Equestrian injuries and accidents: Learning to stay safe and promoting healing

There are many reasons why horseback riding is enjoying a popularity resurgence at the moment. Apart from promoting better physical fitness overall by improving balance, strength and stamina, riding a horse can also improve your mental health, enhancing your mood, allowing you to focus on learning new skills and challenging your own abilities. The connection between rider and horse can be powerful and complex since horses are intelligent and sensitive animals with the ability to respond to hundreds of different instructions and perform very complex and difficult manoeuvres with the proper training. They can sense shifts in your demeanour as well, meaning that you’ll be able to establish strong communication and create a bond with the horse you’re working with. 

But like any other sport, horseback riding also comes with inherent dangers. Trusting the process, learning step by step and giving yourself time to develop your skills rather than taking on a big challenge right away will definitely help you a great deal, but what if you do become injured regardless? Here are some of the most likely accidents that can occur in equestrianism, as well as the treatments that can guarantee healing in the aftermath.

Head injury 

Head injuries are, unfortunately, one of the most common types of injury among riders. The severity varies between mild to potentially life-threatening, and survivors are often left dealing with the aftereffects for the rest of their lives. Wearing a helmet can significantly reduce the risk of injury by absorbing the shocks so that the brain, skull, neck and spine don’t deal with the brunt of the impact. If you end up with such an injury as a result of someone else’s negligence or lack of sportsmanship, you can talk to Personal Injury Claims UK about the best way to present your case so that you can receive the maximum amount of compensation you deserve. 

Horses are very large and powerful animals, and there’s an endless number of different situations and events that can spook them and cause them to behave erratically. Even the most compliant and well-behaved animal can panic and flee if something triggers an extreme response from it, and during its flight, it is much more likely for the rider to fall off the horse, be trampled or crushed. As the horse gets scared, it will most often trample on anything or anyone that comes into its path. Another scenario is when the horse stumbles or trips over something, propelling the rider headfirst and directly to the ground. 

Horse riding head injuries can lead to irreversible damage, with children and young adults being particularly susceptible to repeated concussions that can prove fatal. Memory impairment, speech problems, confusion, irritability, post-traumatic stress disorder and seizures are common among sufferers, so any case must receive immediate medical attention regardless of how mild and inconsequential it might appear. 

Clavicle fracture

The clavicles or collar bones connect the arms to the rest of the body, being attached to the shoulder blades on one end and the sternum on the other. There’s a high incidence of fractures in this area in equestrian sports, with the most common cause being a fall during which the rider lands on an outstretched arm or directly on the shoulder. Most of the time, treatment doesn’t include surgery, but more complex fractures might require this type of intervention. 

Gentle movements and exercises within your comfortable range of motion can help speed up recovery and healing, and you will be prescribed medicine for the pain, inflammation and stiffness. Make sure to let your doctor know immediately if your symptoms worsen rather than improve, as swift and prompt action is required in case of any broken bone. 

Spinal injuries 

Most horse riders are familiar with a certain degree of lower back pain as a result of spending long hours in the saddle. Regular exercise and stretching can alleviate the problem so that damage to the bones and joints doesn’t become worse. Training the deep core muscles can also provide you with better support, improved balance and good posture so that you don’t place unnecessary strain on your back. Research indicates that a higher level of physical fitness typically contributes to a reduced incidence of lower back injuries as a whole. 

Spinal cord injuries are the more severe type of lesions which, similar to head injuries, can lead to disabling neurological issues. Falls or kicks are the most likely culprits, and they can cause anything from herniated discs to spinal fractures. In the case of the former, you’ll most likely feel the symptoms on just one side of your body, with the presentation of the signs likely to vary depending on where the disk is located and whether there’s any pressure on the nerves or not. If the problem is in your lower back, the area will feel sore and painful, and you might also experience discomfort in your calf and thigh. 

If the herniated disk is in your neck, you’ll likely feel a sharp pain in your arm and shoulder. Numbness, tingling and weakness are also standard symptoms, and you must make sure to visit a doctor as soon as possible in order to prevent the development of further damage. Spinal fractures can happen anywhere along the spine and are a typical result of a high-velocity impact. Stable fractures typically don’t cause deformities or nerve damage, but unstable ones carry the risk of paralysis. 

Naturally, it’s essential to get a physician’s assessment right after the injury in order to minimise the damage, as this type of equestrian injury is very likely to cause life-altering sequelae. 

Horse riding is one of the most rewarding sports out there since you get to join forces with an animal and work together as a team. Horses are intelligent, complex, and sensitive animals, so becoming an expert is no easy task. Make sure to take things slowly and trust the learning process. Don’t attempt anything too daring when you’re unprepared, as it can increase your risk of serious injury.