Risk factors for horse falls in New Zealand Thoroughbred jumps racing

Legg, Kylie A.; Bolwell, Charlotte F.; Gee, Erica K.; Gibson, Michaela J.; Rogers, Christopher W.

doi:10.1016/j.tvjl.2022.105915

Cited by 2 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…There were two horse fatalities in hurdle races and two in steeplechase races in Victoria during the study period, indicating an overall fatality rate in jumps races of 3.3 per 1000 starts, down from 5.1 per 1000 starts previously reported in Australia between 2012 and 2014 [ 14 ] and 8.3 per 1000 starts reported between 1989 and 2004 [ 15 ]. The fatality rate in this study period is at the lower end of fatality rates reported to be between 3.4 and 14.3 per 1000 starts collated from studies in Australia, the UK and the USA [ 13 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…During that study period, the new rule was invoked in approximately 10% of starts. In New Zealand, a decrease in the rate of horse falls by 30% was observed in the eight seasons following the introduction of a similar rule in the 2011/12 season, with the number of horses who were pulled up during a race increasing linearly at a rate of ten horses per season [ 13 ]. This supported a prior finding in the UK between 1990 and 2010, in which the risk of a horse fall was reduced by 86% for every horse who was pulled up during the steeplechase race [ 35 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The continuation of jumps racing remains the subject of ongoing debate due to the higher risk of fatalities, falls and injuries for horses, compared with flat races [ 11 , 12 ]. The rates of horse fatalities in jumps races in Australia, the UK and the USA have been reported to be between 3.4 and 14.3 per 1000 starts, in contrast to flat races of between 0.44 and 2.5 per 1000 starts [ 13 ]. In Australia, for the 2012 to 2014 racing seasons, the overall fatality rate was 5.1 per 1000 horse starts in jumps races with fatalities in steeplechase races more than 18 times the fatalities in hurdle races [ 14 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Track-, horse- and rider-associated risk factors for horse fatalities, falls and injuries in jumps races have been studied in a number of jurisdictions, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Canada and the USA [ 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Risk factors studied include the track condition, height and type of the jumps, race speed, race distance, number of runners, age and stage of career, and whip use [ 13 , 14 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 ]. Musculoskeletal injury and contact with barriers and other horses have also been identified as key causes of fatalities and falls [ 21 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Musculoskeletal injury and contact with barriers and other horses have also been identified as key causes of fatalities and falls [ 21 ]. Horse falls were reportedly associated with 35–80% of horse fatalities in jumps racing in Australia, the UK and the USA [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of Reported Fatalities, Falls and Injuries in Thoroughbred Horse Jumps and Flat Races in the 2022 and 2023 Jumps Race Seasons in Victoria, Australia

