Look before you leap: risk calculation obstacles in eventing

Calculating the risk of injury in equestrian sports (and eventing in particular) is difficult due to differences in definitions of risk and in risk calculation, methodologic problems and incomplete data registration.

Eventing is considered the most risky of horse-riding events; especially the cross-country phase. Although many data are available, the mechanism or complexity of the injury is not always registered.  When hospital data are used (less severe) injuries are underreported.

This review describes several methods of risk calculation for horse-riding in general  and eventing in particular, including: fall incidence rate;  injury per fall rate;  injury rate per hour and surveillance  projects. The importance of adequate data collection since the available data are not  uniformly registered.

The focus of risk calculation in eventing should  be on the jump itself and the action of the horse jumping. Since a multitude of factors interact to result in the fall of a rider several possible interventions are proposed to reduce the risk of injury as a result of a fall during horse riding

> From: O'Brien, Animals 6 (2016) 13. All rights reserved to O'Brien . Click here for the online summary.