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• Objectives / Research QuestionsMore and more French people practice sports or leisure activities outside the federations or traditional sports system, thus choosing self-organization. While the number of these people is increasing, the reasons for this choice remain unclear. To shed new light on the literature, this research questions the reasons for this choice, using equestrian activities as a case study. • MethodologyUsing the concept of customer participation and attachment theory, and based on a qualitative analysis of thirty semi-structured interviews, this article analyzes the motivations and resources necessary for consumers to self-organize. • ResultsIn equestrian activities, a growing part of the audience is adopting a practice which implies organizing independently to take care of their equine. The results highlight two profiles of self-organized users: those motivated by a passion for the activity, and those motivated by a passion for the animal, and the need for different resources. • Managerial implicationsManagerial strategies are proposed to understand how service design could adapt to self-organized users and becomes a way to rethink the services offered by professionals. • OriginalityThe originality of this work is evidence of the influence of social links on the necessary resources and the moderating role of attachment on the choice of self-organization in recreational activities.