Rider fall rules tightened following review
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(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
British Team Chasing (BTC) has updated its rider fall regulations ahead of the 2024 spring season, following a trial run of a one-fall-and-out rule in 2023.
The rule is here to stay, so riders who fall off will not be allowed to remount and continue their round. There are also several important changes to last year’s fall rules that riders need to be aware of for 2024, concerning what they must do if they take a tumble.
BTC undertook “an extensive review” of team-chasing falls, Government guidance and how other sports and disciplines handle concussion, which has led to enhanced protocols for 2024.
Anyone who falls off must now be assessed by the onsite healthcare professional before leaving or getting on a horse again. Any rider who falls twice in one day will not be allowed to ride again.
If a rider falls off before fence six, they are eligible to be assessed by the onsite healthcare professional and if deemed fit to ride, can join another team with the same horse. For riders of multiple horses, it doesn’t matter where on the course they fall off – they must still be deemed fit by the healthcare professional before getting on their next ride.
If a rider does not comply with these new head injury assessment protocols, they will be stood down for 21 days.
“We set up a four-person rider safety working group with a particular focus on this rule,” said a BTC statement.
“We have done a significant amount of background research into falls with BTC, including reading all accident forms returned to BTC, Equireel falls video footage, liaison with medical professionals both within equestrian sport and others such as rugby, review of other equestrian sports policies as well as discussion with riders and event organisers. We also attended the annual Medical Equestrian Association conference.
“This allowed us to analyse the data regarding fence type and classes in which falls occur as well as severity of falls.”
The statement added that it found “no other comparable equestrian sport which jumps fixed fences (or showjumping) that allows a competitor to remount following a fall”.
The working group considered various circumstances when considering if riders could be allowed to continue after a fall, but discounted these for a number of reasons.
These included that it would be “very hard to write a clear and unambiguous rule” defining the difference between a soft and hard fall “if there is such a thing”. The possibility of allowing a rider who landed on their feet to remount was also dismissed, as concussion is not ruled out by such a fall.
In the fall data the group reviewed, only four out of 76 riders definitely remained on their feet, and at least five of the 76 appeared to be unconscious.
“Given the time required to write, implement, judge a rule which would likely have very limited benefit and still some potential downsides the working group recommended that no remounting should be allowed,” added the statement.
“BTC would be the only comparable sport governing body which allows remounting, which means the argument that BTC has fulfilled its duty of care would be hard to prove.
“As a result we feel that the current no-remounting rule will remain in place with ongoing analysis of falls data from each event in an attempt to mitigate against the possibility of a rider suffering a repeat concussive injury whilst they are still highly vulnerable due to a prior potential concussive injury.
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