National mortality and hospital data indicate that, on average, about 20 horse-related deaths occur each year in Australia. In addition, about 3000 horse riders are admitted to hospital each year with serious injuries. Over two-thirds of these injuries occurred in rural settings.

Although these serious injuries represent a small proportion of horse-related injuries that occur in Australia each year, their health and social consequences can be severe and lead to lasting disabilities. A substantially greater number of injuries of less severity are treated at emergency departments, doctors’ rooms, at the scene by medical officers or by first aid workers and are not reported in national data collections.

To date there has been no collection of data on the health, social or financial costs of such injuries. A project has now begun at Flinders University to assist the equestrian community to develop policies for prevention and management of these injuries.

Dr Raymond Cripps of the Flinders University Research Centre for Injury Studies will work with the Equestrian Federation of Australia to gather accurate injury data over the next year. This data is expected to provide a base for policy development for equestrian associations and medical providers. Funds have been provided by the Equestrian Federation and the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and the project is being managed by Flinders Consulting Pty Ltd.

This project will be a world first and represents the first step in a series of projects within a program of planned research to identify factors that affect the incidence and severity of horse-related injuries and to develop counter-measures to reduce these injuries.

The project will initially utilise the reporting of falls at One Day Events and Three Day Events in South Australia and New South Wales. An assessment will be made at the conclusion of the pilot to determine whether equestrian injuries can be effectively monitored in those states and monitoring will then be expanded to cover all similar events in Australia. The data acquisition will also support a broader program of research to scientifically evaluate protective measures and devices currently utilised by riders to ensure safety standards development is based on sound scientific principles. Further, effective monitoring will inform the development of training and educational programs in injury prevention, and assist the development of policies that promote safer sporting, recreational, and occupational activities with horses in metropolitan and rural areas.

Monitoring of eventing in New South Wales and South Australia has begun and will continue until January 2002. A final report is due in March 2002.

For further details, please contact Dr. Raymond Cripps

Ray.Cripps@nisu.flinders.edu.au