Riding Accidents: How to help if a rider gets injured

Horseback riding can be dangerous. In fact, riding accidents are placed on fourth place when it comes to number of accidents in sports. Maybe you have already tried falling off your horse, but it is also quite likely that you will experience someone else falling off their horse at some point. If an accident occurs it is quite important to know what to do and what not to do.

Imagine riding around in the riding arena and one of the other horses suddenly gets spooked, it rushes forward, and the rider falls off. That is not a totally unrealistic scenario.

Riding accidents can happen in many ways. But it is a fact that a fall from a horse often leads to serious injury. 50% of horseback riding related injuries stem from falling off the horse, and 25% of all falls result in bone fractures, while 14% include head injury. Every year 1-2 riding accidents even result in death.

READ ALSO: What should you have in your stable's first aid kit?

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Every fall from the horse can have serious consequenses. Even if the rider gets up and in the saddle straight away, it is probably a good idea to take a trip to the emergency room after a fall. In short, it is about taking every fall from a horse seriously.

Injury can be camouflaged

There are several reason that you might not notice if you are injured right away. One of the reasons is that adrenalin kicks in and camouflages whether there is an injury present.

Adrenalin is our ”fight hormon” that makes it possible for the body to handle a dangerous situation. Adrenalin gives our muscles a boost of energy in the form of sugar and oxygen. That way, the muscles get more energy and strength. In some situations, it provides us with almost supernatural strength and speed.

Another thing is that horse people are often more tough than the average person. Both riding and stable chores are demanding physical activities, and it is not unusual to get injured in some way. For that reason it is not unlikely that the average horse person will claim to be ok after af fall.

Either way, as an observer of a riding injury you must be critical when it comes to evaluating the character of the injury and how it should be handled.

Every fall must be taken seriously

Because falls from horses often takes place in high speed and the rider can hit the ground in an unfortunate manner, the risk of head and back damage is present. Solely for this reason you must alway take it seriously if you experience someone else falling from their horse.

A good piece of advice is to let the rider lie where he or she fell off the horse. Also, let the rider keep the riding helmet on until you have evaluated the situation.

Ask the rider to keep still and sit up slowly, so you can evaluate possible damage. If the rider seems ok, it is recommendable that he or she gets up and tests for movement and pain in the body.

Also, make a note about the details of the fall. That way, you are able to inform any emergency staff if necessary. It could be vital information in connection with the future process.

What you should not do

There are a few things that you should avoid doing if you experience a rider falling off a horse. First of all, do not attempt to move the rider. Especially if the rider is unconscious or is unable to move, there is a risk of more serious damage. Moving the rider can worsen the situation. For the same reason you should not take the rider’s helmet off. Also, do not ignore damage that at first seems less serious. These types of injuries should always be evaluated by a doctor to avoid more serious conditions.

Symptoms

There are some signs and symptoms that you should keep in mind in connection with riding accidents. If one or more of them occur, you should make sure that the injured person is looked at by a doctor.

Sources:

”How to Handle Rider Emergencies at the Barn” - Horse Illustrated
https://www.horseillustrated.com/horse-exclusives-rider-emergencies

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