Riders have been urged to take care to protect their skin as the national campaign Sunguarding Sport launches later this year.
The new initiative has been backed by more than 40 national governing bodies including the British Horse Society and the Pony Club.
It aims to raise awareness of sun protection in sport and outdoor recreation, addressing the UK’s rise in skin cancer. Since the early 1990s, rates of non-melanoma skin cancer have risen by 170 per cent, with over 156,000 cases reported a year. This equates to 430 people a day receiving a diagnosis.
Riders are among sports participants receiving higher UV exposure, and many can exceed the recommended exposure limits, increasing their risk of skin cancer.
Sunguarding Sport by the Melanoma Fund is a free resource for participants, spectators, and officials, which while encouraging people to get outdoors, puts sun protection firmly on their radar.
Written by Professor Brian Diffey and Dr Elizabeth Blakeway Manning, the advice includes which sunscreen to use, type of clothing, tips on application and shade, avoiding or dealing with heatstroke, sunburn, heat exhaustion, and dehydration.
Protect your skin
The campaign’s top five tips for protecting yourself from UK exposure include:
- Checking the UV Index: UV radiation cannot be seen or felt, so checking the index can keep you informed. Use sun protection when it reads three or over.
- We can spend hours on the yard and riding each day, so get into the habit of being sun-prepared before you set off.
- Sunscreen can wear, wash, rub or sweat off, so reapply every two hours or more often when around water.
- To avoid a greasy grip, use a sunscreen applicator or clean your palms with a small towel and alcohol gel.
- When removing clothing on a warm day, remember to apply sunscreen to all newly exposed areas of skin.
“With the spotlight on health and welfare, Sunguarding Sport has certainly hit the right note, evidenced by the incredible pre-launch support we have received,” said Michelle Baker, CEO of the Melanoma Fund.
“Our aim is to get all sports and outdoor recreational organisations involved, to help improve sun protection habits and impact skin cancer, because if not, why not.”
The campaign launches on 3 May, when further details can be found at www.melanoma-fund.co.uk
