['Equine fatalities during racing continue to be a major welfare concern and falls at fences are responsible for a proportion of all equine fatalities recorded on racecourses.', 'To identify and quantify risk factors for horse falls in National Hunt (NH) racing and to report the frequency of falling and falling-associated fatalities.', 'A prospective cohort study was conducted on 2879 horse starts in hurdle and steeplechase races on 6 UK racecourses. Any horse that suffered a fall at a steeplechase or hurdle fence during the race was defined as a case. Data were obtained by interview and observations in the parade ring and from commercial databases. Multivariable logistic regression models, allowing for clustering at the level of the track, were used to identify the relationship between variables and the risk of falling.', 'There were 124 falling cases (32 in hurdling and 92 in steeplechasing) identified. The injury risk of fallers was 8.9% and fatality risk 6.5%. Duration of journey to the racecourse, behaviour in the parade ring and weather at the time of the race were associated with falling in both hurdle and steeplechase racing. Age, amount of rainfall and going were also associated with falling in steeplechase racing.'] Does a prospective cohort study to investigate risk factors for horse fall in UK hurdle and steeplechase racing?