Why do Air Ambulances airlift horse riders?

Yesterday amateur jockey JT McNamara was airlifted to hospital after sustaining a serious injury when he came off his horse while riding at Cheltenham. Here at The Air Ambulance Service, horse riding accidents are one of our most common call outs. So why are Air Ambulances often called to airlifted horse riders?

1) Horse riding incidents can cause serious neck and back injuries which often need treating at spinal units. Air Ambulances ensure that the rider can get to these specialist units as soon as possible - we aim to take the patient to the hospital that can provide them with the most suitable treatment for their injuries rather than the nearest.

2) We provide advanced medical care at the scene of incidents which means that we can administer lifesaving pre-hospital care before and while the patient is on the way to his or her way hospital. For example, we regularly carry doctors on board our aircrafts: doctors can anaethetise casualties at the scene, inducing them into a medical coma which will help stabilise the patient for the journey.

3) Horse riding accidents often happen in remote locations. Whether it's on a remote farm or out in the fields, it can be difficult for a land ambulance to reach an injured horse rider. An Air Ambulance has the advantage of being able to land in a field close to the patient, meaning that they can get the treatment they need as soon as possible and will soon be on their way to hospital.

So there you go, next time you read one of our rescue missions reports (which can be found on our website!) of an horse riding incident, you'll have a better understanding of just why an Air Ambulance was so vital at such an accident.