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RESEARCH UPDATE

 Since receiving ethics approval from the Sydney University we have been testing the measuring equipment.  The measuring equipment consists of the following:

•·         Medilogic Saddle Pressure Pad - measures pressure on horses back of saddle and rider.

•·         Signal Scribe Rein Tension Meter -measures tension in each rein

•·         Signal Scribe Accelerometers - measures where each of the horse's legs are in space

•·         Tekscan Flanchards- measure rider leg pressure on the horse's side

•·         Video also feeds into the base laptop and is used to time stamp all data.   

Bates Saddlery have also supplied a "horse torso" that is normally used for displaying saddles.  We have immediately dubbed this creature Elvis as he is blue suede.  Riders attending AEBC for clinics have the opportunity to sit on Elvis with the saddle pressure pad and check out how symmetrical they are when sitting on a horse.  The data is very interesting but as no work has been done in this area (apart from the Symes and Ellis paper late last year) we really cannot draw any conclusions what the significance of the data. That said it is our intention to use Elvis to calibrate riders as a separate experiment and incorporate it into the learning trials. 

Rob Curtis, our electronic engineer, came to AEBC in early June and we ran some successful trials of the rein tensiometer and accelerometers.  They worked really well and produced excellent data.   We are going to get an enormous amount of data from each trial. 

The flanchards have presented some technical problems.  Another set of sensor fields that are more robust in their construction have been ordered. It is expected that these will overcome the current problems.  Swish Horse of Kilmore have been a great support in manufacturing the sleeves for the sensor fields to sit in.  They are also helping with designing and applying the supporting structures on the saddles and saddle pads.  Suffice to say a considerable amount of Velcro has been employed!

Lesley is offering a saddle fitting service with the saddle pressure pad.  It is a very sensitive instrument and again considerable work needs to be done to discover what is significant.

Lesley Hawson has had another paper titled "The roles of equine ethology and applied learning theory in horse-related human injuries." accepted for publication by the Journal of Veterinary Behavior: Clinical Applications and Research.   Key findings from this paper show that:

Reported incidence rates for horse-related accidents ranged from 16 -233 per 100,000.  Five articles specified average hospital stays of three days or more.

Age distribution of horse-related injuries in humans:

•·         Females 10 - 20 years

•·         Males 40 - 50 years

Injury pattern of horse-related injuries in humans

•·         Younger victims more likely to have concussion and fractures to the upper extremities.

•·         Older victims were more likely to present with fractures to the ribs and thoracolumbar vertebrae.

Risk factors:

•·         Several articles: riders with less than 100 hours experience are more at risk of injury

•·         One article: experienced riders are more at risk.

•·         Three articles: no correlation between experience and the likelihood of injury.

Mechanism of injury:

•·         Falls from horses 46 - 83% of injuries

•·         Kicks 0.8% - 41% riders, 7 - 82% non-riders, 79% veterinarians.

Risk factors for injury:

•·                     Gender (in relationship to age)

•·                     Riding 15 -24 hours per month

•·                     Ownership of Riding younger horses,

•·                     Riding horses higher than 148cms,

•·                     Galloping gaits,

•·                     Equipment failure,

•·                     Horses displaying fear

•·                     Failure to respond to riders demands

Preventative strategies:

•·         Approved helmets reduces horse-related head trauma.

•·         Foot wear that protects the ankles and protective vests.

•·         Other strategies ranged from rider (and supervisor) training in horse safety to (the less practical) avoiding hind legs at all times.

4. Discussion

•·         Is the risk of serious injury, including those amongst veterinarians, simply a function of cumulative exposure to horses?

•·         Incidence rates of horse-related injuries to humans compare unfavourably to rates of dog-related injuries to humans and injuries rates incurred by motorcyclists.   

•·         Age and gender distribution of humans injured in horse-related incidents follow participation patterns in horse-related activities in Australia.

•·         Horse behaviour was implicated in up to 61% of incidents. 

If serious injury is a likely result of exposure to horses, then the centuries of horse management, training and education to date appear to have done little to prevent injuries to human beings in their interactions with equids.

Recent advances in ethology and equitation science may make horse behaviour more predictable.

•·         A clear understanding of the probable behaviour patterns a horse can exhibit in a given context would help riders and handlers to predict and manage such behaviours. 

•·         Horse trainers may be able to address this aspect of horse behaviour through a more thorough application of current advances in learning theory. 

•·         Application of recently developed knowledge on breed-typical behaviour, riders' influence on horse gait and balance and action of equipment especially bits all have a role in effective prevention and mitigation of horse-related injuries to humans.

  5. Conclusions

•·         Verification of the horse's behavior and the specific stimuli to which it was responding in the context of horse-related injuries are poorly recorded.

•·         The epidemiology of horse behavior in horse-related accidents may contribute to more effective preventative strategies being implemented.

•·         Strategies should include incorporation of learning theory principles into horse and rider training to reduce flight and defense responses in horses. This is particularly important for those horses destined for novice and child riders and handlers.

•·         Effective, validated, safety protocols when riding and handling horses need to be developed.

•·         Legislation requiring the mandatory wearing of approved helmets and footwear should be encouraged.

•·         Equitation science has an important role in enhancing rider and horse handler safety.

A second paper currently under review builds on this review and asks the question "Is safety valued in the children's pony market in Australia?"  It  has been accepted for poster presentation at ISES 2010.    A discussion of the findings in this latter paper will be posted once it has been accepted for publication.