Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy in this crazy time we are in.
Out of curiosity, how many people wear a helmet when NOT riding, to protect their noggin? When they are doing things like retrieving a horse from its stall/pasture/paddock, grooming, tacking up, lunging, etc?
I’ve been hearing more and more of people sustaining serious head injury while doing non-riding related tasks, and I’m thinking that it’s time to where a helmet when around horses, always.
Thoughts?
I wear one always when riding, most of the time when lunging (although I rarely lunge) and usually put on about halfway through tacking up. If I’m riding more than one, I’ll just leave it on in between horses
I often wear a helmet while tacking up, but not necessarily because I’m thinking about safety. My tack and helmet are kept in the house, so I have to carry it all to the barn, and what better place to carry your helmet than on your head? I usually don’t bother to take it back off when I groom and tack up my horse.
During tornado warnings.
:encouragement:
When it’s cold, I wear it to groom and tack up, because it’s too much bother to wear a warm hat on my head and take it off to put my helmet on immediately before riding. With some horses, if they’re in a certain mood, I’ll wear the helmet when picking their hooves, just in case, and I might be more inclined to leave my helmet on after riding if turning out a horse on a day when his field mates were very frisky. I have to say, I haven’t had an experience with routine tacking that made me say, “wish (or glad) I was wearing a helmet,” but when it comes to my head, better to be safe than sorry.
When chopping up a huge fallen branch with a chain saw. My entire outfit was riding gear.
Helmet, gloves, steel tip old paddock boots and chaps. Only my googles weren’t horse related.
That was my first time with a chain saw, I was really anxious about it even though it’s on the smaller size saw.
Also when bicycle riding in nyc. To me, bike helmets are just wrong! No visor either.
To bike riders I have the odd helmet.
I wear one, with gloves, when turning out, when lunging, holding a horse for the vet, walking a fresh horse in hand… anytime when there is potential for surprises. I don’t wear one tacking up as that is usually a quiet process and the horse is tied up if it is fractious. I came very very close to loosing a finger when a horse pulled back unexpectedly - I misread the situation - and I learned my lesson. I also have three blanks in my memory as a result of concussion. Take care.
I always wear one to ride. I bet it’s been a dozen years at least since I got on a horse without a helmet. I had a fall this summer that would’ve ended much differently without a helmet.
I’m pregnant at moment so not riding but doing a lot of groundwork with my horse. I have been making an effort to wear my helmet while working on the ground. Part of my reasoning is that my husband works away so I am home alone a lot. If I got knocked down and hit my head, it would be a while before someone noticed.
I typically don’t wear helmet to grab horse or for most of tacking up. My routine is to put on riding boots and helmet after saddle and before bridle so I’d say it’s more routine than choice not to wear it. I will put my helmet on prior to loading or unloading any horse I don’t know into trailer.
Me, too.
I usually wear one when catching a horse out in the pasture, especially if it has other horses I’m not very familiar with in it, and I’ll also wear one when hoof picking if it’s a horse that is fiddly or new to me. I put my helmet on for riding before putting on the bridle.
Same as Impractical. More often than not I wear a hat to the stable and swap it for the helmet as soon as I pull out the saddle and gear to tack up.
When I forget I have it on and wear it in the car, which isn’t all that infrequently.
I put my helmet on when I leave the house, which is at least partly because it has a polarfleece liner which covers my ears so it’s warm, a visor so I don’t have to wear a hat and then remember to switch it for a helmet (because I won’t remember), and because wearing it has saved me from getting conked on the head so many times. I have a light helmet for low risk activities, and a more substantial one for when I think I might need it.
Another reason I wear a helmet is because I want my child, other peoples’ children, and all the grandchildren to wear helmets
Bike helmets are designed to protect against different types of impacts than riding helmets. The angles, forces, and typical type of accidents are different falling from a bike vs a horse. They are not a substitute for each other if you want to be properly protected.
I do not generally wear one on the ground. I always, always, always wear one riding, although I didn’t used to do so. If I was handling a young stud colt or a horse who was fractious after stall rest, I would probably consider wearing one on the ground. Also if I was doing groundwork with a particularly green or unhandled horse.
Always.
My routine is to pull out all of my tack and supplies before I ride. Once everything is out, I put on my boots and helmet before grabbing the pony. My sister took a secondary blow to the head on the ground a few years ago it really rattled me. The kick wasn’t even a kick as much as an intense spook while tied. Back in high school I got knocked flat out while brushing a leg and my mare stomped at a fly. Crap happens around horses all the time.
Putting a helmet on at the start becomes second nature after a while. This is a very timely thread because today a boarder’s horse pulled away while lunging. He bolted dragging a leadline in an open arena next to the grooming area where I had a green horse out. It was a bit dicey for a minute and I felt a little bit safer having a helmet as I was navigating the situation.
I try to remember to put one on along with some gloves when loading a horse in a trailer . There’s just something about that process where so much can happen quickly. I can’t say I am 100% but I do try to do it more often than not.
I wear one riding when I am lunging, trailering. My new guy is so quiet I wonder if he is actually breathing sometimes…I rode him yesterday in high winds. Paper cups blowing across his feet, crap all over the place…not even a flinch. I still wear my helmet. You just never know.
I used to do the afternoon feed at a dressage barn in exchange for lessons. There were a few horses there that inspired me to wear a helmet and gloves while handling on the ground. One was a large pony that had been on stall/round pen rest for over a year and was understandably sour about life. It took one trip from round pen to stall with her rearing and those front hooves kept coming towards me at head height no matter how quick I was to bend her away to convince me. Helmet and gloves are a psychological boost for me. I’m calmer, and in turn can calm the horse. Solved the issue with the pony by donning helmet and gloves and arming myself with treats and a dressage whip. Took a few deep breaths as I ascended the hill to the round pen and went in with a big smile and pretended that leading her in was the best part of my whole day. Some preemptive halts and backing and freely dispensed treats as a reward and we had a whole new relationship. lol. I ended up being the only one she DIDN’T rear with.
Maybe I run in circles with an overabundance of young, green, nutty-buddy horses. But I’ve seen more than enough that I always wear a helmet lunging, loading, etc. And always with our draft horses. Our vet knew a family that had full blood drafts for pleasuring driving. One day, one of their children got kicked in the head and died instantly from the blow.
Eta: A while back I was walking on my horse in the indoor when the trainer poked her head in with a puzzled look and asked if I didn’t want my helmet. Realized that I still had my woolly hat on and not my helmet. I about had a heart attack and dismounted immediately. I think that’s the first time in 25 years I’ve forgotten to put my helmet on before mounting.
Good question! I wear one always when riding, but rarely when handling, particularly with my own horses. However, if I am working with a horse who I believe may be higher risk to me on the ground, then I will wear a helmet on the ground as well. Wearing one on the ground though is good practice. Like you, I’ve known people to get concussions working with a horse on the ground too.
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