Equestrian activities
An estimated 237,000 Australians aged 15 and over participated in equestrian activity in 2020–21 (ASC, 2021). Around 2,600 injury hospitalisations were attributed to equestrian activities – 2,100 female and 500 male. This was a similar number to the previous year. For those aged 15 and over, the rate of hospitalisation was about 917 per 100,000 participants.
The age-standardised rate of injury hospitalisations for males fell 26% between 2017–18 and 2020–21, while for females it rose by 12% (Figure 1).
Figure 1: Trend in injury hospitalisations from equestrian activities, by sex, 2011–12 to 2020–21
For more detail, see data tables B3–4.
The highest number of hospitalisations was in the 15–19 age group (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Age distribution of injury hospitalisations from equestrian activities, 2020–21
Source: AIHW NHMD.
For more detail, see data table A14.
About half of these hospitalisations were fractures (53%) (Figure 3).
Figure 3: Injury hospitalisations from equestrian activities, by type of injury as a proportion, 2020–21
Note: Type of injury is derived from the principal diagnosis.
Source: AIHW NHMD.
For more detail, see data table A25.
There were 211 hospitalisations for concussion—184 female and 27 male.
The main injury was to the trunk of the body in a third of cases (34%), and the head and neck in almost a quarter of cases (22%) (Figure 4).
Figure 4: Injury hospitalisations from equestrian activities, by body part injured, as a proportion, 2020–21
'Notes
1. Body part injured is derived from the principal diagnosis.
2. ‘Trunk’ includes thorax, abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine & pelvis.
Source: AIHW NHMD.
For more detail, see data table A26.
Perhaps unremarkably, about 9 in 10 of these hospitalisations were reported to have been caused directly by an accident with a horse, such as a fall from a horse (Figure 5).
Figure 5: Cause of injury as a proportion when specified, hospitalisations from equestrian activities, 2020–21
Source: AIHW NHMD.
For more detail, see data table A27.
Seasonal differences
Four years of date of admissions data suggests that equestrian activities are less seasonal than many other sports (Figure 6).
Figure 6: Injury hospitalisations from equestrian activities by month of admission, 2017–18 to 2020–21
For more detail, see data table B3.