Interview: Feed dealer and show jumper Axel Fromm describes how the sense of crisis has affected German stables

Axel Fromm is the managing director and owner of “Axel’s Futterkarre,” a Remscheid-based company that specializes in horse feed, bedding, and the sale of horse trailers, and has been in business for over 30 years. Thanks to his extensive experience as an athlete, trainer, and still-active show jumper in classes ranging from S to 2*, he has many connections with equestrians.

He views the situation in equestrian sports with concern. Even though he doesn’t want to paint a bleak picture—and knows from experience that there are always ups and downs—he does see a difference right now. Due to the high costs associated with equestrian sports—he specifically mentions veterinary bills and the price of diesel—customers are cutting back on both the quantity and quality of feed, he explains in an interview with EQUI PAGES.

You’ve been competing in amateur equestrian tournaments for decades, have built up a feed business, and are therefore very close to the grassroots level. In addition, as a dedicated member of the Amateur Show Jumping Club of Germany, you maintain close contact with colleagues who run their own businesses. How is your business doing right now?

Bad. I can actually pinpoint exactly when things started going downhill in my line of work: since November 2025. The Christmas bonus in December did give my customers some breathing room. But now concerns are growing. At the Pferd und Jagd trade show in Hanover, exhibitors told me that they used to have up to 30 concrete deals on the books, but now there are only about three! I myself am noticing two trends. The volume of orders is dropping significantly. What’s even more alarming, though, is that people are no longer buying expensive, high-quality products.

What has changed?

A major factor is the high cost of veterinary care. To avoid these costs, customers are turning to feed supplements to “treat” their horses themselves. The cost of diesel has risen by a factor of 1.5.

What concerns are your customers facing?

People are holding onto their money right now because so much is happening, and there’s already a vague sense of anxiety about the future of global politics, how the economy can be revived, and how life will continue to change in the coming years. This isn’t just true for amateurs—the pros are affected too. People are traveling to tournaments less often.

Events that we used to support and sponsor no longer take place. The costs for a weekend—especially gas prices—are simply too high. I myself have been to Palermo at least 18 times. Back then, the organizer paid for everything. Now I don’t go there anymore because it simply exceeds our budget. For many riders, their families have to make sacrifices. That’s unjustifiable. When tournaments start as early as Thursday—or even earlier—we amateurs can no longer participate. The dilemma is that at great tournaments, like the one in Balve, for example, we’re only given start times on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

Do you have any idea how equestrian sports will change?

I don’t want to blame everything on politics. The global economy sets the pace. During the pandemic, our business was doing very well. Since I also run a trailer rental business, I can say that a lot of purchases were made during that time and that the equipment was brought up to speed.

The wheelbarrows that have been sold are still new, so there’s really no need for any right now. This business is now in decline because things don’t always keep getting higher, faster, and further. Life isn’t a one-way street. Still, the negative mood in the scene is also weighing on us. Emotionally speaking, the German Equestrian Federation isn’t helping to improve the situation either. One issue that’s currently causing quite a bit of discontent is the new EU regulations for cross-border transport, which also affect non-commercial horse transport.

Thank you for the interview

Axel Fromm has been active in the German Amateur Show Jumping Club for many years and will once again compete in the German Amateur Show Jumping Championships this fall.

What can amateur riders do to support the sport of horseback riding?

EQUI PAGES is dedicating an in-depth series with background information to amateur sports in the three Olympic disciplines. In this series, we aim to shed light on developments in Germany, take a look at other countries and how they approach amateur equestrian sports, and ultimately, at a live event, address the question of how amateur riders can proactively shape the future of equestrian sports. Especially in light of current public discussions, our guiding principle is: “Equestrian Sports in Crisis—and What We Can Do AboutIt”