Sudden death in sport and riding horses during and immediately after exercise: A case series.
Authors: de Solis C Navas, Althaus F, Basieux N, Burger D
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Sudden Death in Sport and Riding Horses During and Immediately After Exercise Between 2018 and 2020, de Solis C Navas and colleagues gathered information on sudden equine deaths during or immediately after exercise through an online questionnaire distributed to the veterinary and equestrian community, ultimately analysing 57 cases with sufficient detail. Eventing emerged as the most commonly affected discipline (40.4%), with Thoroughbreds representing the largest breed cohort (40.4%), though sudden death occurred across multiple equestrian sports and in pleasure horses; crucially, 57.9% of deaths occurred during training or casual riding rather than competition, suggesting existing event-based surveillance systems substantially underestimate the true burden of this problem. In the 28.1% of cases where post-mortem findings or clinical evidence permitted diagnosis, cardiovascular causes dominated (13 of 16 cases), though the authors emphasise that definitive diagnosis was lacking in most cases—a critical limitation when considering prevention strategies. Rider injuries accompanied 22.8% of sudden death incidents, predominantly affecting the extremities, highlighting the safety implications beyond equine welfare. These findings underscore the need for improved post-mortem investigation protocols, better communication between veterinarians and equestrian professionals regarding unexplained collapses, and further research into the cardiovascular vulnerabilities of athletic horses, particularly given the frequency with which sudden death remains diagnostically elusive.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Sudden death in ridden horses is a real welfare and safety concern affecting both equine health and rider safety; veterinarians should be aware of its frequency across multiple disciplines and circumstances
- •Cardiovascular causes dominate confirmed cases of sudden death during exercise, suggesting pre-exercise cardiac screening protocols may warrant consideration for high-risk horses and disciplines
- •Riders face significant injury risk when horses collapse during ridden work; safety measures and emergency response protocols are important given the 22.8% injury rate observed
Key Findings
- •57 cases of sudden death in sport and pleasure horses were analyzed, with eventing being the most common discipline (40.4%) and Thoroughbreds the most common breed (40.4%)
- •71.9% of horses collapsed during exercise while 28.1% collapsed shortly after exercise
- •Cardiovascular origin was identified in 13 of 16 cases (81.3%) where a cause of death could be determined
- •Rider injuries occurred in 22.8% of cases when horses collapsed and died, with extremity injuries being most frequent
- •Death during training or pleasure riding (57.9%) was more common than during competition (42.1%), suggesting official registries underestimate the problem