- Over 33,000 people in BC ride horses. Athletes involved in horse riding are more likely to
suffer head trauma than those involved in football, boxing or soccer.
- Head injuries are the most common reason for admission to hospital or even death among riders. Most injuries occur during pleasure riding.
- A fall from 2 feet (60 cm) can cause permanent brain damage. A horse elevates a rider 8
feet (3 meters) or more above ground.
- A human skull can be shattered by an impact of 7-10 kph. Horses can gallop at 65 kph. Children’s skulls are the most vulnerable.
- Ages ten to fourteen, are the children most likely to be involved in an accident with a horse
but all ages are at risk.
- A rider who has had one head injury has a 40% chance of suffering a second head injury. Children, teens and young adults are most vulnerable to sudden death from second impact syndrome. Second impact syndrome is the severe swelling of the brain caused by a second head injury before recovery from the first head injury.
- Death is not the only serious outcome of unprotected head injuries. Those who survive with brain injury may suffer epilepsy, personality changes, intellectual and memory impairment.
- Hospital costs for an acute head injury can be in the range of $2,000 per day. Lifetime
extended care costs may easily exceed $3 million. There is no funding for rehabilitation
outside the medical setting.
- Helmets work. Most deaths from head injury can be prevented by wearing ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials), SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) approved helmets that fit correctly and have the chin strap firmly applied. Other types of helmets, including bike
helmets, are inadequate.
- Racing organizations require helmets and as a result jockeys now suffer less head injuries
than pleasure riders. The US Pony Club lowered their head injury rate 29% with mandatory
helmet use. Britain’s hospital admission rate for equestrians fell 46% after helmet design
improved and they became in routine use.
- The BCMA (BC Medical Association), CMA (Canadian Medical Association), AMEA (American Medical Equestrian Association), and AMA (American Medical Association) recommend approved helmets be worn on all rides by all equestrians.
This information provided courtesy of
BCMA’s COUNCIL ON HEALTH PROMOTION
1665 West Broadway, Vancouver BC V6J 5A4
Telephone: (604) 736-5551 Fax: (604)] 733-7317 Website: http://www.bcma.org
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