Equestrian Injury is Costly, Disabling, and Frequently Preventable: The Imperative for Improved Safety Awareness

While the importance of improving horse-related safety seems self-evident, no comprehensive study into understanding or reducing horse-related risk has been undertaken. In this paper, we discuss four dimensions of horse-related risk: the risk itself, the horse, the rider and the culture in which equestrian activities takes place. We identify how the ways in which risk is constructed in each dimension affects the applicability of four basic risk management options of avoidance, transference, mitigation and acceptance. We find the acceptance and avoidance of horse-related risk is generally high, most likely due to a common construction of horses as irrevocably unpredictable, fearful and dangerous. The transference of risk management is also high, especially in the use of protective technologies such as helmets. Of concern, the strategy least utilised is risk mitigation. We highlight the potential benefit in developing mitigation strategies directed at: (a) improving the predictability of horses (to and by humans), and (b) improving riders’ competence in the physical skills that make them more resilient to injury and falls. We conclude with the presentation of a multidisciplinary agenda for research that could reduce accident, injury and death to horse-riders around the world.

Section: Current Knowledge and Critical Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Current Knowledge and Critical Questionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Critical Review of Horse-Related Risk: A Research Agenda for Safer Mounts, Riders and Equestrian Cultures

Thompson¹,

McGreevy²,

McManus³

2015

“…Research into horse-related injuries tends to focus on the following: horse-related injuries in general without specifying a particular equestrian sport, using data from sources such as those outlined above: hospital separations data, injury surveillance programs, coronial data, trauma registries and emergency department data collections [ 7 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ]; reviews of the broader literature on overall equestrian-related injury [ 8 , 15 , 44 ]; measurement of the incidence of specific horse-related injuries such as spinal injury or maxillofacial injuries, again using sources such as coronial data, hospital separations data, trauma registries, and emergency department data collections, but not focusing on a specific equestrian sport [ 16 , 45 ]; and measurement of the incidence of specific injuries such as traumatic brain injury which are associated with keynote sports but which may or may not be an outcome of horse sport [ 46 , 47 , 48 ]. …”

Section: Defining Risk In Human—horse Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…horse-related injuries in general without specifying a particular equestrian sport, using data from sources such as those outlined above: hospital separations data, injury surveillance programs, coronial data, trauma registries and emergency department data collections [ 7 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 , 42 , 43 ];…”

Section: Defining Risk In Human—horse Interactionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Look Before You Leap: What Are the Obstacles to Risk Calculation in the Equestrian Sport of Eventing?

O'Brien

2016

Simple SummaryThis paper examines a number of methods for calculating injury risk for riders in the equestrian sport of eventing, and suggests that the primary locus of risk is the action of the horse jumping, and the jump itself. The paper argues that risk calculation should therefore focus first on this locus.AbstractAll horse-riding is risky. In competitive horse sports, eventing is considered the riskiest, and is often characterised as very dangerous. But based on what data? There has been considerable research on the risks and unwanted outcomes of horse-riding in general, and on particular subsets of horse-riding such as eventing. However, there can be problems in accessing accurate, comprehensive and comparable data on such outcomes, and in using different calculation methods which cannot compare like with like. This paper critically examines a number of risk calculation methods used in estimating risk for riders in eventing, including one method which calculates risk based on hours spent in the activity and in one case concludes that eventing is more dangerous than motorcycle racing. This paper argues that the primary locus of risk for both riders and horses is the jump itself, and the action of the horse jumping. The paper proposes that risk calculation in eventing should therefore concentrate primarily on this locus, and suggests that eventing is unlikely to be more dangerous than motorcycle racing. The paper proposes avenues for further research to reduce the likelihood and consequences of rider and horse falls at jumps.

“…According to estimates of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations FAOSTAT for the year 2013, there are approximately 60 million horses worldwide [ 1 ]. Equestrianism today encompasses both recreational as well as professional activities that are becoming increasingly popular in many parts of the world [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Human interactions with horses, whether while handling a horse on the ground or mounted, entail certain risks [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing the Safety Behavior of German Equestrians: Attitudes towards Protective Equipment and Peer Behaviors

Ikinger

Baldamus

Spiller

2016

Simple SummaryThe handling and riding of horses can be quite dangerous. Although the use of protective gear among equestrians is increasing, a high number of incidents occur and the voluntary use of safety equipment is described as inconsistent to low. Therefore, this study looks at the safety behavior of German equestrians and at factors influencing this behavior to decrease the high number of horse-related injuries. The results reveal that attitudes towards safety products as well as the protective behavior of other horse owners and riding pupils from the stable are key factors that might alter the safety behavior of equestrians.AbstractHuman interactions with horses entail certain risks. Although the acceptance and use of protective gear is increasing, a high number of incidents and very low or inconsistent voluntary use of safety equipment are reported. While past studies have examined factors influencing the use of safety gear, they have explored neither their influence on the overall safety behavior, nor their relative influence in relation to each other. The aim of the present study is to fill this gap. We conducted an online survey with 2572 participants. By means of a subsequent multiple regression analysis, we explored 23 different variables in view of their influence on the protective behavior of equestrians. In total, we found 17 variables that exerted a significant influence. The results show that both having positive or negative attitudes towards safety products as well as the protective behavior of other horse owners or riding pupils from the stable have the strongest influence on the safety behavior of German equestrians. We consider such knowledge to be important for both scientists and practitioners, such as producers of protective gear or horse sport associations who might alter safety behavior in such a way that the number of horse-related injuries decreases in the long term.