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“The grave yawns for the horseman” *: Equestrian deaths in South Australia 1973–1983
Author(s) -
Pounder Derrick J.
Publication year - 1984
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1984.tb113173.x
Subject(s) - demography , medicine , population , poison control , injury prevention , mortality rate , geography , medical emergency , surgery , environmental health , sociology
The fatalities associated with the riding and handling of horses in South Australia over the 11‐year period 1973–1983 are reviewed. There were 18 deaths, including two sudden natural deaths in the saddle and one drowning. The 15 cases of horse‐related trauma represent a death rate of approximately one per million population per annum. Thirteen of the deaths were the result of a head injury after a fall. Nine persons were not wearing protective headgear. The two principal groups at risk were male professional riders with a mean age of 32 years and female amateurs with a mean age of 19 years.