Horse enthusiasts worldwide are bound together by shared passion and respect for equine disciplines. Across the globe, several clubs and societies celebrate this unity and fuel this interest, organizing social and sporting events, conserving various horse breeds, promoting ethical horse care, and sharing valuable insights. Let’s explore these horse-loving societies and provide useful contact information for those interested in joining these diverse and thriving equestrian communities.
Here are the entities with their websites and a brief description of what each organization focuses on:
United Kingdom
Horse Clubs and Societies
- British Horse Society: A charity founded in 1947 in the United Kingdom to promote and protect the interests of all horses and those who care about them.
- British Show Hack, Cob & Riding Horse Association: This organization is devoted to improving the displaying, breeding, and quality of Hack, Cob, Maxi Cob, and Riding horses.
- Endurance Horse & Pony Society: It’s the governing body for the sport of Endurance (Competitive Long Distance) Riding Great Britain, providing a range of competitive, non-competitive, and social events for all levels of rider.
- Riding Clubs and The Pony Club: It’s an international voluntary youth organization dedicated to encouraging young people to ride and care for horses and ponies while promoting the highest ideals of sportsmanship.
- Side Saddle Association: Promoting and protecting the skill of side saddle riding, through training sessions, competition, and an examination system.
- Scottish Endurance Riding Club: This club encourages and promotes the sport of Endurance Riding in Scotland, providing guidance on training and horse care.
Breed Societies
- British Appaloosa Society: This society’s purpose is to improve the breeding and public interest in the Appaloosa horse.
- British Palomino Society: The society aims to maintain breeding records of Palomino horses and ponies in Britain, promote and advertise the Palomino color, and to promote interest in the breed.
- British Skewbald and Piebald Association: BSPA is the governing body for the advancement of Skewbald and Piebald horses and ponies in the UK.
- Coloured Horse & Pony Society (UK): CHAPS UK aims to promote the colored horse and pony in any sphere – competition, in-hand, riding club activities, driving, breeding.
- Connemara Pony Society: This society aims to safeguard, breed, and promote the Connemara pony while maintaining a stud book.
- Dales Pony Society: The society aims to foster and maintain the purity of the Dales Pony while promoting its breeding.
- Dartmoor Pony Society: The Dartmoor Pony Society is responsible for maintaining the Stud Book for the Dartmoor Pony.
- Exmoor Pony Society: The society seeks to foster the Old Breed of Exmoor Pony, to maintain its purity and improve the breed generally.
- Fell Pony Society: The Fell Pony Society’s aim is to foster and keep pure the old breed of pony found in the northern hills of England.
- Highland Pony Society: The society’s goal is to promote the Highland Pony and to maintain the purity of the breed.
- New Forest Pony & Cattle Breeding Society: This society is responsible for maintaining the breed standard and promoting the New Forest pony.
- Shetland Pony Stud Book Society: The society’s objective is to promote the best breed qualities of the Shetland Pony.
- Welsh Pony & Cob Society: This society aims to promote and maintain the purity of Welsh Ponies.
USA
Here are the entities with their websites and a brief description of what each organization is about:
- American Horse Council: The organization lobbies and advocates for policies that are beneficial to the equine industry.
- United States Equestrian Federation: Known now as the USEF or United States Equestrian Federation, it ensures the welfare of horses and athletes and broadens the accessibility of equestrian sports.
- International Side-saddle Organization: It promotes and teaches riding side-saddle around the globe.
- US Pony Clubs Inc: The organization promotes equestrian education to youth in a team-based environment.
- American Morgan Horse Association: The association maintains and publishes the Morgan Horse Register.
- American Quarter Horse Association: AQHA functions as the official breed registry and membership organization for the American Quarter Horse.
- American Saddlebred Horse Association: The association aims to promote, improve and protect the grace, intelligence and versatility of the American Saddlebred, and to provide programs and services supporting its members, while fostering public awareness.
- Appaloosa Horse Club: The international governing body for the registration and oversight of Appaloosa horses.
- International Arabian Horse Association: The association supports Arabian horse owners around the world.
- American Hackney Horse Society: The organization is dedicated to the preservation, breeding, and promoting of the Hackney Horse and Pony.
- American Shetland Pony Club: The club is the oldest small equine registry in the United States, aiming to preserves, promotes, and registers Shetland Ponies.
- National Show Horse Registry: The registry encourages the breeding and showing of National Show Horses.
- Paso Fino Horse Association: This association promotes the Paso Fino horse and maintains its registry.
- Welsh Pony and Cob Association of America: The association aims to preserve the Welsh Pony and Cob breeds and maintains a breed registry.
Australia
Here are the entities with their websites and a brief description of what each organization is about:
- EFA – Federal Body: Now known as Equestrian Australia, this is the governing body for equestrian sports in Australia.
- EFA – Northern Territory: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers the Northern Territory.
- EFA – NSW: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers New South Wales.
- EFA – Queensland: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers Queensland.
- EFA – South Australia: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers South Australia.
- EFA – Tasmania: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers Tasmania.
- EFA – Victoria: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers Victoria.
- EFA – Western Australia: This branch of Equestrian Australia covers Western Australia.
- The Hack Council of New South Wales: It appears this organization does not have a website but is involved with show hack events in New South Wales.
- The Hack Council of Western Australia: It appears this organization does not have a website but is involved with show hack events in Western Australia.
