According to statistics, fractures account for 25-28% of all horse-related injuries in the US (we don’t have any recent Canadian stats, unfortunately), and concussions account for 9.5% of all show jumping injuries. Perhaps more surprising was that less experience meant a greater chance for falls and injuries, but the most experienced riders – and professionals – had the highest incidences of severe injury. Sadly, there was also a correlation between experience and lack of wearing a helmet; those who were professional horse trainers were least likely to wear a helmet when mounted.
Even if you’re a pleasure rider who just loves to go out on the trail for an hour or more, you should know what to do in an emergency. To help, we’ve created a list of rider survival tips that hopefully you’ll never need.
Become a Know-It-All
Take a first aid and CPR course from an accredited school or clinic such as St. John Ambulance.