FREE SHIPPING over $40
OVER 10000 FIVE-STAR REVIEWS
5% OFF ALL SUBSCRIPTIONS
100% HAPPINESS GUARANTEE
Analyze Diet
0
BMJ open sport & exercise medicine2018; 4(1); e000408; doi: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000408

Assessing the risk for major injuries in equestrian sports.

Abstract: Horse riding is a popular sport, which bears the risk of serious injuries. This study aims to assess whether individual factors influence the risk to sustain major injuries. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from all equine-related accidents at a German Level I Trauma Centre between 2004 and 2014. Logistic regression was used to identify the risk factors for major injures. Results: 770 patients were included (87.9% females). Falling off the horse (67.7%) and being kicked by the horse (16.5%) were the two main injury mechanisms. Men and individuals of higher age showed higher odds for all tested parameters of serious injury. Patients falling off a horse had higher odds for being treated as inpatients, whereas patients who were kicked had higher odds for a surgical therapy (OR 1.7) and intensive care unit/intermediate care unit (ICU/IMC) treatment (OR 1.2). The head was the body region most often injured (32.6%) and operated (32.9%). Patients with head injuries had the highest odds for being hospitalised (OR 6.13). Head or trunk injuries lead to the highest odds for an ICU/IMC treatment (head: OR 4.37; trunk: OR 2.47). Upper and lower limb injuries showed the highest odds for a surgical therapy (upper limb: OR 2.61; lower limb: OR 1.7). Conclusions: Risk prevention programmes should include older individuals and males as target groups. Thus a rethinking of the overall risk assessment is necessary. Not only horseback riding itself, but also handling a horse bears a relevant risk for major injuries. Serious head injures remain frequent, serious and an important issue to be handled in equestrians sports.
Get Full Text
Publication Date: 2018-10-16 PubMed ID: 30364519PubMed Central: PMC6196937DOI: 10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000408Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
LinkedInCopy
  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the risk factors associated with severe injuries in equestrian sports. By analyzing data from a German Level I Trauma Centre, the study identifies age, gender, and cause of injury as key influences on the severity and nature of equestrian-related injuries.

Methods and Study Population

  • The researchers conducted a retrospective study using data collected from all horse-related accidents at a German Level I Trauma Centre over a ten-year period from 2004 to 2014.
  • The study population consisted of 770 patients, of whom 87.9% were female.

Nature of Injuries

  • The researchers found that the two main mechanisms of injury were falling off the horse (67.7% of cases) and being kicked by the horse (16.5% of cases).
  • The area of the body most frequently injured and operated on was the head, constituting 32.6% and 32.9% of cases respectively.

Risk Factors for Serious Injuries

  • Using logistic regression analysis, the study found that being male and of a higher age increased the odds of sustaining serious injury for all tested parameters.
  • Patients who fell off a horse were more likely to require inpatient treatment, while those who were kicked by a horse had higher odds for needing surgical therapy and treatment in an intensive care or intermediate care unit.
  • Patients with head injuries were most likely to require hospitalisation. Head or trunk injuries lead to the highest likelihood of an intensive or intermediate care unit treatment.
  • Upper and lower limb injuries were associated with the highest odds for a surgical therapy.

Implications and Conclusion

  • The study’s findings indicate a need for risk prevention programs in equestrian sports to focus on older individuals and males as they are the most susceptible to serious injuries.
  • The study also points out the need to reconsider risk assessment in equestrian sports, noting that not only horse riding, but also handling a horse, presents a significant risk for severe injuries.
  • It was concluded that serious head injuries remain frequent and serious issue in equestrian sports requiring further attention and preventive efforts.

