"If You Can Walk, If You Can Breathe, You Don't Need to Go to Hospital": Psychological Responses of British Horseracing Staff to Occupational Injury

Abstract

Horseracing staff have multifaceted roles, acting as caregivers, skilled athletes, and equine experts, subject to high emotional, physical, and cognitive demands, and an elevated incidence of injury. Racing staff are unlikely to seek support, take time off, or report injuries, and research has yet to explore their lived psycho-emotional experiences. This study aimed to investigate the psychological responses to occupational injury in British horseracing staff. Twelve horseracing staff (two males, 10 females, x̄ age = 37.25 ± 14.12 years) were interviewed about their experiences following a serious injury sustained while working in horseracing. Injuries must have resulted in 21 days of disruption to daily life but could be acute or chronic. Thematic analysis identified four higher-order themes aligned to individual injury experiences: injury impact, emotional responses, injury management, and barriers to help-seeking. Staff highlighted negative impacts on their health and wellbeing, discussing the physical, occupational, and financial consequences and the effect injury had on self-worth and identity. All participants discussed denial, frustration, and guilt, which strongly influenced return-to-work decisions. Horseracing staff took a proactive approach to injury recovery, however, they typically opted for self-management rather than seeking professional medical support. Several barriers to help-seeking were identified, including a lack of trust in medical services, normative expectations of injury within horseracing, and limited awareness of the resources available to them. Strategies to improve employee return-to-work following injury, including national return-to-work guidelines and early-contact training for senior staff, would benefit the sector and align with strategic industry objectives on staff retention.