Horse Injury during Non-Commercial Transport: Findings from Researcher-Assisted Intercept Surveys at Southeastern Australian Equestrian Events.
Authors: Riley Christopher B, Noble Belinda R, Bridges Janis, Hazel Susan J, Thompson Kirrilly
Journal: Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
Summary
# Editorial Summary One quarter of private horse transporters surveyed at southeastern Australian equestrian events reported that their horses had sustained injuries during transit—a significant welfare concern that has received remarkably little research attention compared with commercial transport operations. Researchers conducted on-site intercept interviews with 223 drivers across twelve venues, collecting detailed information about driver characteristics, vehicle specifications, travel practices, and documented injury incidents. Whilst most injuries (72%) resulted from horse behaviour during transport—scrambling, slipping, and inter-horse conflict—the study identified modifiable risk factors including answering mobile phones whilst driving (significantly associated with previous injury) and inadequate pre-transport sleep (trending towards significance at <8 hours), alongside a concerning relationship between trailer age and injury frequency. The heterogeneity of trailer designs prevented meaningful analysis of specific safety features, but the findings suggest that farriers, vets, and coaches should prioritise driver education around distraction and fatigue management, whilst also advocating for more rigorous assessment of how older vehicles contribute to transport-related injuries. Future research standardising trailer specification data would enable profession-specific guidance on vehicle design and maintenance standards for improved equine safety during private transport.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •One in four horses may be injured during private transport to events; assess your vehicle's safety features and loading practices to reduce this risk
- •Driver distraction (phone use) and trailer maintenance and age are modifiable factors associated with injury—prioritize safe driving practices and regular vehicle inspection
- •Most injuries are horse-related rather than equipment-failure or human-error based; focus on loading technique, trailer design, and animal management during transport
Key Findings
- •25% (55/223) of horses sustained injuries during non-commercial transportation
- •72% of injuries were owner-classified as horse-associated (scrambling, slipping, horse-horse interaction), 11% from mechanical failure, and 6% from driver error
- •Answering telephone whilst driving was significantly associated with previous horse injury (p=0.04)
- •Increased trailer age was associated with greater number of injury reports (r²=0.20; p<0.04)