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Research helps improve rider safety in eventing Tuesday, 24 June 2008
Rider and horse safety could be improved thanks to new research into Australian eventing that for the first time collates and analyses data on falls and injuries.
The research, funded by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) and supported by the Equestrian Federation of Australia, is the culmination of a five year national surveillance program, which shows that the number of injuries per competitor is in fact lower than previously thought.
Eventing is conducted around Australia at all levels, from young riders at pony clubs to Olympic competitors. The competitions are known variously as horse trials, one-day events or three-day events. This study focussed on the cross-country phase of eventing.
The results of the five-year surveillance program have been entered into a new database known as SHARE (Safety for Riders and Horses in Eventing).
RIRDC's General Manager of Established Industries, Margie Thomson, said the research would help inform those making the rules in equestrian sport.
"The SHARE database, established by Flinders University in Adelaide, should provide a useful source of information when equestrian policy makers consider future rule changes," Ms Thomson said.
"It provides comprehensive data about risks of horse and rider falls as well as correlations between jump types and the risk of falls.
"This research is important because it is the first time information has been collected for the sport of eventing alone. Most existing data on horse-related injuries and deaths does not distinguish between a whole range of horse-related activities with the potential to cause injury," Ms Thomson said.
The data is based on 1732 rider falls at 444 events around the country between 2002 and 2006 and reveals the rate of rider falls is only three for every 100 starters. This is lower than previously thought.
The fact the SHARE system can be used by other national equestrian federations offers the possibility of consistent data for international comparison and ultimately, a safer sport around the globe.
The research was prompted by a marked increase in the number of rider falls and fatalities, both in Australia and overseas in the late 1990s, which highlighted that there was little data on the health, social or financial costs of horse-related injuries.
Ms Thomson said the researchers hoped the SHARE database would be used by the Equestrian Federation of Australia to help minimise risk in the sport.
The full report is available at www.rirdc.gov.au.
Media enquiries: Christine Joannides 02 6271 4136
 
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Last updated: 10 June 2008
Copyright © RIRDC
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/media_releases/24ajune08.html