Objective: To determine the causes of horse-related injuries in a rural western community.
Design: Prospective identification of persons with horse-related injuries and retrospective interviews with patients or witnesses to determine causes.
Setting: A small rural community in Alberta where the western style of riding predominates.
Patients: All patients presenting to two family medicine clinics or to the Sundre General Hospital emergency department.
Main outcome measures: Factors contributing to the injury as recalled by patients or witnesses, and characteristics of the persons, horses, and injuries.
Results: Two thirds of the 150 injuries were caused primarily by horses and one third primarily by patients risk taking or inattention. The most common horse behaviour that caused injuries was "spooking," but several other behaviours also were identified as primary causes. The injuries were varied and relatively severe. Only one person was wearing a helmet.
Conclusions: Horse-related injuries often are caused by characteristic horse behaviours.