Horse racing can be one of the most intense sports for riders, as there is simply no way to avoid injuries, as your life can be left in the hands of the gods if you’re a faller in a big-field handicap.
However, safety measures have improved in modern history, with the numbers of jockeys killed on track being reduced drastically from the nine between 1975 and 2000 in the United Kingdom.
Despite this, injuries remain at a high rate in horse racing, with a reported 600 injuries reported in a case study over 1,000 years for jockeys. In the United States, it has been reported that there were 6,545 injuries between the period of January 1993 and December 1996.
But, what are the most common injuries and how can they be prevented?
Where Are Injuries Picked Up?
One of the most interesting pieces of information from the study related to the fact that staggering 35% of injuries were sustained on the flat either before, after or leaving the starting gates.
Meanwhile, unsurprisingly, in jumps racing, it was found that being thrown off horses was responsible for 41% of head injuries. Falls also had the biggest impact at 55% of back injuries, and added up to 37% of chest injuries.
Most Common Injuries in Flat Racing
Both jumps and flat jockeys are prone to injuries, with the former being increasingly more dangerous due to the speeds travelled and the fact that obstacles must be jumped. If you want to find more information about flat horse racing click here: twinspires.com/betting-guides/beginners-guide-betting-horse-racing/
However, injuries in flat racing can sometimes be more severe, due to the fact that horses run at a much quicker speed, and the racing is typically competed on a firmer surface.
The stats from the BHA show that there was a 0.17% injury incidence per ride, but an injury incidence per fall of 40.4%. Compared to jumps, which has a 1.2% injury incidence per ride, and a 17.7% injury incidence per fall rate.
The most common form of injury in flat racing was found to be soft tissue injuries, with 48 reported in 2000, taking the tally between 1992 and 2000 to 48 overall. There were no dislocations reported on the flat in 2000, with seven cases of fractures and six concussion injuries reported.
Most Common Injuries in Jumps Racing
Unsurprisingly, the stats for the same periods over jumps are also readily available, and they make for pretty extraordinary reading. Between 1992 and 2000, the stats show that there were 2433 soft tissue injuries reported, with 338 being a high for that period in 2000.
Meanwhile, there were also a staggering 34 concussions, seven dislocations and 62 reports of fractures; all out numbering the cases reported in flat racing. The dangers of jumps racing are a focal point throughout the season, and there are typically numerous cases of serious injuries when falling.
One of the most recent examples can in early October 2024 when amateur ride Lauren Keen-Hawkins received critical care treatment after a fall at the third-last fence. Keen-Hawkins has since made steady progression and has been discharged from Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham.
How Can Injuries Be Prevented?
In truth, it is extremely challenging to eliminate the risk of injury completely in horse racing, as it is just part and parcel of the game, and jockeys are well aware of the risks to their health when embarking on a career in competitive race riding.
But, protective equipment has been adapted throughout the modern era to help jockeys avoid serious injuries should they fall off their runners mid-race. Plastic rails and posts are now evident throughout the course, with welfare of animals and jockeys at the forefront for tracks across the world.
However, the biggest changes have come in the form of the helmets that jockeys wear. These now have to be fully secured at all times, which was made compulsory following changes made by the BHA in 1996. The most secure helmets have also been mandatory for riders since its introduction in 1994.
Body protectors must also meet European Standard regulations, and these have been mandatory since 2001. It is also worth noting that nowadays jockeys over both jumps and flat will wear equally as protective equipment, which wasn’t always the case.
How Will Jockeys Continue to be Kept Safe?
For such a dangerous job, jockeys are criminally underpaid for the work and hazards that they must do. However, there is no quick fix in terms of reducing injuries to nil.
Therefore, time will only tell when it comes to the latest equipment that will be rolled out to athletes in the sport to protect themselves during big races.
Scientific and technological advances are always being made in the sport to reduce the risks to both horses and jockeys, meaning that further steps will be made in terms of headwear in the future.
