Equine Business Series: Why Diversity is Crucial for the Horse Industry with Dr. Piper Klemm

Welcome to StreamHorseTV’s Equine Business Series, where we break down complex money questions, uncover money-saving habits, offer tips of the trade, and help you blaze the path to financial success for any budget, in any area of the horse world you might find yourself. Dr Piper Klemm, professor at Clarkson University and publisher of The Plaid Horse Magazine sat down with StreamHorseTV for an in-depth discussion about the myths, truths of the equine industry, and why old traditions might be holding back economic growth for horse sports. Piper shared what she believes the horse industry has going for it, and areas that could use some innovation. In some ways, our sport is and always has been ahead of nearly every other industry when it comes to gender and age equality in competitions. “We’ve always used the same port-o-potties” Piper says, and men and women wear roughly equal apparel. Despite this unique trait, Klemm says, our sport is “very traditional, very racist, and very sexist.” Klemm says equestrian sports should “be coming to terms” with both sides of these issues, and equestrian participation should be open to everyone. The short list for the United States Olympic Show Jumping Team includes an athlete born in 2000 as well athletes born in the 1960’s, with 6 women and 4 men. You would be hard pressed to find another Olympic sport with such a wide span of age and gender representation. Ian Miller, the Canadian show-jumper, of all sports has done more Olympics than any other athlete in history. FINISH READING HERE: https://streamhorse.tv/blog/f/why-diversity-is-crucial-for-the-horse-industry---dr-piper-klemm