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