Risk profiles for cross-country courses could be on the cards thanks to new research

Horse and Hound – Discussions around making cross-country safer without removing the challenge continue – as new data highlights where risk could potentially be reduced and scope to create course risk profiles.

In a newly published FEI-funded study, researchers at the universities of Glasgow, Bristol and Nottingham Trent aimed to identify cross-country fence risk factors using data from FEI eventing competitions between 2008 and 2018. Fences including corners and trakehners were identified as having increased odds of a horse or rider fall, compared to square spreads – and fences featured later on course, those with an approach and/or landing downhill or into water, and combinations, also had increased risk.

The researchers said it “should be considered” whether it might be possible to design around the “more challenging” fences, and suggestions included ensuring more challenging fences are not “over-represented” in the second half of the course, and including more alternative routes. They said the findings are the “first step” towards building a “risk profile or score” for every FEI cross-country course, which could be used to support the development of horses and riders, and be taken into account for qualification criteria.

Lead author Euan Bennet told H&H that although some of the findings might be “common sense”, the study provides quantification of the data.