110 Usage and perceptions of equestrian safety equipment

Abstract

Equestrians are no strangers to injury. Modernization of the sport aims to support safe riding habits and limit fatal injuries, especially with the use of equestrian safety equipment. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors influencing the use of safety equipment across a range of equestrian disciplines. It was hypothesized that use, perceptions of efficacy, and influencing factors would differ according to discipline but not other demographic factors. An online survey was widely distributed via horse industry organizations and social media over a 2-week period in January 2021. The survey identified rider demographics including age, education level, geographic region, and primary riding discipline, and used 5-pt Likert-scale questions regarding use, perceived effectiveness, and influences on 3 types of safety equipment. Data were examined using frequency counts, correlation, and mixed model ANOVA (SAS, Inc.). Of 770 responses, 48.6% identified themselves as English riders, 46.2% as western riders, and 5.2% as drivers. As hypothesized, helmet use was lower in western disciplines than English disciplines ( P < 0.0001) or driving ( P < 0.0001). Participation in a discipline that requires use of safety equipment increased the likelihood of helmet use ( P < 0.0001), but not other equipment. Age, level of education, and geographic region did not influence the use of helmets or other equipment ( P > 0.05). When asked how often respondents used helmets, only 58.2% of all participants chose “always,” yet 74.2% considered helmets “very effective” in preventing injury. Across all disciplines, 79.1% “strongly agreed” or “somewhat agreed” that their use of helmets was influenced by past injuries and experiences. Of respondents, 75.3% “strongly agree” that youth should be required to wear helmets. Unlike helmet use, only 16.8% had used safety vests in the past year, and 19.5% used safety stirrups. Use of safety vests and safety stirrups was greater ( P < 0.001) in English than western disciplines. Of respondents, 58.3% considered safety vests “very effective” or “moderately effective” in preventing injuries; while more than one-quarter (27.8%) were “not sure” of effectiveness of safety stirrups. These results suggest that while helmet use is considered an effective way to prevent injury, discipline norms still heavily influence use. Safety vests and stirrups were less likely to be used and may require more industry wide education or exposure before being widely accepted. Understanding the equestrian demographics and disciplines that are likely to use safety equipment, as well as how they are influenced will allow for greater education and safety in equestrian sport.