To be more specific, let’s define “injure out” to mean the inability to perform at any level in the h/j discipline for at least a year, up to and including injuries that require permanent retirement from the sport.
I don’t suppose anyone has researched this question and come up with reliable statistics–but if you had to make a guess based on your experience, what would it be?
“Any level” in regards to performance at shows or lesson H/J? Lessons would be high, as any lesson program dealing with schoolies of some type in any discipline. Performance? Injury from competition or indirectly - OCD, arthritis or suspensory etc.
I suppose I am wondering if you are looking directly for sport related acute injury (such as suspensory) ?
Even suspensory wouldn’t narrow it down – my hunter mare’s suspensory injury came from playing too hard in the pasture after she was retired!!
The question would have to be more precisely defined to get much of a meaningful answer – injuries can happen too many ways.
No doubt. I had a horse permanently injured in a trailering accident, as did my friend with his top Grand Prix horse. Look at Kevin Staut’s mare being retired due to “security failure” aka stall rape at a 5* show.
Any horse can be injured a million ways, small or large, recoverable or not, ways you would never even imagine…aka stall rape.
I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks they actually spend their off time trying to find ways to kill themselves.
It’s kind of an impossible question to answer.
Whenever anyone asks me how/why I could sell my horse, I always say it’s a farm animal who spends all day every day plotting elaborate ways to kill itself. The first time I turn down good money for him will be the day he finally succeeds. LOL
If we narrow the term “injure out” to refer ONLY to injuries directly the result of riding and jumping, either schooling at home or at shows, does that help with estimates? These injuries could be the result of one-time incidents or cumulative wear and tear from work over fences or on the flat. BTW, staceymc and ladyj79, I love your definition of the horse: “a farm animal who spends all day every day plotting elaborate ways to kill itself.” Too true!
Ummmm, most don’t " injure out" in my experience. They step down as they age due to gradual wear and tear and/or are retired as appropriate. A few prove unsound for the job but that usually is evident very early on. Been around a very large number of horses that jump everything from 2’ to 1.5m and only recall a few that suffered acute career ending injuries as opposed to stepping down due to chronic issues caused by high mileage.and age. IIRC those acute injuries were repeat high rear suspensories
Its not like at the track.
Or eventing. Very few horses at H/J shows have injuries resulting in it’s ultimate demise…it can happen, but it’s rare
Of horses just dropping dead on course, yeah, it happens. I can name a few. But even when I was showing every week or my job was literally to go to horse shows, i can’t think of a show I was personally at where a horse suffered a career ending or especially prolonged injury while training or in the show ring.
A lot of horses require rest and rehab of a year or more at some point in their careers. If that weren’t the case, vets would be a lot less busy and rehab facilities would have to rely almost exclusively on the racing industry. I would not be surprised if at least 20% or so of sport horses suffer serious injury at some point - either acute or from repetitive stress. Whether that leads to retirement depends on many factors, but since you also asked about extended time off as well, that’s a very rough guess for you. It would be interesting to pose the question to the big show practices. It would also be interesting to pose this question on the dressage forum. One lameness specialist with whom I’ve worked closely has said that in her experience, dressage horses suffer more injuries than hunter/jumpers.
Agreed. Of course there are catastrophic injuries and freak accidents (and FAR more of those happen in paddocks than in training) that sometimes occur, but by and large IME most well-managed h/j horses keep going well into their late teens or early 20s. That is, of course, if they were suited to the job mentally and physically in the first place.
Even in eventing, unles you’re talking specifically about horses routinely competing at the upper levels, I think you’d find a similar situation. Incidence of singular, career-ending injury pretty low.
Which brings me to a related question: Is it the case that some horses, talented and compliant, can suffer mental “wear and tear,” such that they start exhibiting resistance behaviors like stopping, etc., unrelated to physical pain? In other words, are there talented jumpers, let’s say, who don’t much love the show ring and aren’t particularly driven to win out there, but who do well for a long time–until they “wear out” mentally?
I’ve been in medium sized (<35) to big show barns 50 and up. I think 20% is a good figure for horses that experience at least some loss of time. But fewer then 10% are out a year or more and very, very few that have to end their career solely due to that injury., do recall a couple that were retired because they suffered the injury at an advanced age and were about ready anyway…like a ddft at age 22. I can’t recall any that suffered any serious injury in a class or even when schooling. It’s been suspensories, particularly rear, that caused the longer rehabs and you never can pinpoint exactly when those get started, they cook for awhile before becoming apparent too.
Oh, just recalled one 3’6" Hunter that slid into an oxer on a rainy day, cracking a pole and slicing a shoulder open. She retired him… but a few years later was fox hunting him soooo…not sure that really counts as a career ender.
Yes this can happen. Again, it’s not overwhelmingly common, but it happens.
I think even in those cases, a lot of them are H/J career ending, but not necessarily the end of the horse’s career–they go on to do dressage, or fox hunting, or the like. We had one come through our barn last year who just flat out hated to jump, but was a nice mover and was sold on to a dressage home with an owner who was just tickled to find him.
Yes indeed! And I’ve seen some who decide they don’t want to play at shows anymore, but are complete packers at home. They make excellent advanced school horses, along with some who have maintenance needs that make showing impractical or not in the horse’s best interests.
I will reiterate what I said in my original response: “but by and large IME most well-managed h/j horses keep going well into their late teens or early 20s. That is, of course, if they were suited to the job mentally and physically in the first place.”
The bolded points are key. If you pick the right horse and manage it with excellent horsemanship, it should have a long career.
Much to general a question to be answered with any accuracy, even with the added qualifiers. “Injury” is a generic term.
If you mean “require more than 1 month of stall confinement and/or 6 months of turnout with no riding” my guess would be a very low number — like 1%
An age range seems relevant to the question as well. They all have to retire eventually.
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