Cite This Article

APA
Krüger L, Hohberg M, Lehmann W, Dresing K. (2018). Assessing the risk for major injuries in equestrian sports. BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med, 4(1), e000408. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjsem-2018-000408

Publication

BMJ open sport & exercise medicine
ISSN: 2055-7647
NlmUniqueID: 101681007
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 4
Issue: 1
Pages: e000408
PII: e000408

Researcher Affiliations

Krüger, Lara
  • Department of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedics and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Centre Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
Hohberg, Maike
  • Chair of Statistics, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
Lehmann, Wolfgang
  • Department of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedics and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Centre Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.
Dresing, Klaus
  • Department of Trauma Surgery, Orthopaedics and Plastic Surgery, University Medical Centre Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany.

Conflict of Interest Statement

Competing interests: None declared.

References

This article includes 30 references
  1. Weber CD, Nguyen AR, Lefering R, Hofman M, Hildebrand F, Pape HC. Blunt injuries related to equestrian sports: results from an international prospective trauma database analysis.. Int Orthop 2017 Oct;41(10):2105-2112.
    doi: 10.1007/s00264-017-3592-1pubmed: 28801837google scholar: lookup
  2. Abu-Kishk I, Klin B, Gilady-Doron N, Jeroukhimov I, Eshel G. Hospitalization due to horse-related injuries: has anything changed? A 25 year survey.. Isr Med Assoc J 2013 Apr;15(4):169-72.
    pubmed: 23781751
  3. Laurent R, Uhring J, Bentahar M, Constantinou B, de Billy B, Langlais J. [Epidemiology of equestrian injuries in children].. Arch Pediatr 2012 Oct;19(10):1053-7.
    doi: 10.1016/j.arcped.2012.07.010pubmed: 22981477google scholar: lookup
  4. Loder RT. The demographics of equestrian-related injuries in the United States: injury patterns, orthopedic specific injuries, and avenues for injury prevention.. J Trauma 2008 Aug;65(2):447-60.
    doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e31817dac43pubmed: 18695484google scholar: lookup
  5. Havlik HS. Equestrian sport-related injuries: a review of current literature.. Curr Sports Med Rep 2010 Sep-Oct;9(5):299-302.
    doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e3181f32056pubmed: 20827097google scholar: lookup
  6. Altgärde J, Redéen S, Hilding N, Drott P. Horse-related trauma in children and adults during a two year period.. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med 2014 Jul 17;22:40.
    doi: 10.1186/s13049-014-0040-8pmc: PMC4347583pubmed: 25030979google scholar: lookup
  7. Craven JA. Paediatric and adolescent horse-related injuries: does the mechanism of injury justify a trauma response?. Emerg Med Australas 2008 Aug;20(4):357-62.
    doi: 10.1111/j.1742-6723.2008.01107.xpubmed: 18782209google scholar: lookup
  8. Ghosh A, Di Scala C, Drew C, Lessin M, Feins N. Horse-related injuries in pediatric patients.. J Pediatr Surg 2000 Dec;35(12):1766-70.
    doi: 10.1053/jpsu.2000.19247pubmed: 11101733google scholar: lookup
  9. Mayberry JC, Pearson TE, Wiger KJ, Diggs BS, Mullins RJ. Equestrian injury prevention efforts need more attention to novice riders.. J Trauma 2007 Mar;62(3):735-9.
    doi: 10.1097/ta.0b013e318031b5d4pubmed: 17414356google scholar: lookup
  10. Sorli JM. Equestrian injuries: a five year review of hospital admissions in British Columbia, Canada.. Inj Prev 2000 Mar;6(1):59-61.
    doi: 10.1136/ip.6.1.59pmc: PMC1730586pubmed: 10728545google scholar: lookup
  11. Abu-Zidan FM, Rao S. Factors affecting the severity of horse-related injuries.. Injury 2003 Dec;34(12):897-900.
    doi: 10.1016/S0020-1383(03)00054-8pubmed: 14636730google scholar: lookup
  12. Bilaniuk JW, Adams JM, DiFazio LT, Siegel BK, Allegra JR, Luján JJ, Durling-Grover R, Pawar J, Rolandelli RH, Németh ZH. Equestrian trauma: injury patterns vary among age groups.. Am Surg 2014 Apr;80(4):396-402.
    pubmed: 24887673
  13. Johns E, Farrant G, Civil I. Animal-related injury in an urban New Zealand population.. Injury 2004 Dec;35(12):1234-8.
    doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2003.11.003pubmed: 15561112google scholar: lookup
