The development of equestrian leisure in French rural areas: between sectorial influences and periurbanization
Le développement des loisirs équestres dans les espaces ruraux français : entre influences sectorielles et périurbanisation
Résumé
In France, equestrian leisure activities have been growing since the 1990s. This development takes place in rural and suburban areas, while these spaces are changing. These modifications are creating an ongoing space need for city expansion and leisure activities whereas agricultural functions are retreating. In this context, leisure Equines, which use more and more space, appear to be linked to these territorial changes. Their growth is in part due to individual amateurs, who buy their own animals and either use horse livery services or take care of their horses themselves. This work examines the factors that may influence the more or less high presence of these both types of amateur’s Equines in the countryside. Two suburban and two rural areas were studied in France. A logistic regression based on existing databases was carried out to characterize the presence of these Equines. The results highlight reciprocal influences between their density and the residential development of these territories. In fact the development of these amateur Equine owners and the periurbanization phenomenon seem to nourish each other. The effects of some sectors are also tested: the influence agriculture is complex, governed by both competitions and complementarities for land occupation. There is moreover a clear local ripple effect of the equestrian professional dynamic on the presence of amateur’s Equines. On the contrary the local touristic attractiveness doesn’t seem to have an influence. Finally this work focuses on the links between the development of equestrian leisure and the current countryside changes and point out amateur’s Equines as good revealers and markers of the new rural dynamics. As a result, this research is relevant to enable all stakeholders of the horse world and of land management to understand the impact of equestrian activities growth on territorial development.