March 2026 Issue

March 2026 | EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN 48 PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE By Capri Stiles-Mikesell I n every corner of the United States, state horse councils work to support riders, owners, and the broader equine industry. Yet even within this nationwide network, the Pennsylvania Equine Council (PEC) has carved out a unique and influential identity, one built on legislative advocacy, trail stewardship, emergency response education, and a deep connection to a thriving horse community. At its core, PEC’s mission mirrors that of many state councils: to represent and promote the interests of its equine community through education, communication, and protection of equine heritage. But Pennsylvania’s approach is distinguished by the scale of its constituency and the impact of its initiatives. As the steward of one of the country’s largest horse populations, more than 223,000 horses statewide, PEC operates in a state where equine interests carry significant economic weight. Pennsylvania ranks eighth in the nation for total horses and generates a remarkable $3.3 billion in economic impact, supporting more than 60,000 jobs. This depth of industry activity creates both an opportunity and an obligation for PEC to lead with strength. One area where PEC’s influence is especially visible is legislative advocacy. While most horse councils engage in some level of policy work, PEC’s accomplishments are exceptional. The organization played a pivotal role in passing the Equine Activity Immunity Act of 2005, a major liability reform effort that reduced barriers to participation in horse sports and improved insurance access for equine businesses statewide. PEC continues to engage actively in state policy, from public land access to equine disease response and recreation related legislation. Few other state councils boast a comparable track record of long term, high impact legislative wins. PEC also excels in trail access and land management partnerships, an area important to horse councils but approached with varying intensity across the country. In Pennsylvania, PEC’s trail efforts are robust: the council has long worked alongside land managers and volunteers to maintain sustainable riding trails and trains riders in responsible “Leave No Trace” practices to ensure access for future generations. While councils in large western states also prioritize public land access, PEC’s structured training programs and statewide coordination set it apart. Combined with educational outreach at events such as the Pennsylvania Horse World Expo, PEC demonstrates an unusually wide range of public facing programming. Like other councils across the nation, PEC participates in broader national collaboration through the Coalition of State Horse Councils, a network that provides resources, mentorship, and advocacy alignment with the American Horse Council. Yet PEC’s role within this coalition is informed by its influence at home—its large membership base, strong partnerships, and active policy leadership. In short, while state horse councils across the U.S. share common foundations, the Pennsylvania Equine Council stands out for its legislative strength, trail leadership, and its service to one of the country’s most active and economically significant equine populations. With a combination of statewide impact and national collaboration, PEC continues to help shape not only the future of horses in Pennsylvania but the evolving standard for what a state horse council can achieve. Pennsylvania Equine Council Newsletter • MARCH 2026 Horse WHY MEMBERSHIPS ARE DECLINING IN EQUINE ASSOCIATIONS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA Submitted by Capri Stiles-Mikesell, PEC President I n recent years, associations and organizations—particularly those serving equine owners—have seen a noticeable decline in membership across Pennsylvania. This trend is not isolated to one region or discipline; it reflects a broader cultural shift in how horse enthusiasts engage with their communities and prioritize their time and resources. A Fragmented Culture One of the most significant challenges facing equine associations is the deeply segmented nature of the horse community. Unlike other hobbies or industries that rally around shared goals or interests, horse owners often identify strongly by: • Breed (e.g., Quarter Horses, Arabians, Draft breeds) • Discipline (e.g., dressage, barrel racing, trail riding, driving) • Geography (e.g., rural vs. suburban, eastern vs. western PA) This fragmentation makes it difficult for associations to create a unified message or value proposition that resonates across the board. Many horse owners feel that general equine organizations don’t fully represent their specific interests, leading them to disengage or seek smaller, niche groups—or none at all. The Trend Toward Non-Membership Despite the relatively low cost of dues—often ranging from $25 to $50 annually—many horse owners are opting out of memberships altogether. This decision is influenced by several factors: • Digital alternatives: Online forums, social media groups, and YouTube channels offer free access to information, community, and training tips. • Time constraints: Modern lifestyles leave less time for meetings, events, and volunteer commitments. • Perceived value: Some owners question what tangible benefits they receive from membership, especially if they don’t compete or attend events. This shift reflects a broader societal trend: people are increasingly selective about where they invest their time and money, and traditional membership models are struggling to keep up. The Pennsylvania Equine Council wants to reverse this trend—or at least adapt to it— and equine associations across the state may need to evolve as well. Here are a few strategies that associations are might consider: 1. Embrace inclusivity: Create programming and messaging that acknowledges the diversity of horse owners. Avoid focusing solely on competitive disciplines or specific breeds. 2. Offer flexible engagement: Provide online memberships, virtual events, and digital newsletters to accommodate busy schedules. 3. Highlight tangible benefits: Promote member perks such as discounts, educational resources, advocacy efforts, and networking opportunities. 4. Build community, not just structure: Foster a sense of belonging through storytelling, member spotlights, and collaborative projects that unite people across disciplines. 