When my grandfather surprised me with my first horse he became part of a marketing trend that continues to impact the equine industry today. I’m Susan Allen stay tuned for OpenRange. Western movies and TV shows like Bonanza helped to fuel baby boomers and  my grandfather’s era’s  love of horses. But today’s electronic generation is raised  without any equine influence from Hollywood, there’s no Fury, Flicka, Trigger or Mr. Ed drawing children to the horse world leaving the equine industry pondering how to attract young participants.  The answer in many cases is grandparents.  This year there will be 80 million  grandparents in the US . Considering that the average adult is 47 when the first grand baby arrives, coupled with statistics showing they are a mere seven years older than the typical horse magazine reader or member of a horse sport, it’s obvious that grandparents’ horse influence is profound and has only begun to be recognized as a marketing demographic. Look around, they’re’ paying for riding lessons and  horse camp, some will  keep horses for grandchildren’s weekend visits while other are involved at rodeos and  horse shows. It often makes me sad that my grandfather never lived to see how my life’s vocation and passion all began with a bay mare named Ginger he gave me many many  years ago. Make no doubt Grandparents investments from the heart will continue to fuel the equine industry well into the future.   I’m Susan Allen