PSYCHOGRAPHIC PROFILE

• The average Western rider is likely to be aged 45+ according to a survey by the American Horse Publication (AHP) that found that 70.5% of all horse owners and riders are aged 45+. However, a similar survey by the American Horse Council (AHC) found that the percentage of horse owners and riders that are aged 45+ is about 42%.
• The western riding customer is also likely to be female, with AHP's survey showing that 92.6% of horse owners and riders are female. This is in line with a 2012 Statista study that showed that women owned 90.8% of horses.
• The average western rider lives in a rural area, with a median income of $60,000. AHP notes that 43% of horse owners have a household annual income of less than 75,000, while 16.5% have an excess of $150,000 as household income.
• The top states where the average western rider lives include Texas, California, Florida, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, North Carolina, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. Others include Kansas, Iowa, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
• The top brands for the average Western rider include Ariat, Lucchese, Stetson, Wolverine, Rocky, Gap Inc., among others. Other western wear brands that are popular include Louis Vuitton, Benetton Group, Levi, Hanes, Wrangler, Home Depot, Amazon, UPS, USPS, Lowe, FedEx, Carhartt, Equibrand, Tony Lama, Corral, among others.
• The number one source of information for Western riders is equine magazines, with 67% of respondent saying it was their preferred source for horse-related information. Others include product website (65.3%) and social media (60.2%).
• The average Western rider is also likely to watch lots of TV programs and are likely to be very active on social media, given that the majority of horse owners are baby boomers and Gen X women. Facebook is the most popular social media for the majority of this audience, and they are likely to be highly educated and ethnically diverse.
• Although the majority of western riders are aged 45+ and are women, they do not like to be portrayed as old or described with words such as "mature, senior and elderly or stereotypical imagery that makes her feel old". They prefer content and adverts that feature young adults and that depict "her as a well-established woman who still has a zest for life."
• Women aged 50+ in the US have a combined net worth of over $19 trillion and are responsible for almost 50% of all CPG sales in the US annually. In general, baby boomers control 70% of disposable income in the US and will inherit $15 trillion in the next 20 years, which suggest that the average Western rider has significant disposable income.
• The average Western rider is married and is most likely a woman, however, they prefer to be addressed or targeted as individuals, rather than as a mom or a wife, because they are at the age where they are transitioning from "'mom' to 'me' and rediscovering themselves as empty nesters, retirees or divorcees."

RESEARCH STRATEGY