Welcome to the home of the New York State Horse Council. 

We are New York's equine volunteer umbrella organization devoted to creating a forum in which horsemen of diverse interests can use their "horsepower" to guarantee a future of horses, horse sports, trail development, land use and horse-related businesses in New York State. Our membership consists of individuals, equine organizations, stables, and businesses and together our voice is well recognized throughout the state in these pursuits.

Our collective voice has been successful in many accomplishments:

• Horse boarding declared an agricultural pursuit which facilitates tax advantages.
• Indoor arenas recognized as farm buildings for the application of the ten year farm building tax exemption rule.
• Waiver of income and number of horses for startup boarding farms to qualify for agricultural tax exemption.
• Inclusion of boarding income in federal gross farm income for farmer’s school tax rebate.
• Reutilization of race horses commission.
• Authorization of towns and municipalities to develop farmland protection plans
• Seven acre for agriculture assessment which reduced the size of parcels for land use in agriculture from ten acres.
• Elimination of county legislative body approval for designation of certain horse boarding operations as land used for agriculture production.
• First state to have a helmet law requiring children and beginning riders to wear helmets.
• Law limiting landowner liability for equestrian usage.
• Horse recognized as an agricultural animal versus a companion animal.
• Law mandating humane transport of horses to one tier trailers and increased the fine level on in-humane equine transportation in 2001. Defeated a transport to slaughter bill in 2000 which was not considered by the industry as being beneficial.
• Expansion of NY Trail System.
• Support of Cornell's Diagnostic Lab and Equine Facility.
• Standardized Road Signs.
• Requirement for Equine Rabies Vaccination for State Fairground Events.