And I believe NY state has a helmet law? I could be mistaken. I was just thrilled that a top barrel racer wore a helmet so I could hold her up as an example to my DD.
I just was watching a barrel race event at my barn… a rated show. Only the kids had helmets… and frankly the adults riding scared me more than the kids. This one lady had a disability… was not able to use her right leg very well. She nearly went flying off around every single turn. Why wouldn’t someone like that at least wear a helmet? All the spectators gasped everytime she shifted out of the saddle… obviously she has mastered the recovery… because she was back in the saddle in a flash.
A lot western events are speed events or involve cattle. There is so much more tack and outside factors involved that can really get you hurt… and the fact that many are backyard trained with very little safety knowledge around horses.
I hope helmets do catch on in this group. At least the majority of the kids I saw in the barrel race did have helmets.
[QUOTE=La Gringa;7831644]
I hope helmets do catch on in this group. At least the majority of the kids I saw in the barrel race did have helmets.[/QUOTE]
At least that is good for your area.
My area? I often am surprised if I see anyone else wearing a helmet. Sometimes a few kids have them on. But more times than not, they don’t.
Actually just went to my first BIG barrel race about a month ago. There were over 300 entries in the open, on each day of the 2-day event. While I did not see every single barrel racer go, I just cannot recall seeing anyone else riding around with a helmet on. Except myself.
I too find it stupid to not wear one, but there is a fine line of respecting a person’s individual personal decision and not force your opinion on them. So unless someone is a close friend that I know well, I do not say anything about their lack of helmet wear. Just as no one tells me my helmet looks stupid. (Usually. I’ve had it happen twice in my life where someone threw a derogatory comment toward me regarding my helmet. One was an adult. One was a roughly 13-year-old kid. Sad situation either way.)
If you’re a barn owner or event organizer, or for any other reason people are riding in any space where their liability might become YOURS, simply REQUIRE helmet use as a stipulation of your insurance. Wanna ride here, put it on. Case closed.
Otherwise, your only recourse is to set the example you want to be by not only wearing your own helmet, but by being a STANDOUT successful equestrian in your discipline WHILE wearing it. Make people want to emulate you. The ideas above about sponsoring a top rider or offering prize money are also good ones.
The WRONG way is to become a finger-wagging, prissy-prating Safety Mom who’s getting in everyone’s grill about their non-helmeted noggins–whatever you may think of it, you’ve got about 160 years of “Cowboy” culture arrayed against you which simply sees no reason to change from their traditional hat. NO ONE wants to listen to blood-curdling stories of brain injury as they’re about to mount their horses, so you’ll just make yourself unpopular. RIGHT, perhaps, but unpopular. :winkgrin:
I also have thought for a long time that a persistent focus on wrecks, injuries, High Drama, and frightening, very negative thinking is far more prevalent on COTH than in the riding (and general) population at large. Simply put, most people, most of the time are not thinking “Don’t run, you’ll fall, don’t ride, you’ll have a TBI.” They do NOT think of everyday horseback riding as “dangerous,” they’re focused on having fun. I think this is healthy and “normal” horsemanship.
What is both unhealthy AND abnormal is to focus constantly on one’s fears of coming to grief, not least the hyperbole about your family managing your vegetative state. Why would one EVER get on a horse, bike, pair of skis if this is their expectation? If this IS something you’re worried about a lot, maybe you should take up knitting and stay away from active sports. Seriously. Riding filled with fear makes accidents self-fulfilling prophecies.
These threads bug me because it wouldn’t take tons of conversation like this to make the insurance companies decide they won’t cover ANY kind of accident sustained, helmeted or not, in “dangerous” sports which would be any of them excepting “spinning” or walking a treadmill on a cardiac monitor with the defibrillator-dude standing by. I’m not looking forward to that day.
local rodeo/gymkana here had mandatory helmets for minors, optional for adults (common insurance requirement for western events here). Local doctor donated a cash prize for a raffle that only adults wearing helmets were given tickets for.
[QUOTE=Lady Eboshi;7831981]
These threads bug me because it wouldn’t take tons of conversation like this to make the insurance companies decide they won’t cover ANY kind of accident sustained, helmeted or not, in “dangerous” sports which would be any of them excepting “spinning” or walking a treadmill on a cardiac monitor with the defibrillator-dude standing by. I’m not looking forward to that day. [/QUOTE]
If we have some idea of the facts and figures to talk about them, I am sure that insurance companies have even better data. They are not going to come across a thread on a forum via google search and go “oh, hey, we forgot all about those folks!” - insurance companies like numbers. What WILL probably do in “high risk” sports is if they become popular enough or there are enough injuries that are severe enough that it really effects the bottom line. As it is, I suspect few enough people engage in high risk sports relative to the total number of people insured that it just isn’t worth it for the insurance company to fret about it too much.
