With funding from the Rural Industries Research & Development Corporation and the EFA, a pilot project was conducted during the 2001 eventing season to see if monitoring of falls and their injuries during the cross-country phase of eventing was feasible. The study was conducted in New South Wales and South Australia and involved collecting data from 29 EFA and Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) affiliated events.

The results of the pilot project undertaken during the 2001 eventing season demonstrated that procedures and instruments developed and refined during the project to collect data on falls and injuries during the cross-country phase of eventing were suitable for a national surveillance system to monitor falls and their injuries. The data collected during the pilot were able to determine the extent of the injury problem associated with falls during eventing in New South Wales and South Australia and to provide detailed information about riders and their falls—essential for a surveillance system.

Before this project, no research program existed in Australia to monitor horse-related injury during eventing. The procedures and instruments developed during the pilot formed the basis of a national surveillance program to monitor falls associated with eventing, to determine the extent of the injury problem can be determined nationally. Such a program enables changes in frequency of falls and of rider and horse injuries to be characterised and monitored over time. Such information is essential to inform other injury prevention projects and to develop counter-measures to reduce falls and injuries during eventing.

With the support of the EFA and the National Eventing Committee, funding was approved by RIRDC to set up and implement a surveillance system to monitor falls and fall-related injuries to riders and horses at all FEI and EFA affiliated events in Australia. This program began in February 2002 (commencement of the 2002 eventing season) and was conducted in all States over a two-year period.

 A summary of major highlights are:
 

• Six hundred and thirty-six falls were reported involving 459 riders who had one fall and 177 other riders who had multiple falls (two to five or more falls) during the reporting periods.
• Eighty-six horses fell, with horses in age group 5 to 9 years most at risk of falling.
• Thirty-six per cent of horses which fell had successfully completed five or fewer cross-country courses.
• Riders aged 15 to 19 years demonstrated a higher rate of falling and accounted for 27% of the falls.
• Eighty-nine per cent of riders who fell began riding before the age of 15 years and, on average, had completed 70 one-day events (ODEs). At this time, details on riders who did not fall are not available.
• Twenty-eight per cent of riders who fell had one or more injuries (at home, during schooling or competition) during the last 12 months.
• For the riders who fell, the majority seemed to perceive the risk of injury to be a moderate one particularly when they had experienced one or more injuries. Perceived risk increased as injuries increased.
• The incident rate of falls was 1.2 falls per 1000 jumping efforts for all classes and jurisdictions monitored during 2002 and 2003.
• Rate of falls increased exponentially with competition level from the Pre-novice to the Advanced class, possibly as a result of to the increase in the number of jumping efforts at the higher levels.
• Rate of falls of horses was very low (2 falls per 10,000 jumping efforts), about one-sixth the rate of riders.
• Of the 636 riders who fell (fall details reported at time of writing), 34% reported fall-related injuries
• Injury to the upper body region (head, neck, shoulders and upper limbs) was reported in 43% of the injured riders, with the head and neck accounting for half of these injuries.
• Head injuries, fractures and internal injuries accounted for 22% of injuries reported and resulted in riders presenting to a hospital emergency department for treatment. Ten were admitted to hospital.
• Twenty-nine per cent of riders injured had no limitations on their daily activities following injury, about one-half had some limitations (from less than one day to more than 21 days).
• Thirty-nine of the 89 horses that fell were reported injured (69% minor injuries, mainly abrasions, lacerations or bruising). More serious injuries such as tendon damage, muscle damage or fractures were reported in 11 horses.