Helmet Safety?

Barnmouser Ash · Grand Prix

Helmet Safety?

Jackie Cochran · Advanced

I always wear a helmet when riding, and usually when handling the horses (mainly so I won't forget to put it on to ride!)
Back when I trail rode my helmet was as much protection for my head against low branches as from falling.

Barbara F · Grand Prix

I always wear a helmet and I think all coaches and barn owners should strongly encourage their students/boarders to wear them. The best way to do that is to set the example and make wearing a helmet part of barn culture.

For those who don't wear a helmet...why wouldn't you? There's no effort at all involved in plopping one on. It takes one second and we all really need our brain, so why not do what we can to give it a bit of protection?

For those who insist on not wearing one, that's a personal choice, but it always amazes me that the topic is cause for such passionate debate.

Eclipse · Yearling

I always wear one. If for some reason I don't have one I am so paraniod I am going to fall off. And my trainer does not let us ride without a helmet so I do feel very bad at the same time for not riding with a helmet.

justice · Grand Prix

Helmet on for every horse, every ride. No exceptions with my boarders and students while in my yard. Green beans and breeding stallions will also inspire helmet use while handlers are on the ground.

prospect · Advanced

always wear a helmet except when I wear my top hat at a show - now you can only put it on just before entering the ring- my decision and will not argue about it

everyone that rides at our farm must always wear a helmet - or you don't ride.

I saw a girl die because she didn't wear a helmet - she actually died in my arms and I would not be here if not for helmets.

Diamond_Jubilee · Well Schooled

Thats terrible Prospect! I would be scared for life if anything like that happened to me! I always wear my helmet when I ride, but I did do one class at the Royal this year and I wore a top hat. There was some discussion outside the ring, but again I'm an adult and it was my discision. I dont wear one when I drive, and I really should. I always make my nephew wear his (and a protective vest) when he comes on the carriage with me. I should wear one as well...I also dont wear one when handling the breeding stallions/mares...I never thought of it.

tuckermmr · Well Schooled

I'll be the odd man out... I don't wear one unless I'm riding English. I train for a living, for me its part of looking professional. When I started, I always wore one. It's really only been in the last two years that I went from always to almost never. Every now and then I'll slap an English saddle on one of my horses and with that comes a helmet for me (whether its flatwork or jumping). In fact I usually have a completely different set of clothes on if I'm riding English instead of western. My western attire is jeans, button/snap up shirt, belt, and boots (depending on level of training I will add spurs, colder temp or show adds chinks, show or bad hair days adds a hat). I don't ride English enough to justify purchasing a set of breeches, but I usually wear tan/khaki jeans, polo shirt, helmet, and either my tall western boots or ariat terrains with half chaps.
ETA: On my property/horses, if you're under 18 helmets are a must (including any of my relatives), over 18 its your choice (my mom chooses to wear one if she comes riding and that's perfectly fine.)

-- Edited by tuckermmr on Monday 13th of December 2010 01:43:11 PM

Marlene · Advanced

Years ago when I rode as a teen practically no one wore a helmet. We rode bareback all the time and I never hit my head. But getting back to riding in the last year, I'm not nearly as confident or strong, and my horse is a bit kooky at times, plus I ride trails alone, so I have to look after myself. So I have worn my helmet religiously and it's paid for itself by now. In fact I could have saved myself a few weeks of general pain if I had also worn a full suit of armor. A complete miracle I haven't broken anything yet. Right now the good thing about riding in winter is the snow is deep enough to break my fall.lol. Also we've worked through a few issues, but I don't think my horse will ever be 100% reliable, so I'll be wearing my helmet.

I've also had a friend who is a far better rider than I, bite the dust riding a youngster, so that confirmed my decision to stick with a helmet.

I should also mention an acquaintance of mine who used to ride endurance for sport. She went through seven helmets. That's a lot of insurance. However she eventually sustained a permanent brain impairment in a car accident. Her professional career is over as a result, but she still rides for pleasure.

-- Edited by Marlene on Monday 13th of December 2010 02:53:30 PM

-- Edited by Marlene on Monday 13th of December 2010 02:59:48 PM

Emiry · Advanced

At my barn, helmets are a MUST due to insurance reasons. I am also a nervous teen(I get it from my Nan, she's scared of everything, I freak, then learn to get over most things)

Right now, I'm playing a game with helmets, trying to get one to fit me perfectly(expecting my latest one in this week, the one I tried on in the shop was a size to big, but it doesn't look like it will put pressure on bad parts of my head! It is also not a dial fit, so my head was measured.)

On to my real point, I'm using helmets at the barn, and they've been used and stuff, so I'm scared they might be slightly compromised(The barn owner is replacing tack and equipment this year, well starting to. She bought an indoor last year, now we are spoiled)

Nikki Salo · Grand Prix

When I was a kid, I never rode with a helmet, a helmet was something you wore in a hunter class to look the part. When I got my first horse, for whatever reason I purchased a helmet that most likely saved my melon from being splattered all over the place at the age of 14 (sorry for the graphic image, but it could of been that!) and ever since I've worn a helmet riding. This includes while training, as I mainly train western my cowboy hat comes off before each ride and my Tipperary goes on.

I'm sure we all have a graphic/scary story to tell about not wearing a helmet, but I'll tell mine anyway. I was riding my horse down the side of the road (wide shoulder, next to a ditch, down a back country road), headed to my friend's farm literally the 4th farm down from ours when a big white van came speeding up and started to honk. My horse looked back, lost his footing and fell ontop of me in the ditch (filled with water to boot). The neighbor across the road watched it all and said my horse thrashed around to get his feet under him, before jumping out of the ditch with me in tow (foot caught in stirrup), my helmet was totally trashed but I walked away with a minor concussion. My helmet may not of prevented the concussion, but it prevented my skull from cracking open and my melon escaping out of that crack.

Everybody 18 and under must wear a helmet riding if they'll be riding with me.

Emiry · Advanced

I watched my instructor get bucked off yesterday, and was glad that even though the lesson helmet she borrowed from me wasn't the best, at least it protected her head(even if she didn't hit it, and fell in such a way that she just dropped off the horse, and landed nicely on the ground, after falling to the side of the horse).

I've also fallen off a horse like my second month into riding, and even though I really didn't hit my head(it landed on my arm and give me a sprained wrist) if I had hit it hard then I would be glad to have that protection!

Goatgirl · Advanced

Always Always Always.....

I didn't as a child - but then very few people did back then and the english helmets weren't much more than cork....

but now.....i wouldn't think of getting on without.

I've had a lot of crashes over the years...some bad...my helmet has saved me on more than one occasion...
things can go side-ways in a breath...better a sweaty head than a broken brain