Our Goals

One Voice

Unite all equine sectors under one credible provincial voice that speaks with shared purpose to government.

Ontario’s equine industry is large, diverse, and deeply connected, but it is often fragmented across racing, sport, breeding, boarding, pleasure riding, trail, therapeutic horsemanship, education, tourism, and equine businesses. The Ontario Horse Council will bring these sectors together around shared priorities, ensuring that government hears from a coordinated, informed, and representative provincial organization.

This goal is not about replacing existing associations. It is about creating a common table where the industry can identify shared challenges, develop practical policy solutions, and advocate with greater credibility. A unified voice will help the sector respond more effectively to issues affecting land use, agriculture, labour, economic development, animal welfare, and public access to horses.

What this includes:

Building membership across all major equine sectors and regions.
Creating a governance structure that reflects the diversity of the industry.
Establishing clear policy priorities that members can support collectively.
Providing government with a reliable point of contact for equine sector issues.
Strengthening relationships among existing organizations, businesses, and community groups.

Desired outcome:
Ontario’s horse industry is recognized by government as a serious, organized, and credible sector with one clear provincial voice.

Agricultural Recognition

Ensure all equine operations are eligible for Ontario agricultural programs.

Ontario’s horse industry is part of agriculture. Equine operations depend on land, feed, fencing, barns, manure management, veterinary care, farm equipment, labour, and rural infrastructure. Yet many horse operations are excluded from agricultural programs or policy consideration because they do not fit narrow or outdated definitions of farming.

The Ontario Horse Council will advocate for equine operations to be assessed based on what they do, not simply how they are classified. Boarding, training, breeding, lesson, therapeutic, trail, and other equine operations all contribute to Ontario’s agricultural and rural economy and should be eligible for appropriate agricultural programs and supports.

What this includes:

Reviewing which provincial agricultural programs currently exclude equine operations.
Advocating for updated definitions that recognize the full scope of equine activity.
Working with OMAFA and other provincial ministries to clarify eligibility.
Collecting case studies showing how current exclusions affect real businesses.
Helping equine operators understand available programs and remaining gaps.

Desired outcome:
Equine operations are recognized as legitimate agricultural businesses and are able to access relevant agricultural programs, supports, and policy protections.rules across municipal boundaries and are better understood within local planning and economic development systems.

Municipal Standardization

Establish consistent land use and zoning treatment for equine operations across all Ontario municipalities.

Equine operations are treated very differently across Ontario’s municipalities. A boarding stable, riding school, training facility, therapeutic riding centre, or equine-assisted learning operation may be permitted in one municipality and restricted or misunderstood in another. This creates uncertainty for horse businesses, landowners, planners, investors, insurers, and rural communities.

The Ontario Horse Council will work toward more consistent municipal understanding of equine operations and their role in agriculture, rural business, tourism, recreation, and community wellbeing. This does not mean every municipality must have identical bylaws, but it does mean there should be a clearer and more consistent framework for how equine uses are defined, assessed, and permitted.

What this includes:

Developing model zoning and land-use language for equine operations.
Creating municipal education materials explaining the value and needs of horse businesses.
Identifying common barriers in zoning, planning, permitting, events, parking, manure management, and accessory uses.
Building a library of best-practice municipal policies.
Supporting members with template letters and delegation materials for local planning issues.

Desired outcome:
Equine operations face fewer inconsistent rules across municipal boundaries and are better understood within local planning and economic development systems.

Accessibility & Growth

Open the industry to new communities, including young people and Ontario’s growing newcomer populations, and grow the next generation of horse people.

The future of the horse industry depends on more people having meaningful opportunities to experience horses. For many Ontarians, especially those in urban communities or newcomer families, horses can feel unfamiliar, inaccessible, or financially out of reach. The industry needs more visible, welcoming, and affordable entry points.

The Ontario Horse Council will help position horses as part of Ontario’s broader community, cultural, recreational, agricultural, and youth-development landscape. Growing the next generation of horse people means supporting riding schools, camps, lesson barns, volunteer programs, therapeutic centres, trail facilities, youth programs, and community partnerships that introduce people to horses safely and responsibly.

What this includes:

Promoting beginner-friendly ways for people to experience horses.
Supporting outreach to schools, youth organizations, newcomer agencies, municipalities, and community groups.
Highlighting accessible entry points such as lessons, camps, volunteer programs, open houses, and therapeutic programs.
Developing materials that explain how to get involved in Ontario’s horse industry.
Showcasing diverse stories of horse people from different backgrounds, regions, and disciplines.

Desired outcome:
Ontario’s equine industry becomes more welcoming, more visible, and better connected to young people, newcomers, and first-generation participants.

Workforce Standardization

Address labour shortages through workforce programs, immigration pathways, and promotion of equine careers.

The horse industry depends on skilled workers, including grooms, barn staff, farm managers, exercise riders, coaches, instructors, breeding staff, farriers, veterinary support staff, event staff, and facility operators. These roles are essential to horse welfare and business survival, yet many employers struggle to recruit and retain qualified people.

The Ontario Horse Council will work to strengthen the equine labour pipeline by promoting careers, supporting training pathways, and advocating for workforce programs that reflect the sector’s unique skill needs. This includes better recognition of equine work as skilled agricultural, animal-care, sport, tourism, and rural employment.

What this includes:

Documenting labour shortages across regions and sectors.
Identifying the most urgent workforce gaps.
Promoting equine careers to students, newcomers, rural youth, and career changers.
Working with colleges, training organizations, employers, and government on workforce programs.
Exploring immigration pathways for skilled equine labour.
Supporting tools such as job boards, career profiles, mentorship programs, and training resources.

Desired outcome:
Ontario has a stronger and more sustainable equine workforce, with clearer career pathways and better recognition of the skills required to work with horses.