Riders involved in accidents or injuries around horses have a new way to record incidents, in a move hoped to improve the safety of equestrianism.
The Rider Accident & Equipment Reporting Form, launched by The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) at Your Horse Live, can be accessed via a web link or by QR code.
The survey asks respondents to provide details of the accident, and, if possible, supply images or video footage of the helmet and/or body protector they were wearing during the incident.
“A better understanding of what happens to our hats and body protectors during an accident is key to being able to both design better and safer equipment as well as feeding into the safety standards that determine how these garments perform,” said Claire Williams, Chief Executive of BETA.
“The data collected through this questionnaire will provide invaluable insights contributing to this understanding, and help us, along with our trade members, continue to innovative in the space to help keep riders across all sports safer.”
The link and QR code to access the form will be published through BETA retail members, equipment manufacturers and on social media.
The QR code is quick to scan from a phone, helping to make it more accessible to busy riders.
Minimising risks
“There’s a real scarcity of true data when it comes to equestrian industry,” said Dr Diane Fisher, BETA’s Chief Medical Officer.
“It’s so important to get this data as we can feed it back into industry, to the manufacturers so that they can use it to help further improve what they do, as a basis for our safety equipment going forward.
“It also allows us to research injury in real time. If we are picking up certain injuries and trends, it allows us as BETA to step in and campaign at the time, which makes more sense than working on the back foot.
“We all accept that horse riding has real dangers attached, however using the protection available correctly can mitigate and minimise these risks. As equestrians we all have a responsibility to keep ourselves fit, healthy and injury free, not only in our own best interests but also in the interests of these very special animals we are lucky enough to spend time with.”
