First safety code to regulate the horse-riding industry

Five years later, TAFE NSW was convicted and fined $300,000 over the death of the former Newcastle Grammar School student who was an inexperienced rider.

On Wednesday, the NSW government will introduce a new draft safety code to regulate the horse riding industry for the first time.

Sarah's mother Juliana and her family have been campaigning since 2009 for the changes in the hope they can help prevent another family from experiencing the same tragic loss.

"In seven years, it has taken my husband Mark and I to discover that there were no regulations in place to prevent the everything-that-could-go-wrong-and-did-go-wrong circumstances that led to Sarah's death," Mrs Waugh said.

"There were no regulations to set minimum standards when dealing with inexperienced riders around horses.

"To see the draft coming out tomorrow is a huge relief to us. We want the industry to comment on it so it will be as good as it can be".

Victor Dominello, the Minister for Innovation and Better Regulation, will on Wednesday open consultation on the new draft NSW Horse Code of Practice.

"This code of practice will assist workplaces to prevent horse-related accidents and fatalities by ensuring that people working with beginner riders are adequately trained," Mr Dominello said.

"On average, one worker in NSW is hospitalised every day due to a horse-related injury. We must redouble our efforts to improve safety across the industry and in particular I commend Juliana and Mark Waugh for their ongoing advocacy on this issue."

Mrs Waugh said she hoped the new code would help improve safety in the horse-riding industry overall.

"The code is the beginning of a tsunami of change in the equine world and contributes to a new culture of safety," she said.

When the Waughs were looking for answers to how and why their daughter died, they discovered there was no regulation of the industry.

Their daughter was given a horse that she was too inexperienced to handle.

Mrs Waugh said the proposed new code would give the horse-riding industry little excuse for ignorance when it came to ensuring the safety of riders.

Sydney District Court heard in 2014 the horse Sarah fell from was hired by TAFE's Western Institute from a supplier and it had competed in a race about six weeks before the accident.

Mr Dominello said that since June 2011 in NSW, there have been almost 2000 workers compensation claims for workplace injuries and occupational diseases relating to horses, costing the scheme $14.3 million.

NSW would become the first state to develop a workplace code of practice to guide employers in the horse industry to reduce risks and meet their safety obligations. There have been 133 deaths in Australia between 2000 and 2014 and 18 per cent involved people under 20.

The draft code tries to ensure the horse and the experience of the rider are matched.

The voluntary code will apply to any person conducting a business or activities involving horses.

The final code is expected to be introduced by October.