Not trying to start a helmet war, but am actually curious about the rules.-- Poking through articles about the derby, and noticed a photo of one of the trainers ponying a derby horse - I think was was Lukas, maybe? … An older gent on a gorgeous paint horse…Anyways, they looked to be on the track but the trainer had on a plain old cowboy hat. I guess I always thought anyone mounted at the track had to wear an approved helmet? (And I want to add, if this was indeed Lukas and I was still ponying racehorses at his age, I might say screw it to the helmet too- I’m not judging, just thinking ‘huh, I wonder how he gets away with that?’) Are only the jockeys required to wear them?
I saw that too, along with him in a clearly “article of apparel” English riding hat like we used to wear, with no harness.
Figured D Wayne is old enough, and has been around long enough, that he does what he wants. But curious to hear what the actual rules are.
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I agree that at this point in his life and history, D Wayne can wear what he wants on his head.
It’s still an interesting choice, given that his son Jeff suffered a devastating brain injury that destroyed Jeff’s life and eventually ended it prematurely, as a result of a horse accident (not riding).
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Similar to Queen Elizabeth riding with a scarf on her head. Who was going to tell her to wear a helmet?
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I found this article from 2009
This is HISA.
Scroll down to 2293 Equipment
Too true. I wonder if he’s been there helmet-less for so long that no one thinks twice about it lol.
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I’m sure he is far from the only one in his environment. It’s normal.
In fact, where I live, it’s normal among the majority of the horse-riding horse-public.
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Thanks for that! Looks like they are required, but perhaps Mr. Lukas was doing his own thing. Pretty sure he predates the helmet rule, so live and let live I guess.
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Not like he is galloping anything or breezing some over amped race horse…and who s going to scold him? He always has a good looking pony under him too.
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I have to say those pictures make me think less about his helmet and more about the fact that he is still not just riding, but even ponying at the age of almost 90.
Wow.
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That first picture isn’t a helmet. It’s an article of apparel hat. No harness, not thick enough to be protective.
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It’s an accomplishment at any age, and he clearly has an eye for horseflesh. I’m smitten with that paint pony.
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Grandfathered in, lol.
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I wonder if he wants to spend his last living moments on a horse…if a brain injury were to take him, I think he’d tip his (item of apparel) hat and say he had a good life and was happy to end it on (or falling off) a horse.
But yeah, everyone else on every other US track is wearing an approved helmet with chinstrap fastened.
But Coach is Coach. His hunt cap offers little more protection than the old cowboy hat he used to wear. But he can say “it’s a helmet.”
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What type of bit is being used in that picture? It seems to have three curb chains and a very long shank. Nothing I associate with TB horses.
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Not only does it look harsh with the shanks, chains, and running martingale, it’s so rusty.
But I don’t know bits so it could have a decent mouth on it.
@Aussie_2020 Hmmmm… Unforrunately, looking at the rest of the rusty contraption, I sincerely doubt it!
