Morrice-West Ashleigh V, Thomas Megan, Wong Adelene S M, Flash Meredith, Whitton R Chris, Hitchens Peta L
Equine Centre, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia.
Melbourne Veterinary School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
Front Vet Sci. 2025 Feb 13;11:1481016. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1481016. eCollection 2024.
Racehorse and jockey incidents on race-days frequently occur together, yet risk factors for their occurrence have historically been investigated separately. Consideration of both horses and humans in tandem is required for a One Health approach to risk reduction. Our objectives were to therefore identify modifiable risk factors for adverse outcomes that are common or conflicting to both horses and their jockeys in Thoroughbred racing.
Australian Single National System records for the 2004/05 to 2018/19 flat racing season were merged with the corresponding Australian Racing Incident Database records. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for the outcomes of racehorse musculoskeletal injury (MSI), racehorse fatality, jockey falls and jockey injury using Poisson regression. Horse-level, race-level, jockey-level and trainer-level factors associated with each adverse outcome during or post-race were identified using multivariable logistic regression.
The incidence of MSI was 21.21 (20.84, 21.59), racehorse fatalities 0.55 (0.50, 0.61), jockey falls was 3.01 (2.80, 3.24), and jockey injuries 1.79 (1.63, 1.97) per 1000 flat race starts. There was a decrease in racehorse MSI and jockey falls over the study period but no change in racehorse fatality or jockey injury incidence. In multivariable analysis, longer race distances and higher caliber races were associated with horse ( < 0.01), but not jockey, incidents. Firmer turf surfaces were associated with greater risk of both horse incidents and jockey falls ( < 0.05). Racehorses that were of older age at their first start, and/or had prior race-day injuries had a greater risk of injury and fatality ( < 0.001, < 0.01, respectively). The most prominent risk factor for jockey fall or injury was a racehorse incident, although overall contributing to a relatively small proportion; 8.6% ( = 42/489) of jockey falls and 15.3% ( = 24/147) of injuries. Jockeys with fewer career starts were at greater risk of falling, and those with a higher percentage of last place finishing positions were at greater risk of injury ( < 0.001).
As there were no conflicting risk factors identified between racehorse and jockey injury, policies aimed at reducing horse injury risk are also expected to benefit their riders.
赛马日的赛马和骑师事故经常同时发生，但历史上对其发生的风险因素是分别进行调查的。采用“同一健康”方法降低风险需要同时考虑马和人。因此，我们的目标是确定纯种赛马比赛中马和骑师共有的或相互冲突的可改变的不良后果风险因素。
将2004/05至2018/19平磅赛马赛季的澳大利亚单一国家系统记录与相应的澳大利亚赛马事故数据库记录合并。使用泊松回归估计赛马肌肉骨骼损伤（MSI）、赛马死亡、骑师落马和骑师受伤结果的发病率比（IRR）及95%置信区间（CI）。使用多变量逻辑回归确定与比赛期间或赛后每个不良后果相关的马匹水平、比赛水平、骑师水平和驯马师水平因素。
每1000场平磅赛马比赛开始时，MSI的发病率为21.21（20.84，21.59），赛马死亡率为0.55（0.50，0.61），骑师落马率为3.01（2.80，3.24），骑师受伤率为1.79（1.63，1.97）。在研究期间，赛马MSI和骑师落马率有所下降，但赛马死亡率或骑师受伤率没有变化。在多变量分析中，更长的比赛距离和更高水平的比赛与马匹（<0.01）而非骑师事故相关。更坚实的草地表面与马匹事故和骑师落马的更大风险相关（<0.05）。首次参赛时年龄较大和/或赛前有比赛日受伤史的赛马受伤和死亡风险更高（分别为<0.001和<0.01）。骑师落马或受伤最突出的风险因素是赛马事故，尽管总体占比相对较小；8.6%（=42/489）的骑师落马和15.3%（=24/147）的受伤事故与此有关。职业生涯参赛次数较少的骑师落马风险更大，而最后一名完赛位置百分比更高的骑师受伤风险更大（<0.001）。
由于未发现赛马和骑师受伤之间存在相互冲突的风险因素，旨在降低马匹受伤风险的政策预计也将使骑手受益。
