Equestrian tourism: animal agency observed

Abstract

There is limited scholarship engaging with equestrian tourism even though this segment of the tourism industry has recently undergone phenomenal growth in both supply and demand. This article will focus on the core element of equestrian tourism, travel on horseback, and will explore the role of equine animal agency in the co-creation of tourism experiences and tourism places. Employing qualitative methods, it will demonstrate how horses assert themselves as subjective agents and active players in the communities that tour groups form, assuming a variety of roles that effect their riders' self-actualization and psychological enrichment. At the same time, they assume an active role in determining their own fate by contributing to a climate of animal ethics specific to equestrian tourism. A predominantly female clientele looks to their equine partners for companionship and inspiration and reciprocates by demanding high standards of animal welfare and horsemanship. On the supply side, equestrian ground operators have established themselves as lifestyle entrepreneurs who place their own and their guests' passion for horses and lifestyle values ahead of business savvy and economic efficiency.