The number of Equidae in France is highly increasing but we don’t know what local territorial characteristics could explain why they are more or less numerous according to the considered area. Furthermore, little is known about the various forms and the economic consequences of the current social and cultural changes of equestrian leisure activities which are mainly associated with the development of equestrian tourism and «outside structure» Equidae owners (who take care of their horse at home outside any equestrian structure). This research program in progress is based on a statistic study which aim at explaining the Equidae presence and on local exhaustive inventories of Equidae, spaces they use and organizational forms of equestrian activities. The results presented here come from the study of two suburban territories and a rural and agricultural one. At the regional level, the number of Equidae seems to be mainly linked with the development of the residential phenomenon. At the local level, the findings confirm the outstanding importance of equestrian leisure activities (among which the «non professional» own the major part of Equidae) and of «outside structure» individuals.