Research projects at FO-RUM

HÄSTSAM RESEARCH SEMINAR 7th - 8 th May, 2007, Vasa
The new equine industry - a multidisciplinary research agenda

Organisers: The Rural Studies Unit (Åbo Akademi University in Vasa) and the Research And Cooperation Centre Fo-Rum (Swedish School of Social Science, University of Helsinki)

The seminar is part of the research project HÄSTSAM -The new equine industry, stakeholders and land use planning - a challenge for participatory planning. The project is based at the Research and Cooperation Centre FO-RUM and is financed 2006-2008 by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland.

Background
As late as in the 1960s, horses were still primarily used as working creatures in agriculture and forestry in many countries in Europe. During the recent decades the use of horses for leisure and hobby purposes such as trotting races and other equestrian sports and especially horseback riding has increased significantly. Equestrian activities are attracting new user-groups; hence, we can now speak about the birth of a "new equine industry". The new equine industry has profound impacts on rural areas, especially in rural areas near urban centres. However, the new equine industry has until recently gotten little attention among social scientists.

Aim of the seminar
The aim of the seminar is to bring together researchers and experts to present current research on the theme on a European level and to build a research network on an issue of growing importance. The seminar programme has quite a broad content since the number of researchers doing research related to the new role of horses and human-horse relations in advanced societies seems to be quite small. The intention is to publish the papers as a seminar report.

Focus of the seminar

• Identification of the new user-groups in connection to horses and equine industries. What is the gender dimension of the new equine industry?
• What explanations can be found for the fast expansion of equestrian activities in advanced economies?
• Which are the socio-economic impacts of the new equine industry / increased keeping of horses in different rural regions?
• How have questions concerning land-use, land-use planning and conflict regulation related to the growing number of horses been handled in different countries and regions?