Sports and recreation
Horseback riding
Estimated population-level acute risk associated with recreational horseback riding.
Base risk estimate
0.05 micromorts per hours
Population-level estimate. Not a personal prediction.
Assumptions
Assumes recreational riding by an adult on a familiar horse in a supervised or trail setting. Exposure estimate based on AHC rider count and estimated average annual riding hours.
Limitations
National rider-hours exposure is estimated, not measured — this introduces substantial uncertainty. Risk varies by rider experience, horse temperament, terrain, speed, helmet use, and activity type (trail vs. jumping vs. racing).
Source notes
Derived from approximately 100 equestrian-related fatalities per year in the US (CDC WISQARS unintentional injury data) divided by estimated national rider exposure (~30 million US riders per American Horse Council 2023, averaging approximately 50 riding hours/year = ~1.5 billion rider-hours). Yields approximately 0.067 micromorts per hour; estimate rounded to 0.05.
Last reviewed
5/31/2024