Riding Helmets

the 10 responses below are from many e-mails I have recieved in June 2001
Thank you for the information, but, all persons riding horse in pony club and at my place are required to always wear a helmet and  if I have a little kid around horses I have them hear the helmet while working with the horse so that they do not get kick in the head.   WE do need a couple of new helmets for Kayleen has crack hers by being dismount a couple of times with young horses.

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Hello Simon and Nanette:
      Sorry to hear there was a mishap at your barn.  Happy to hear the
person escaped with no long lasting effects from that accident.  We have a
sign up in our barn that says helmets required.  Of course, we know if the
person is over eighteen we cannot enforce that rule but; at least we make an
effort to try and put the idea in theirs heads.  In England I believe it is
the law at least I know for sure that it is in the B.H.S. Pony Club division.
 Also, the Pony Club over here enforces helmets.  I wonder over the years how
many times peoples' lives have been affected in a life saving situation that
would not have been possible without the helmet?  We had a boarder, although
wearing a helmet, was bucked off and ended up in a body brace for a year.  
Not much fun to hear someone say, "my legs are tingly" and have the Air
Evacuation Helicopter from Sacramento end up landing on your property.  Let's
all try to be as careful as we can out there.

Sincerely,

June Benoit

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Thanks for the forward on "From the Ground Up."
I read that story, and the remarks from others on your web site.
It made me think back years ago to a fall off my first horse -  On landing, my head took the brunt of the fall and I was knocked unconscious.  I sustained only a mild concussion and know the helmet made the difference.  
      Yesterday I went out on a trail ride and it was way too hot for a helmet (almost too hot even to ride!)   As I looked at my helmet and was tempted not to wear it, I thought of Velda's story and put it on afterall.  
I'm going to forward the story to the friend I rode with yesterday who rarely wears a helmet trailriding.  "From the Ground Up" is a good and healthy reminder to us all.  Thanks very much for sharing it.
 Caron
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I have been wearing a helmet EVERY time I ride for the last 6 years. I made the decision to do that because I love my life, and I love my family.

On December 23, 2000, I was taking a dressage lesson as I had done for many years. For no apparent reason, I was suddenly catapulted from my 4 year old 17.1 hand warmblood. He bucked violently with his head between his knees until I was thrown very hard, head first. When I hit the ground, my helmet crackled, and my neck buckled. I laid there for a few minutes, got up, and got back on (not that I wanted to, but I knew I should at least get on and walk him around to keep my fear in check). The next day I had some sore muscles, swelling, and a smashed helmet. I never had to go to the hospital, and I never even had a headache. I still don't know what set my horse off at that moment, but I can tell you I had a great Christmas with my family, BECAUSE I WAS WEARING A HELMET!!!!!

In all my years I have only had that one incident where I was thrown onto my head, and my helmet possibly saved my life. Yes, I do wear it EVERY time, and I was very glad I was wearing it that night!

An amateur dressage rider, Sacramento

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Yes, helmets for riding should be law! sorry, but that's how I personally feel!

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I too had an experience I will never forget and am so very very happy, I had a helmet on too.. I was on a trail ride...I fell off my horse, she tried to jump over me, in doing that used my forearm as her landing pad, but as she went over me she kicked me in the head...BROKE MY HELMET... I was fine, well alive..

I wear mine always

Ann

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Thanks For the short article. As an RN and a rider I always wear a helmet when I ride as well a breeches, boots and gloves. All of these are for safety. We deal with very unpredictable animals that can do major damage. I have worked with injured people thankfully non of them injured by horses. I don't want to be a paralyzed or in a coma for the rest of my life. I wear a seat belt for the same reason. 

Patricia 

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I arrived at the stable just as the paramedics were lifting Velda onto the gurney to take her to the hospital. If this incident doesn't make you decide to wear a helmet, I don't know what will. I'm a physical therapist, and I've seen people with head injuries prevented by helmets, and I have also seen people who could have walked away from their accidents if they'd been wearing one, but are now permanently disabled from a head injury. If you think "hat hair' is a pain, consider the possibility of losing the ability to move or think clearly. It's your choice - make it a good one!

Marilyn

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Hi Simon,
Read the story from Velma.  I don't know her, but also got bucked off 3 weeks        
ago very hard, and was wearing my helmet, which I do even on my 23 year old horse.
Please, from a nurse, have her checked out COMPLETELY, and this mean possibly
a CT scan of her neck.  X-rays can miss a fractured vertebrae.  Because of her
symptom initially, I would get a second opinion from another MD, and get
checked out.  (This is just non solicited advice from a medical professional
in the Trauma business.)  See you soon.

Mary

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I have a couple of helmet stories: 12 years ago my horse fell. No one knows why because no one saw the incident and the last thing I rmember is having breakfast! I don't remember going to the stable and I certainly don't remember getting on the horse. Yes, I was unconscious for 2/3 days in ICU. I was very lucky and ended up with merely some memory loss. No I wasn't wearing a helmet. I wear one now! The other incident is, I was zipping along in an endurance ride, ducked under a tree branch (hazard of riding tall horse) didn't duck low enough and hit the branch! If I hadn't been wearing my helmet I know it would have knocked me off Rocky and that's too for for 48 year old bones to fall.

Bev