  14. Cuenca AG, Wiggins A, Chen MK, Kays DW, Islam S, Beierle EA. Equestrian injuries in children.. J Pediatr Surg 2009 Jan;44(1):148-50.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jpedsurg.2008.10.025pubmed: 19159733google scholar: lookup
  15. Thomas KE, Annest JL, Gilchrist J, Bixby-Hammett DM. Non-fatal horse related injuries treated in emergency departments in the United States, 2001-2003.. Br J Sports Med 2006 Jul;40(7):619-26.
    doi: 10.1136/bjsm.2006.025858pmc: PMC2564310pubmed: 16611723google scholar: lookup
  16. Carmichael SP 2nd, Davenport DL, Kearney PA, Bernard AC. On and off the horse: mechanisms and patterns of injury in mounted and unmounted equestrians.. Injury 2014 Sep;45(9):1479-83.
    doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2014.03.016pmc: PMC4125461pubmed: 24767580google scholar: lookup
  17. Papachristos A, Edwards E, Dowrick A, Gosling C. A description of the severity of equestrian-related injuries (ERIs) using clinical parameters and patient-reported outcomes.. Injury 2014 Sep;45(9):1484-7.
    doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2014.04.017pubmed: 24933441google scholar: lookup
  18. Eilers PHC, Marx BD. Flexible smoothing with B -splines and penalties. Statistical Science 1996;11:89–121.
    doi: 10.1214/ss/1038425655google scholar: lookup
  19. R: A language and environment for statistical computing R foundation for statistical computing program. Vienna, Austria: R Core Team, 2016.
  20. Schicho A, Einwag D, Gebhard F. Schwerverletzte durch unfälle im reitsport. Dtsch Z Sportmed 2014. a;09:258–61.
  21. Weber EU, Blais A-R, Betz NE. A domain-specific risk-attitude scale: measuring risk perceptions and risk behaviors. J Behav Decis Mak 2002;15:263–90.
    doi: 10.1002/bdm.414google scholar: lookup
  22. Schröter C, Schulte-Sutum A, Zeckey C, Winkelmann M, Krettek C, Mommsen P. [Accidents in equestrian sports : Analysis of injury mechanisms and patterns].. Unfallchirurg 2017 Feb;120(2):129-138.
    doi: 10.1007/s00113-015-0074-zpubmed: 26449915google scholar: lookup
  23. Lang J, Sathivelu M, Tetsworth K, Pollard C, Harvey K, Bellamy N. The epidemiology of horse-related injuries for different horse exposures, activities, and age groups in Queensland, Australia.. J Trauma Acute Care Surg 2014 Jan;76(1):205-12.
    doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e3182a9007epubmed: 24368381google scholar: lookup
  24. Winkler EA, Yue JK, Burke JF, Chan AK, Dhall SS, Berger MS, Manley GT, Tarapore PE. Adult sports-related traumatic brain injury in United States trauma centers.. Neurosurg Focus 2016 Apr;40(4):E4.
    doi: 10.3171/2016.1.FOCUS15613pubmed: 27032921google scholar: lookup
  25. Hasler RM, Gyssler L, Benneker L, Martinolli L, Schötzau A, Zimmermann H, Exadaktylos AK. Protective and risk factors in amateur equestrians and description of injury patterns: A retrospective data analysis and a case - control survey.. J Trauma Manag Outcomes 2011 Feb 4;5:4.
    doi: 10.1186/1752-2897-5-4pmc: PMC3042925pubmed: 21294862google scholar: lookup
  26. Hawson LA, McLean AN, McGreevy PD. The roles of equine ethology and applied learning theory in horse-related human injuries. Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research 2010;5:324–38.
    doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2010.06.001google scholar: lookup
  27. McIntosh AS, Andersen TE, Bahr R, Greenwald R, Kleiven S, Turner M, Varese M, McCrory P. Sports helmets now and in the future.. Br J Sports Med 2011 Dec;45(16):1258-65.
    doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2011-090509pubmed: 22117017google scholar: lookup
  28. Zuckerman SL, Morgan CD, Burks S, Forbes JA, Chambless LB, Solomon GS, Sills AK. Functional and Structural Traumatic Brain Injury in Equestrian Sports: A Review of the Literature.. World Neurosurg 2015 Jun;83(6):1098-113.
    doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2014.12.030pubmed: 25535066google scholar: lookup
  29. Ball CG, Ball JE, Kirkpatrick AW, Mulloy RH. Equestrian injuries: incidence, injury patterns, and risk factors for 10 years of major traumatic injuries.. Am J Surg 2007 May;193(5):636-40.
    doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2007.01.016pubmed: 17434372google scholar: lookup
  30. Hessler C, Eckert V, Meiners J, Jürgens C, Reicke B, Matthes G, Ekkernkamp A, Püschel K. [Causes, injuries, therapy and possibilities of prevention of equine-related accidents. Results of a 2-center-study].. Unfallchirurg 2014 Feb;117(2):123-7.
    doi: 10.1007/s00113-012-2275-zpubmed: 23307431google scholar: lookup

