Riding accidents on the increase

Riding accidents are increasing, according to a BBC Inside Out investigation. In the past 12 months air ambulance crews in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire attended 150 injured riders compared to 97 five years ago – a 65% increase, the BBC’s research showed.

A consultant at Stoke Mandeville Hospital told BBC Inside Out that riders risk a serious accident once in every 350 hours spent riding. In contrast, a motorcyclist would expect to have a serious accident once in every 7,500 spent on a motorbike. This would make riding a horse 20 times more dangerous than riding a motorbike.

The British Horse Society (BHS) recommends all riders wear a riding helmet to current safety standards (PAS 015 or BS EN 1384) and take a Riding Road Safety test.

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