The inventory of equine in Michigan as of June 1, 1996, 130,000 head, was unchanged from five years earlier. The
population estimate was based on a multiple frame probability survey conducted in June and July. More than 4,000
equestrians were contacted. The project was the last to be funded by the Michigan Equine Monitoring System (MEMS).
The number of operations with equine, 27,500, was down 4 percent from 1991. The majority (58 percent) of equine-
light horses, draft horses, ponies, donkeys, mules and miniatures-were located on private residences and crop and
livestock farms. About 42 percent were on equine operations-stables, breeding farms, tracks, academies, etc. The total
value of Michigan's equine herd was estimated at $403 million. This is an average of $3,100 per head. Breed values
ranged from $600 per head for Shetland Ponies to $15,000 per head for Holsteins (Hessians).
While the total number of equine was steady, there were substantial changes in counts by breed. The number of
Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds fell by 30 and 20 percent, respectively. There were an estimated 36,000 head of
Quarter Horse, the most common breed. There were 15,500 Arabians and 12,000 Standardbreds. These three breeds
accounted for about half of Michigan's equine population.
About 70 percent of horses were located in the southern third of the Lower Peninsula, near highly populated areas.
The top five counties in equine count were Oakland 7,000, Jackson 5,200, Washtenaw 5,200, Livingston 4,900 and
Wayne 4,400.
The equine industry has a sizeable labor force. There were 6,500 people working full-time on equine operations during
the year ending May 31, 1996. These were principally family members and owners of those facilities. The largest
number of workers caring for Michigan's equine was the 40,000 unpaid part-time workers. Equine facility operators
also had 1,100 full-time paid employees during this period and hired 4,400 part-time workers.
In addition, the equine operators used the services of veterinarians, and farriers 100,000 and 110,000 times,
respectively, during the year ending May 31.
| Table 12-1.-Equine population: Inventory by operation type | ||
| Type of Operation | Number of Operations |
Total Equine |
| Boarding Stables | 550 | 10,000 |
| Breeding Farms | 1,500 | 22,000 |
| Crop and Livestock Farms | 5,500 | 20,000 |
| Racehorse Training Stables | 450 | 6,000 |
| Private Residences | 18,500 | 55,000 |
| Riding Stables (camps, resorts, rentals) | 200 | 4,000 |
| Show Horse Training Facilities | 600 | 7,000 |
| Equine Centers or Academies | 100 | 2,000 |
| Other Equine Operations 1 | 100 | 4,000 |
| Total | 27,500 | 130,000 |
| 1 Includes racetracks, therapeutic riding facilities, polo clubs, hunting clubs, etc. | ||
| County | Number |
| Alcona | 350 |
| Alger | 200 |
| Allegan | 3,200 |
| Alpena | 850 |
| Antrim | 350 |
| Arenac | 300 |
| Barry | 3,200 |
| Bay | 1,000 |
| Benzie | 200 |
| Berrien | 1,800 |
| Branch | 1,600 |
| Calhoun | 2,900 |
| Cass | 1,300 |
| Charlevoix | 600 |
| Cheboygan | 400 |
| Chippewa | 1,100 |
| Clare | 1,100 |
| Clinton | 2,200 |
| Crawford | 400 |
| Delta | 600 |
| Dickinson | 300 |
| Eaton | 3,600 |
| Emmet | 750 |
| Genesee | 3,500 |
| Gladwin | 1,300 |
| Gogebic | 200 |
| Grand Traverse | 1,100 |
| Gratiot | 1,000 |
| Hillsdale | 2,400 |
| Houghton | 500 |
| Huron | 900 |
| Ingham | 4,000 |
| Ionia | 2,100 |
| Iosco | 600 |
| Iron | 300 |
| Isabella | 2,100 |
| Jackson | 5,200 |
| Kalamazoo | 3,000 |
| Kalkaska | 300 |
| Kent | 4,300 |
| Lake | 200 |
| County | Number |
| Lapeer | 4,000 |
| Leelanau | 250 |
| Lenawee | 3,400 |
| Livingston | 4,900 |
| Mackinac | 700 |
| Macomb | 2,300 |
| Manistee | 400 |
| Marquette | 600 |
| Mason | 700 |
| Mecosta | 1,200 |
| Menominee | 500 |
| Midland | 1,700 |
| Missaukee | 600 |
| Monroe | 2,800 |
| Montcalm | 1,600 |
| Montmorency | 350 |
| Muskegon | 1,400 |
| Newaygo | 1,200 |
| Oakland | 7,000 |
| Oceana | 1,000 |
| Ogemaw | 850 |
| Ontonagon | 300 |
| Osceola | 1,000 |
| Oscoda | 600 |
| Otsego | 250 |
| Ottawa | 3,000 |
| Presque Isle | 250 |
| Roscommon | 100 |
| Saginaw | 2,700 |
| Sanilac | 2,000 |
| Schoolcraft | 100 |
| Shiawassee | 2,500 |
| St. Clair | 2,500 |
| St. Joseph | 2,300 |
| Tuscola | 2,100 |
| Van Buren | 1,400 |
| Washtenaw | 5,200 |
| Wayne | 4,400 |
| Wexford | 450 |
| Others | 100 |
| Total | 130,000 |