Injuries resulting from horse riding and motorcycle incidents on farms

Abstract

This article examines the injuries resulting from horse riding and incidents on farms that were treated at Tamworth Base Hospital Emergency Department between 1 September 1997 and 31 August 1998. Of the 384 during this period, 80 involved horses and 68 involved motorcycles (including 10 four-wheeled motorcycles).

Males were predominately injured in motorcycle incidents and both genders were injured with approximately equal frequency in horse riding incidents. The injuries sustained varied depending on the agent involved, with the head, thorax, abdomen and pelvis commonly injured in horse riding incidents. Horse riding incidents also resulted in relatively more internal organ injuries than two-wheeled motorcycle incidents. Injuries sustained while riding four-wheeled motorcycles had a different injury pattern to two-wheeled motorcycles.

The findings of this study reinforce the need for all horse and two and four-wheeled riders to use helmets.