UK saddle survey part 3: A pain in the neck? Riders’ perceptions of pain associated with horse riding

Horse riding is popular worldwide, with millions of people participating in the sport. Horses are unpredictable and injury rates in riding are high. Despite this little is known about the potential impact of injury on rider pain and if this influences subsequent ridden performance. This study aimed to evaluate horse riders self-reported experience of pain over the last two competition seasons, identify areas where pain was present and understand how riders manage pain. An online anonymous survey was distributed on equestrian social media sites; 3624 riders completed the questionnaire. Frequency analysis and a series of Kruskal-Wallis analyses with post hoc Mann Whitney U tests identified differences in riders’ history of pain related to riding, medical professionals consulted and if they had ever been advised by a medically trained professional not to ride, by discipline and experience level. Many riders self-report riding in pain; lower back pain was reported by 65% of respondents; upper back, shoulder, feet, and ankle pain were also common. Upper and lower back pain occurred frequently in riders across all disciplines; dressage riders reporting increased pelvic pain while showjumpers and eventers reported increased pain in the foot/ankle region. Most riders did not consult medical professionals when they experienced pain, although international riders were more likely to seek this support. A small percentage of riders (13% Dressage; 15% Showjumping; 16% Eventing) had been given medical advice to stop riding in the last two seasons. The results identify that many riders are riding in pain, but few appear to seek support to address this. Pain can negatively affect rider performance resulting in poor communication to the horse and affecting daily functionality. Further research is needed to understand causal factors of rider pain and to design strategies to manage or mitigate pain to improve rider and equine wellbeing.