The Conversation – Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock

It’s hard to ignore the power and beauty of a horse when it runs at full throttle or jumps over a massive hurdle.

This much loved and gentle animal is a spectacular athlete, capable of running world record speeds of almost 44 miles per hour and gravity-defying leaps as high as 2.47 metres. They have impressive stamina too – some breeds, such as Arabians, are able to cover up to 100 miles in a single day during endurance competitions.

These are astounding feats, made all the more amazing when you consider that they weigh from 400-800kg.

Compared to other similarly sized mammals, horses have a superior ability to use oxygen – their aerobic capacity is around two and half times that of cattle, and this is a large part of what gives equines their athletic edge.

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A recent study has identified factors associated with an increased risk of falls during the cross-country phase of eventing and has suggested modifications that could reduce the risk of injury, making it safer for horse and rider. 

Higher-level events, longer courses, more starters in the cross-country phase, and less experienced horses and athletes all showed an increased risk. Identifying these risk factors allows riders and event organisers to assess the level of risk for individual horse, rider, and event combinations. 

The research, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, recommends simple improvements such as adjusting minimum eligibility requirements (MERs) to ensure horses and riders always compete at a level appropriate to their ability. 

The study, based in the UK and led by Bristol Veterinary School’s Dr Euan Bennet and Professor Tim Parkin, with Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock of Nottingham Trent University, was funded by Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI).

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Researchers in Britain who undertook the first study of horse falls in Eventing in more than 20 years hope the FEI will use the findings to introduce evidence-based rules for the discipline, which they say will improve safety without compromising competitiveness.

The University of Bristol academics say they have identified simple interventions to reduce the risk of injury for both horses and riders.

Their study, reported in the Equine Veterinary Journal, pinpoints characteristics associated with an increased risk of Eventing falls, such as higher-level competitions, longer courses, more starters at cross-country phase, and less experienced horses and riders.

Identifying these risk factors allows riders and event organisers to assess the level of risk for individual horse, rider and event combinations.

The FEI-funded study recommends simple mitigations such as adjusting minimum eligibility requirements to ensure horses and riders always compete at a level appropriate to their ability.

Horse and Rider – A study funded by the FEI has found the most effective ways to prevent falls during the cross-country phase of eventing

Researchers have identified characteristics that are commonly associated with an increased risk of falls in eventing. Findings included higher-level events, longer courses, more starters at cross-country phase and less experienced horses and riders.

Determining these risk factors allows riders and event organisers to assess the level of risk involved for each individual horse, rider and event combinations. The study, published in the Equine Veterinary Journal, recommends simple mitigations such as adjusting minimum eligibility requirements to ensure combinations always compete at a level appropriate to their ability.

Led by Bristol Veterinary School’s Dr Euan Bennet and Professor Tim Parkin with Dr Heather Cameron-Whytock of Nottingham Trent University, and funded by the FEI, it’s the first large scale study using a global data set of every FEI eventing competition over an 11-year period. This data included every horse start worldwide in all international, championship, Olympic and World Equestrian Games competitions between January 2008 and December 2018. This amounted to over 200,000 starts, allowing researchers to specifically analyse the cross-country phase and identify any common factors.

Horse & Hound

RISK profiles could be constructed for combinations competing at international level aimed at reducing the number of cross-country falls, with the help of previous competition data.

In an FEI-commissioned study, FEI eventing: Risk factors for horse falls and unseated riders during the cross-country phase (2008–2018), researchers from the University of Bristol and Nottingham Trent University analysed data from 187,602 horse starts in the cross-country phase of FEI events between January 2008 and December 2018. Of these starts, 2,894 horse falls were recorded and 6,557 unseated riders.

A statistical model was used to identify potential risk factors that could be applied to combinations, based on their individual history and course-level factors. Findings included that combinations competing at two-star and above and over longer courses were at increased odds of a horse fall or unseated rider, compared to those competing at one-star. Mares were found to be at increased odds of a fall compared to geldings and stallions, as were horses with a previous fall at an FEI event compared to horses who had never fallen at an FEI competition. Male riders are at greater odds of having a horse fall compared to females, and combinations who recorded a dressage score of 50 or more were at an increased risk of a horse fall or unseated rider.

Lead author Euan Bennet, who has worked on similar research for the FEI in endurance, told H&H that as the study is multivariable, the results take everything into account.