How many horses in Mesa County?

The question of how many horses reside in Mesa County has come up in a couple of conversations recently. Although I recall seeing an estimate many years ago, I haven't been able to come up with a more recent number.

The American Horse Council Foundation's 2007 study called "The Economic Impact of the Colorado Horse Industry" estimated there were 265,000 horses in the entire state. Those horses, and the activities their owners and trainers engage in, generate a total economic impact for the state of $1.6 billion, the study found, and produce $21 million in state and local taxes.

But the study did not include a break-out of estimated horse populations by county. If anyone has a current estimate for Mesa County, please e-mail it to me at horseplay@gjsentinel.com.