Citations

This article has been cited 8 times.
  1. Meyer HL, Scheidgen P, Polan C, Beck P, Mester B, Kauther MD, Dudda M, Burggraf M. Injuries and Overuse Injuries in Show Jumping-A Retrospective Epidemiological Cross-Sectional Study of Show Jumpers in Germany. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2022 Feb 17;19(4).
    doi: 10.3390/ijerph19042305pubmed: 35206487google scholar: lookup
  2. Corgan ME, Grandin T, Matlock S. Evaluating the Reaction to a Complex Rotated Object in the American Quarter Horse (Equus caballus). Animals (Basel) 2021 May 13;11(5).
    doi: 10.3390/ani11051383pubmed: 34068020google scholar: lookup
  3. Chapman M, Thomas M, Thompson K. What People Really Think About Safety around Horses: The Relationship between Risk Perception, Values and Safety Behaviours. Animals (Basel) 2020 Nov 26;10(12).
    doi: 10.3390/ani10122222pubmed: 33256171google scholar: lookup
  4. Seery R, Graham-Wisener L, Wells DL. A Qualitative Exploration of the Lived Experiences and Perspectives of Equine-Assisted Services Practitioners in the UK and Ireland. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jul 30;15(15).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15152240pubmed: 40805030google scholar: lookup
  5. Maloney B, Jung MS, Kearns G, Bowe C. Equestrian-related maxillofacial injuries-a five-year retrospective review. Ir J Med Sci 2025 Aug;194(4):1339-1346.
    doi: 10.1007/s11845-025-03995-4pubmed: 40650793google scholar: lookup
  6. Chapman M, Fenner K, Thomas MJW. Lessons learnt from horse-related human fatalities: Accident analysis using HFACS-Equestrianism. Heliyon 2025 Feb 15;11(3):e42276.
    doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e42276pubmed: 39991252google scholar: lookup
  7. Torell Palmquist G, Känsälä Alveheim N, Huot-Marchand F, Ashton L, Lewis V. The Role of European Equestrian Institutions in Training Professionals: Outcomes from a Workshop on Horse Welfare in Equestrian Education. Animals (Basel) 2025 Jan 11;15(2).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15020183pubmed: 39858183google scholar: lookup
  8. Stigson H, Klingegård M. Characteristics of equestrian accidents and injuries leading to permanent medical impairment. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2024 Sep 4;16(1):184.
    doi: 10.1186/s13102-024-00973-8pubmed: 39232810google scholar: lookup
Subscribe to our newsletter
Join 99,850 horse owners like you who receive our email updates on horse health and nutrition.