Comments on: The Helmet Argument

By: katie

katie — Tue, 02 Aug 2016 20:04:13 +0000

In response to Kimberly’s comment – I may not be a fan of helmets, either, but if your horse is not paying attention and correctly responding to your aids, that’s on you and your training and riding, has nothing to do with a helmet.

By: Kimberly

Kimberly — Tue, 24 Nov 2015 12:48:29 +0000

I agree but having it as a mandatory rule isn’t right…. I’ve been riding my whole life and never once used a helmet and just like a month ago i was forced to wear one my horse would even listen right when i did signals he didn’t know who i was with it on…. i believe it should be the parents or adults decision and a ride at your own risk….

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 06 Jul 2014 13:08:33 +0000

The safety standards are in place to protect the novice or beginner rider from unexpecting head injury. The intermediate and advanced rider is very aware that a startled horse can do something unexpected and will wear a helmet. Why not wear a helmet to protect yourself? Helmet hair, hot head, etc can be easily remedied. A brain injury cannot.

By: Galadriel

Galadriel — Sun, 11 Aug 2013 23:08:45 +0000

Great article. And I fully agree with fellow Kiwi, Teri.

By: Catherine

Catherine — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 13:25:04 +0000

I guess I don’t care what issue it is, why do people have to constantly judge & complain about the way other folks do things? If someone wants to wear a helmet, fine. If not, fine. It is sad to me that we feel the need to police each other instead of respect each other.

By: Maddy

Maddy — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:15:15 +0000

I didn’t even read this article,but I only have one argument:All riders should wear helmets!I am a Western rider,and always wear a helmet…it’s not that hard and they aren’t to hot or heavy at all.I have the new Troxel Rebel helmet in the Rocker design.It’s fun,light-weight,and comfortable!I trust that my horse would never do anything to hurt me,but you can never be sure!After being bucked off,getting a concussion,heavily bruised ribs,and a huge fear of that horse and of going faster than a trot,I always wear a helmet!Of course,none of those things scare me anymore,but that is a reminder to any Western riders who think they are too cool for a helmet…(by the way:the horse who bucked me off was a lesson horse who had done the same routine just before I got on)

By: Dana

Dana — Sun, 09 Dec 2012 00:51:39 +0000

Well said…thought hard about how to respond, but Nynka took the words right out of my mouth…
“I used to think that I had a right to choose, and certainly I do, however, my brain is my greatest asset and accidents can and do happen. It doesn’t matter how good you think you are or even how good you actually are, you can still fall off or have your horse come down. As adults, it is also our responsibility to set appropriate examples to those who look up to us. I do not drive without wearing a seat belt and I do not ride without wearing a helmet.”
-Nynka, Canberra, OH

By: Teri

Teri — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 21:43:50 +0000

I’m not in the US but in New Zealand, where we have a far more sensible outlook on helmets (mainly helped by the fact we’re mainly English riders over here). I’m also an horse event photographer (and a first aid first respondent) and the amount of times (on hunts in particular) that I’ve seen people come off and smash their head is terrifying. One girl came off over a spar and even with a good quality safety helmet on was pretty concussed (waiting for the ambulance she had constant memory loss, wondering where she was, she couldn’t identify key facts like the PM of NZ or even her favourite song and every now and then she would just start asking questions, sounding like a lost puppy) and I can’t imagine how much that would have damaged her if she wasn’t wearing a helmet.
Sure, they can eventually get expensive (though I have no doubt you lot in the US get them far cheaper than in lil ole NZ) but they are worth it. I wouldn’t feel safe without a helmet on, whether hacking out in the paddocks, on the hunt field or competing in a local ODE, especially now that I’ve gotten a modern helmet – splashed out a bit for a very light ventilated helmet and it’s been a joy to ride in.
To Sarah17492, there is NO comparison between abortion and wearing a helmet. Abortion is a medically safe process – why do you think in most of the world there is barely an outcry about it? The main reason why the US has such a problem with it is due to their religious beliefs – no matter how many times opponents may claim it’s for the safety of the woman, there is very little risk with a legal abortion (back alley being a different story).
On the flipside, wearing a helmet is a simple safety precaution. There can be veeeery serious effects from not wearing a helmet, mainly around brain damage (which isn’t always as apparent as a broken arm, Amy – as a first respondent who follows up on patients, the amount of times that somebody has looked fine but turned out to have concussion or brain bleeding is terrifying).
I suppose this is a long rant, but I can’t believe that it’s so common that people don’t wear helmets in the US. Even with the prevalence of Western, I can’t imagine a single significant reason not to wear a helmet (especially as even in New Zealand, there are Western-themed helmets available in nearly all saddleries).
For a country that seems so incredibly safety-focused, it amazes me that it’s still common to ride without helmets. Maybe we should introduce some way that if you fall off without a helmet you get sued – maybe that will jolt you into alertness.

By: Marti

Marti — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 05:55:17 +0000

I work in a profession that sees patients all the time for head injuries due to not wearing helments. My comment: Would you rather be pretty and not wear a helment or be dead or paralyed for life. It’s your choice and you can’t make that choice AFTER the accident. Be smart and wear a helmet.

By: amy

amy — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 09:00:41 +0000

i agree that wearing a riding helmet is a safe idea, but i have a cousin who has been bucked off of horses many times and she has never been hurt bad atall. plus wearing a riding helmet isn`t western, so i would much rather wear a simple stetson. but then again , the answer to this helmet argument is that it simpley depends on the rider and the horse. if the horse or rider (or both) are green then there`s a bigger risk involved.