(And I’ve seen plenty of stories here where someone had an accident and one of the things their insurance wanted to know was if it could be blamed on anyone else - so the insurance companies are probably planning on trying to pass the cost to each other, too, in figuring the actual cost of covering someone.)
As far as being afraid - I’m not actually afraid or worried about these things while I’m riding. While you’re actually working with a horse is not the time to be second guessing yourself. You make decisions about safety measures and so on before you are in the situation where you need them, preferably.
(And I only mention things like family taking care of you when people say things like “oh, they know to just pull the plug” like the options will be simple and a TBI will for sure kill you, because if that is what they are expecting then they are not making a decision based on reality.)
I’m sorry, but I get a kick out of people who wear a helmet when riding English, but not when riding western. Riding is riding no matter the discipline, and any horse can spook, trip, or whatever, and be it a short QH or a large WB, hitting the ground wrong isn’t prejudice to one way or the other.
[QUOTE=La Gringa;7831644]
A lot western events are speed events or involve cattle. There is so much more tack and outside factors involved that can really get you hurt… and the fact that many are backyard trained with very little safety knowledge around horses.
.[/QUOTE]
What tack are you talking about? How does “tack” make one discipline more dangerous than the other?
I doubt you will change most western riders minds. Preaching will generally irritate us. Lead by example, make it mandatory for kids and you MIGHT make a change.
I do not ever wear a helmet. I also have an EXTREME phobia of anything around my neck, throat, chin area. I will panic and vomit. I do not ever wear necklaces, turtlenecks or anything tight in that area. Sorry… I also do not think riders are the sole reason for rising healthcare costs. My nephew was sadly a patient at a premier brain and spinal chord injury center. My sister now works there. I ask periodically about how many riding accidents they have treated and, In the last three years, I can count 6. Do you know how many car accidents, wrestling accidents, football and gymnastic accidents there have been?? Numerous!!!
If you gflash back a few dozen years, there was resistance to English riders wearing helmets. First , USEF made them mandatory for juniors, then for all. There was grumbling, but if you wanted to show at any recognized show, you had to wear a helmet. First it was the race track, then the show grounds. If you wanted to play at any sanctioned event, you wore an approved helmet. Period.
This is an option in Western land (and saddleseat land as well). Wear an approved helmet if you want to play. I just hope that USEF (and any other western-event sanctioning body) makes this call without a high profile disaster to light the fire.
I wore a helmet as a kid, only now when I am riding a rank horse, a young horse, or if the owner asks me to. I have been thrown many times never had a concussion from riding, but roller staking I ended up with one. Now if you ask me to wear one in a horse’s stall or when lunging I will laugh. Meredith manor did when I was there for one horrid week. Not all helmet wearing riders are that smart, and neither are non wearing ones either.
Some people, like charliemyheart, are just lucky. Being smart or skilled or experienced has very little to do with it.
I have nearly 60 years worth of experience with horses, all of it taking care of them at home. Last week I was turning the horse I had just ridden loose in the run in shed. Just as I let him go, another horse came over and bit him in the butt. He moved forward, stepped on my foot, and pushed me over backward through the door into the aisle. My head hit the asphalt aisle with an enthusiastic crack. Fortunately, I had not taken my helmet off. So I ordered a new helmet and waited for my elbow and the stepped-on foot to turn purple. Not even an headache, though.
This was a well-behaved 19 year old horse that I’ve had since he was four. I wasn’t even riding.
[QUOTE=Madeline;7845031]
Some people, like charliemyheart, are just lucky. Being smart or skilled or experienced has very little to do with it.
I have nearly 60 years worth of experience with horses, all of it taking care of them at home. Last week I was turning the horse I had just ridden loose in the run in shed. Just as I let him go, another horse came over and bit him in the butt. He moved forward, stepped on my foot, and pushed me over backward through the door into the aisle. My head hit the asphalt aisle with an enthusiastic crack. Fortunately, I had not taken my helmet off. So I ordered a new helmet and waited for my elbow and the stepped-on foot to turn purple. Not even an headache, though.
This was a well-behaved 19 year old horse that I’ve had since he was four. I wasn’t even riding.[/QUOTE]
I know I am taking a risk, but it is my risk to take. I was the kid at the local auction my family went to who would ride anything it came to a point a few horse traders paid me. Now my first winter up north at 18 I am snap, crackle, and pop. I am a smoker as well, and it is my choice, I love motorcycles, and I am basically willing to try anything once. I would rather have a short fun life than a long boring one. Now a good friend’s three year old son if he isn’t wearing a helmet he isn’t riding. Once I have kids the same rules will be in place until they are 18 then it is their choice.