Jeppesen,

Eyers,

Evans

et al. 2024

Animals

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Jumps racing is a form of Thoroughbred horse racing that involves hurdles and steeples and typically longer distances, and heavier weights compared with flat racing, which does not incorporate obstacles. In Australia, jumps racing is carried out only in Victoria, one of eight states and territories. The continuation of jumps racing is contentious due to the higher risk of fatalities, falls and injuries for horses, compared with flat racing. While measures have been introduced by the industry to improve the safety of riders and horses, the rates of fatalities, falls and injuries in horses participating in jumps races have not been collectively reported in Australia since the 2012 to 2014 race seasons. Although information on individual horse fatalities, falls and injuries is published by Racing Victoria in Stewards’ Reports, the data are not aggregated, and so cannot readily be used to assess trends or evaluate the efficacy of safety measures introduced by the industry. The aim of this study was to determine the fatality, fall and injury rates for horses participating in hurdle and steeplechase races in Victoria in the 2022 and 2023 Thoroughbred horse jumps racing seasons compared with horses participating in flat races at the same race meets. Data on horse fatalities, falls and injuries were extracted from the published Racing Victoria race results and Stewards’ Reports for the jumps races (n = 150) and corresponding flat races (n = 157) held at the 38 jumps race meets in Victoria in 2022 and 2023. Overall, horse fatalities, falls and injuries occurred at higher rates in jumps races compared with flat races during the study period. The rate of horse fatalities in jumps races was 3.3 per 1000 starts, with no fatalities in flat races. The rate of horse falls in hurdle races was 24 per 1000 starts and 41.6 per 1000 starts in steeplechase races, comparable with rates previously reported in the 2012 to 2014 seasons. There were no falls in flat races. Horse injuries occurred at a rate of 68.9 per 1000 starts in jumps races compared with 18.8 per 1000 starts in flat races. In hurdle and steeplechase races, veterinary clearance being required following horse injury was 5.4 times (OR 5.4, 95% CI 2.8–10.2) and 7.2 times (OR 7.2, 95% CI 3.3–15.6) more likely, respectively, compared with flat races. The risk of trauma was 4 times more likely in hurdle and steeplechase races (OR 4.8, 95% CI 1.7–13.3 and OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.2–13.4, respectively) and the risk of lameness was increased by 2.5 times in hurdles (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2–5.2) and 5.1 times in steeplechase races (OR 5.1, 95% CI 2.3–11.5), compared with flat races. These findings support concerns about the welfare of horses involved in jumps racing and of the need for further safety measures to reduce these risks.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Comparison of Reported Fatalities, Falls and Injuries in Thoroughbred Horse Jumps and Flat Races in the 2022 and 2023 Jumps Race Seasons in Victoria, Australia

Jeppesen,

Eyers,

Evans

et al. 2024

Animals

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Career profile and pattern of racing for Thoroughbred jumps-racing horses in New Zealand

Gibson,

Legg,

Gee

et al. 2024

Anim. Prod. Sci.

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Context Racing structure and focus for racehorses differs across jurisdictions and is poorly described. In New Zealand and Australia, jumps racing accounts for a small proportion of total Thoroughbred races each year, as opposed to the larger jumps-racing (National Hunt) industry with purpose-bred horses found in the UK and Ireland. Aims This study aimed to describe the career profile and pattern of racing for Thoroughbred jumps-racing horses in New Zealand. Methods Metrics from every horse with a full jumps-racing career (n = 1276, 89% geldings) between the 2005/06 and 2021/22 racing seasons (n = 40,302 starts) were examined. Descriptive statistics, box plots and heat maps were used to describe the data, by using horse age as a proxy for career progression. Key results Jumps-racing horses had a median of 17 flat starts (IQR 9–30) before their first jumps-racing start. The median career of a jumps-racing horse was 3.7 years (IQR 2.3–5.2) and 29 starts (IQR 16–44). Older horses had a decreasing number of flat-racing starts and an increasing proportion of steeplechase-racing starts. However, the majority of horses still had at least one flat-race start per calendar year, often prior to the first jumps race. Most horses had one spell each season (length 194 days, IQR 124–259), and a condensed preparation length over the winter months, with a median of 14 days (IQR 10–21) between starts. Conclusion The career pattern for jumps-racing horses in New Zealand reflects the industry retention of horses with a prior career in flat racing into a secondary jumps-racing career. Successful horses have increased focus on preparation for the winter jumps-racing season. Implications Jumps racing provides a secondary racing career for some flat-racing horses, particularly geldings. This strategy reduces wastage of horses from the industry.

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Risk factors for horse falls in New Zealand Thoroughbred jumps racing

Cited by 2 publications

References 22 publications

Comparison of Reported Fatalities, Falls and Injuries in Thoroughbred Horse Jumps and Flat Races in the 2022 and 2023 Jumps Race Seasons in Victoria, Australia

Comparison of Reported Fatalities, Falls and Injuries in Thoroughbred Horse Jumps and Flat Races in the 2022 and 2023 Jumps Race Seasons in Victoria, Australia

Career profile and pattern of racing for Thoroughbred jumps-racing horses in New Zealand

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