Minnesota Facts
Minnesota’s Horse Industry -
- 100,000+ horses in MN on 13,000+ farms, ranches and stables – MN is 15th in US in # horses
- $10,000 to $100,000+ is individual investment in horses and equipment
- $473,000 from 2007 -2010 horse trail pass fees dedicated to trails and camps statewide
- ~60,000 horse people attend Horse Expos in St. Cloud & St Paul in April each year
Horse trails and trail riding in Minnesota -
- 36 state trails with 1000+ miles of designated equine trails (no change in 30 years)
- 22 county and city parks with trails
- 22,000 day riders used state park and forest trails in 2007 (estimated)
- Many trails are multi-use – hikers, snow mobiles, hunters, ATV, mountain bikers
Horse Camping -
- 21 horse camps at state parks and forests
- 33,437 Equestrian campers registered at state parks and forests in 2008
- Typical investment of a horse rider and camper -$40,000 – $70,000
Minnesota Trail Riders Association (MTRA) -
- Organized in 1978 “To promote recreational equestrian trail riding through the distribution of information, development and maintenance of trails, and coordination and cooperation with government agencies and private individuals.”
- 500 family members representing over 2000 riders
- Board of Directors - 4 Officers, 18 Directors, and 7 standing committees
- Work closely with DNR and others to preserve and conserve natural resources
- $250,000 invested in trails and camps since 2000 from memberships, donations, & grants
- Many volunteer hours donated to developing and maintaining camps and trails
- Annual “Ride with the DNR”
Back to MTRA