It saved one of my students life. She fell off, easy fall no harm done. But the horse spooked and kicked her sharply in the head. Even with the helmet she had a seizure and lost consciousness. The kick shattered the helmet and she needed 10 (IIRC) stitches in her scalp. She would have been dead without that helmet.
Is fashion worth the increased risk of dying? It was hard enough holding her head out of a puddle whilst she bled on me and seizured while we waited for the ambulance. I can’t imagine if she had died in my arms. Forget what it would have done to her for a moment, what would it have done to me? What would it have done to the younger riders who were there at the time? What would it have done to the horse to have killed a rider?
For those of you who don’t wear a helmet fine, it is your choice. But please quit acting like you are the only one affected. I am sure you life means something to people other than just yourself. And what of your horse, who wants a horse that the last owner died riding, even if it was your own damn fault?
[QUOTE=SportArab;7812083]
I don’t see why people NEED to get other people to do specific things. In my opinion, a person riding in a western saddle without a helmet is FAR safer than a helmeted rider in any type of English saddle. Maybe we should get everyone to ride in Western saddles?[/QUOTE]
IME the opposite is true. Most of my bad falls have been in western saddles as I can’t get out of the way if the horse falls. I feel more trapped in a western saddle.
[QUOTE=spotnnotfarm;7832826]
What tack are you talking about? How does “tack” make one discipline more dangerous than the other? [/QUOTE]
Clothing is much more likely to become caught on a horn. It is much easier to get a foot hung up in a western stirrup… they are much bigger and a small foot can slip through. Rear cinch… when it is adjusted too loose is very dangerous a horse can kick and get leg caught.
Western Tie downs… are so dangerous Many are nylon and don’t break.
Long shanked bits get caught much easier than a D ring hunter snaffle.
There are a lot more potentially hazardous things… and a lot more of it on a western horse than English. I have gotten caught on the horn getting off… fortunately my shirt ripped. That never happened to me in over 30 years of h/j
[QUOTE=La Gringa;7846450]
Clothing is much more likely to become caught on a horn. It is much easier to get a foot hung up in a western stirrup… they are much bigger and a small foot can slip through. Rear cinch… when it is adjusted too loose is very dangerous a horse can kick and get leg caught.
Western Tie downs… are so dangerous Many are nylon and don’t break.
Long shanked bits get caught much easier than a D ring hunter snaffle.
There are a lot more potentially hazardous things… and a lot more of it on a western horse than English. I have gotten caught on the horn getting off… fortunately my shirt ripped. That never happened to me in over 30 years of h/j[/QUOTE]
I disagree I have ridden in both, but grew up riding western I feel safer in a western saddle. Not all riders use back girths, or tie downs, and curb bits I have never in my life heard about or seen a rider get hung up on one, but I have on a full cheek. The horn a shirt deal any good lesson barn will not let you ride unless your shirt is tucked in and your jacket is tight.
The one that got me was when a friend’s horse spooked and ran sideways off the trail. A branch went right through the stirrup… thankfully it was an english saddle and that the horse went sideways and forwards and the whole stirrup leather slid off the saddle.
Over all I feel there is less bits to get stuck on in an english saddle.
To answer you question I would say the only way would be that it is mandatory in competition and that all the top riders wear a helmet.
[QUOTE=Aven;7848107]
The one that got me was when a friend’s horse spooked and ran sideways off the trail. A branch went right through the stirrup… thankfully it was an english saddle and that the horse went sideways and forwards and the whole stirrup leather slid off the saddle.
Over all I feel there is less bits to get stuck on in an english saddle.[/QUOTE]
Then why do we not ride bareback? Because a saddle is suppose to stable us on a horse. I am not trying to be mean, but isn’t the whole point of a saddle to help you stay on. My first in a close contact saddle I ended up flopping around like a fish.
Sounds like people need to worry more about getting their horses broke than the tack they choose to use.
[QUOTE=Raleigh’s Mom;7848269]
Sounds like people need to worry more about getting their horses broke than the tack they choose to use.[/QUOTE]
Well, there’s the whole period of time while the horse is getting training to be more broke… Plus any horse can have a complete doofus moment or trip and fall or something. The tide turned somewhat in dressage because an Olympic level dressage rider wasn’t wearing a helmet and got a severe head injury because her quite sensibly behaving horse slipped and fell while they were not doing anything particularly interesting. (Walking to the arena or going out for a hack or something.) That isn’t exactly someone without skill on a poorly trained or unfit horse, or someone doing something dumb. Good rider, good horse, poop happens.
