The Swedish Equine Sector in 20th Century Sweden

Susanna Hedenborg

Malmö university

Structural changes

1) Number of horses

2) Kind of horses

3) Popularisation and feminisation

Number of horses

Decade Number of horses

1920’s 720 000

1970’s 60 000

2000’s 300 000

Number of horses per 1000 people,year 1998 (2007)Country Number of horses Number of horses per

1000 people

Germany 700000 8,537

Sweden 225000 (300 000) 25 (33)

Great Britain 200000 3,333

Irland 100000 25

Belgien 100000 10

Denmark 100000 18,182

Italy 10000 0,172

Austria 10000 1,25

Finland 50000 10

Norway 50000 10

Kind of horses

Popularisation and politics

Public support

1) Horses place in agriculture and in forestry (late 19th century) and the army (1960’s)

2) Totalisator gambling 1923

3) Several public reports (e g 1946, 2000)

4) Equestrian elite sports and organisations (1912, 1956, 1990; 1912, 1948, 1993)

Equestrian sports and gender – a real man was a horseman

Equestrian sport and gender – horse riding and social class

Equestrian sport and the army (women came in late in comparison to e g England)

Equestrian sports and gender – a real girl is a horsegirl?

Conclusions and explanations

Important changes: Number of horses, kind of horses, popularisation and feminisation

Explanations:

1) Industrialisation: agricultural and poor country becoming an industrial welfare state

2) Connection between army (and war) and equestrian sport

3) Public policy and support