. Driving
Prince Edward Island:
1. Western pleasure
2. Halter
3. Reining
4. (tie) Competitive trail/Hunter-jumper
Nova Scotia:
1. Hunter-jumper
2. Dressage
3. Eventing
4. Western pleasure
5. Other
Newfoundland and Labrador:
1. Western pleasure
2. Other (gymkhana)
3. (tie) Hunter-jumper/Dressage
4. Barrel racing
No idea what “Other” usually means, or why it was identified as “Gymkhana” in two provinces when it wasn’t specified elsewhere.