5. Partner locally: Work with feed stores, tack shops, and veterinarians to reach horse owners where they already are. Conclusion The decline in memberships is not necessarily a sign of disinterest—it’s a sign of change. Equine associations in Pennsylvania must recognize the evolving needs and preferences of horse owners and respond with creativity, flexibility, and collaboration. By doing so, they can remain relevant and valuable in a landscape that is increasingly decentralized and digitally driven. PRE I ’S ME SAGE ri Stiles-Mikesell I n every corn of th Unit d States, state horse councils work to suppor riders, owners, a d the broader equin industry. Ye even within this nationwide etwork, the Pennsylvania Equine Council (PEC) has carved out a unique and influential identity, one built on legislative advocacy, trail stewardship, emergency r sponse education, nd a deep conn ction to a thriving horse community. At its core, PEC’s mission mirrors that of many state councils: to represent and promote the in eres s of its equine com uni through education, communication, and protec ion of equin heritage. But Pennsylva ia’s pproach is di tinguished by the of its constituency and the impact of its initiatives. As the ste f one of the coun ry’s largest hor e populations, more than 2 3, horses statewide, PEC operates in a state where equine intere carry significant economic weight. Pennsylvani r nks eight nation for total h rses and generates remark ble $3. billio economic impact, su porting more than 60,0 0 jobs. This de f industry activity creates both an opportuni y and an obligati PEC to lead with strength. One area wh re PEC’s influence is especially visible is legislati advocacy. While most horse c un ils engage in some l vel of work, PEC’s accomplish ents are exc ptional. The organizati played a pivotal role in passi g the Equine Activity Im unity of 2005, a major liability reform effort tha reduced barriers t participation n horse sp ts and improved insurance ac es f equine bu ine ses statewide. PEC conti ues to engage actively in s ate policy, from public land access to equin disease response and creation related legislation. Few other state councils boast a comparable t a k record of long ter , high impact legislative wins. PEC also xcels in trail access and land management partnerships, an area impor ant to h rse co ncils but approached with varying intensity across the cou try. In Pe nsylvani , PEC’ trail efforts a e robust: the ouncil has long w rke alongside land managers and volunteers to maintain susta nable ridi g trails and trains riders in responsible “Leave No Trace” practic s to ensure access for f ture generations. While councils in la ge w stern states also prioritize public land acces , PEC’s structured training programs and statewide coordi ation se it apart. Combined with educational outreach at events such as the Pe nsylvania Horse World Expo, PEC demonstr tes an unusually wide range of public facing programming. Like other coun ils across the nation, PEC participat s in broader nationa coll b rati n t rough the C alition f State Horse Councils, a network that provides r ources, mentorship, nd advocacy alignmen with th American Horse Council. Yet PEC’s role within this coalit o is informed by its influenc a home—its large membership base, strong partnerships, and active pol cy leadership. In short, while state h rse councils acros th U.S. share common foundations, the Pen sylvania Eq ine Council stands out for its legislativ strength, trail leadership, and i s service to one of the country’s most activ a d e onomically sign ficant equine populations. With a combination of statewide impact and national collaboration, PEC continu s to h lp shape not only the future of hor es in Pennsylvania but the evolving stand rd for what a state horse council can achieve. Pennsylvania Equine cil Newsletter • MARCH 2026 rse WHY MEMBERSHIPS ARE DECLININ INE ASSOC ATIONS ACROSS PENNSYLVANIA Submitted by C i Stiles-Mikesell, PEC President I n recent years, associations nd organizati ns—particularly those serving equine owners—hav seen a noticeable decline in membership ac oss Pennsylvania. This trend is no isolated to on region or discipline; it reflects a broader cultural shift in ow rse enthusiasts engage with their communities and prioritize their time and resourc . A Fragmented Culture One of the most significant challenges facing equine association is the deeply s gmented ature of the horse community. Unlike other hobbies or industries that rally around shared goals r interests, horse owne ofte identify strongly by: • Breed (e.g., Quarter Ho s s, A abians, Draft breeds) • Discipline (e.g., dressage, barr l r cing, trail riding, driving) • Geography (e.g., rural vs. suburban, e st rn vs. western PA) This fragmentation makes it difficult for association t create a unified messag or value proposition that reson es acros the board. Many horse owne feel that general equine organizati ns don’t fully represent th ir specific interests, leading them to disengag or s ek smaller, niche g oups—or none at all. The Trend T Non-Membership Despite the r l ly low cost of dues—often ranging fro $50 a nually—many horse owners ting out of ember hips altogether. Thi ision is influenced by sev ral factor • Dig tal alt ives: Online forums, social media gro d YouTube channels offer free ac es t f r ation, co munity, and traini g tip • Time const ts: Modern lifestyl s leave less time fo tings, vents, and volunteer com itme • Perceived v : Some owners question what angi l efits they r c ive from membershi ecially if they don’t compete or attend e . This shift refle roader socie al trend: people are increasin l l ctive about wher they invest their ti money, and traditional me bership ls are struggling to keep up. The Pen sylv quine Council wants to rev rse this tr or at least dapt to it— and equine as oci s across the state may need to evolve as w ere are a few strategies that associations a ight consider: 1. Embrace i ivity: Create p ogramming and mes a t at acknowledges the diversity f horse wners. Avoid focusing solely on competit v disciplines or specific breeds. 2. Offer flexible gagem nt: Provide onlin memberships, virtual events, and digital newsletters t ccommodate busy schedules. 3. Highlight ta gible benefits: Promote member perks uch as discounts, educati nal resources, advocacy efforts, and networking opportunities. 4. Build communi y, not just structure: Foster a sense of belon ing through storytelling, member potlights, and collaborative projects that unite people across disciplines. 5. Partner l cally: Work with feed stores, tack shops, a d veterinarians to reach horse o ners whe they already are. Co clusion The decline in memberships is not necessarily a sign of disin erest—it’s sign of change. Equine ssoc atio s in Pennsylvania must recognize the evolving needs a d prefe ences of horse owner a respond with creat vity, flexibility, and collaboration. By doing so, they can remain relevant nd valu ble in a landscape that is increasingly decentral zed and digitally driven.