‘We want to make eventing as safe as possible’: researchers’ calls to governing bodies to act

Horse and Hound

More calls have been made to use available data to improve eventing safety – as it is important for the sport “now more than ever”.

Researchers behind three of the largest eventing safety studies have produced a follow-up paper summarising their findings and asking, “What will happen next?” The studies looked at risk factors for cross-country falls (news, 21 October 2021), fence and course design-related risk factors for cross-country falls in FEI competitions (news, 11 August 2022), and falls in one-day British Eventing competitions (news, 30 March).

Based on the findings, some of the recommendations included creating risk profiles for riders and cross-country courses, continuing to regularly review minimum eligibility requirements and introducing a dressage penalties cap.

Euan Bennet of the University of Glasgow worked on all three studies and told H&H that “now more than ever” it is important to continue looking at ways to make eventing safer.

“Social licence is such a big topic, and we think there are ways to bolster the sport’s social licence. Governing bodies need to be seen to be acting, and we think there are great opportunities to progress in making the sport safer, but also in a way that’s visible – and that helps people to see everything is being done to protect the horses,” he said.