All disciplines should look into fall statistics for safety

The FEI general assembly heard recommendations for improved rider safety across the horse sports

- LUCY ELDER

OLYMPIC gold medallist David O’Connor has urged other disciplines to start tracking falls as figures show 25% of eventing falls are not at cross-country fences.

Mr O’Connor, FEI eventing committee chair, made the call to the FEI general assembly (21 November).

He cited the reduction in cross-country jumping falls, as reported at the eventing risk management seminar in January (news, 16 February).

“There’s been a 16% reduction in horse falls in the last six years, which is a pretty significant number, and a 70% reduction in any type of rotational fall in the last 10 years,” said Mr O’Connor, adding that this nods to the impact of measures including frangible devices, education, course-design and minimum eligibility requirements.

But one “standout” figure is that 25% of total falls, which includes horse and/or rider falls, do not happen at cross-country fences. These include falls on the flat, in the other phases and warm-ups.