I enjoy reading
posts from my horse folk friends, new and old, on Facebook. Images abound of
people enjoying their horses: trail riding, showing, driving and caring for
their equine partners. But, it worries me to see many of them riding without a
helmet. Safety helmets are not just for kids – although I’ve seen pictures and
videos of children riding without helmets, too.
The American Medical Equestrian Association (AMEA)
and the Safe Riders Foundation reports that sixty percent of deaths due to
riding accidents are a result of head injury. The American Society for Testing
and Materials (ASTM) and the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) has set the
standard for the modern riding helmet. It is well documented that wearing an
ASTM/SEI approved riding helmet saves lives and protects riders from brain
damage in falls from a horse. But sometimes it’s not until a loved one is left
paralyzed, or loses their life, that we are really struck by the reality that
horseback riding is a high-risk activity. The risk can be minimized by the
simple act of putting on a helmet every time we ride and keeping it on even while
dismounted, but handling the horse.
The US Pony Club
reports their head injury rate has been reduced by 29% since they have made
wearing helmets mandatory, and head injuries are fewer among jockeys than
recreational riders since the American Jockey Club began requiring they wear
safety-approved helmets. In Great Britain the hospital admission rate for
riders dropped 46% after helmets became routine gear for English equestrians.
Most equestrian
associations now have rules requiring safety helmets be worn. In Ontario,
Canada it’s the law that individuals under 18 years old must wear helmets while
riding. Parents, trainers or instructors can be fined up to $5000 if a minor is
found not complying with this law.
In the United
States is the use of helmets is self-regulated. The USA Equestrian Federation
requires that all junior competitors in hunter, jumper and hunt seat equitation
must wear ASTM-SEI approved helmets while mounted anywhere on the show grounds.
USEF added a rule in article 1713 for eventing that requires protective
headgear at all levels of competition. The rule states a hardhat must be worn
when riding on the flat. When jumping an ASTM/SEI approved helmet with harness
secure and properly fitted must be worn.
4-H rules vary
from state to state. In Kentucky, all 4-Hers when at a 4-H event are required
to wear ASTM-SEI approved helmets that are secure and properly fitted anytime
they are riding or driving horses. In North Carolina ASTM/SEI helmets are
required in hunt seat, short stirrup, and games when mounted on the show
grounds. In all other divisions approved helmets are strongly encouraged and
approved as optional use.
A helmet should be
examined by x-ray after a fall to be sure the integrity of the helmet is
intact. Many helmet companies will examine a helmet and replace it for a small
fee. Dropping a helmet on a hard surface can also damage it. Any signs of
damage like cracks, dents or holes inside or outside the helmet are reasons
enough to replace it with a new one. Even without obvious bumps and bangs the
lifespan of a helmet is a maximum of five years. A manufacturer’s date is
printed inside the helmet. It is not advisable to buy used helmets since the
integrity of the helmet cannot be guaranteed.
This brings us to
the questions: should we require riders wear helmets when riding on our
property? Are we liable if a rider falls and is hurt or killed while riding at
our facility? Should instructors require their students to wear helmets?
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| Helmets Come in a Variety of styles and Colors |
The dangers of
riding without a helmet is well known, yet people are not using them. The most
commonly heard excuse — especially among young people— for not wearing a helmet
is that they look funny. But equestrian safety helmets have come a long way
since the mushroom styles of the early models. Today they are safer, lighter,
cooler, and more fashionable. By using improved technology manufacturers can
produce helmets with a lower profile and improved fit, thus making them more
attractive as well as more efficient. Helmets also come in a wide range of
colors and styles for every riding discipline.
When all is said
and done the price, around forty dollars, of an ASTM/SEI helmet is cheap
insurance when you weigh it against the consequences of riding without one.
