NY Times Article: Black Equestrians Want to Be Safe. But They Can’t Find Helmets

[Djones]

I wear the largest OneK they sell. My skull is a big old thing, and my humid sweaty summer hair is a thick and unruly mess. It is hard to stuff my head in that helmet. It is literally the best fitting big-ass long oval helmet i could find regardless of price point. Now my low humidity winter hair fits fine. I can only imagine having thicker hair, braids, etc. There should be safe and accessible options. These are not hair ribbons. They are helmets. What a juvenile and ridiculous comparison.

I am hopeful that riding helmet manufacturers will seek to fill this gap for the evolving riding public.

[AMWookey]

Look, I know that you have difficulty with social cues.

But this is racism.

And while you may be right that a large chunk of the US wants people to hide who they are, which is terrible, demoralizing, dehumanizing and all the things, the rest of the modern world is getting on board with the idea that when you bring your authentic self to the table, you bring your best self.

I work in an organization that for the length of history did not want anyone to bring any kind of authenticity to the game. We now talk about people being authentic, we changed our culture to allow it, and encourage it. If we can figure out how to make those changes for folks in my organization, pretty damn sure we can figure it out in others.

And if you get offended by me telling you that what you are saying is racist, you probably need better self awareness. Because your responses here are racist. Racism isn’t limited to calling someone the n word.

[AMWookey]

I would love to see all the national organizations getting on board! It shouldn’t just be a US led initiative.

[anon15718925]

@Rackonteur

How far is this issue removed from that of little white h/j girls and their mommies putting such big bows on their braids that the judge can’t see their number?

Very far removed. Not even the same issue. Bows are completely optional and just a fashion trend.

Naturally voluminous, curly hair is simply how some peoples’ hair texture IS. There are, yes, different protective styles that can be done, or sure, they can straighten it (which, how damaging can straightening one’s hair be depending on the method used? Straightening hair usually uses at the very least heat and in cases of incredibly curly hair, chemicals, if I’m not wrong.)

@Rackonteur

What would you say about a dressage rider who whined about wanting to compete in a top hat and being required to wear a helmet?

This isn’t even the same issue. And personally I’d say that if that person wants to compete they need to follow the rules outlined by their discipline’s governing bodies, in this case, assuming the dressage rider is an American, that would be the USDF and/or the FEI.

But again, not the same issue, at all. This is an issue where a large group of equestrians with a specific natural hair texture cannot find a basic piece of safety equipment that is often required at most barns and competition venues, to accommodate their natural hair texture. One shouldn’t have to use heat or chemicals to temporarily straighten one’s hair just to participate in a sport. Especially given one is usually expected to wear a helmet every time they’re riding - if someone is riding 4-5 days a week, well, they’re pretty much going to have to keep that hair straightened via potentially damaging processes, indefinitely.

[luvmyhackney]

Because football brings in a profit that more than covers the expensive 1k+ helmets in the larger programs.

In smaller school districts football programs don’t have access to purchase helmets custom and do a one size fits all. I know one player on our local football team that styles his hair differently for football season than the rest of the year due to helmet fit.

[tabula_rashah]

Hopefully there will actually be some studies done on how best to safely accommodate hair not just make helmets bigger, etc.

Also good gravy, the racism in some of the posts on this thread

[Djones]

@luvmyhackney

Because football brings in a profit that more than covers the expensive 1k+ helmets in the larger programs.

You missed my point. Read what I quoted and responded to, please.

[anon15718925]

@luvmyhackney

I know one player on our local football team that styles his hair differently for football season than the rest of the year due to helmet fit.

And riding meanwhile can be a year-round sport even when it’s not the competition season. So, what’s practical for practices starting…when typically, July? So, July and usually ending at the scholastic level in November, that’s four months out of the year for practices, games, etc. Which is still not an insignificant duration of time but it also isn’t year-round.

For equestrians, we could well be talking about a year-round over the course of years need for a specific style.

[TWH_Girl]

Not agreeing in the “importance” of this particular issue is not rasicm. That’s ridiculous. Because you call it such doesn’t make it so.

[AMWookey]

It’s racist in all the ways the poster spoke and equated the problem at hand to other terms. The dismissiveness, the “white girls with bows” as if that actually is anywhere near the idea of black women being told for decades that their natural hair is not appropriate.

Micro-agressions, micro-inequities are all ways BIPOC members of society have been put in, and kept in “their place”, and those are all different levels and forms of racism.

[anon15718925]

That’s how I read it.

I mean, I would hope most of us here have the awareness that, at the end of the day, equestrian sports are just that, a sport/hobby/lifestyle and one that’s out of reach for many, many people at that.

There are absolutely larger problems in the big, wide non-horsey world than this. I don’t read this thread as anyone expressing that THIS single issue is THE most important issue to resolve in society right now. But the equine world has really been grappling the past 3-4 years with increasing diversity, improving inclusion, and making the horse world more accessible.

And those who express opinions similar to the ones expressed by Rackonteur are, yes, part of the problem. It’s not a reasonable comparison - someone’s natural hair to a stylistic choice. Or a protective hairstyle designed to minimize damage to a stylistic choice done just 'cause that person wanted it.

[anon15718925]

@anon15718925

I know a few Black equestrians via some work I’ve done AND I follow them on social media and this is absolutely something they have touched on as a problem with getting specifically their fellow Black equestrians to wear a helmet.

Again.

No, I am not Black. I am not a person of color. But I have listened to the Black equestrians who I am acquainted with. I won’t pretend like I know them well but I’ve spoken to them on the phone a few times and so forth and again, I’ve seen them express their opinions on issues in the horse world.

(EDIT: I don’t mean this in a “I have Black friends” sense. I’m saying - I’ve seen actual Black equestrians discuss this issue and I would trust them to have better knowledge and understanding of it than myself or another pasty-white 'Murican.)

[AMWookey]

Exactly.

The work shouldn’t only be done by BIPOC equestrians. If we want to make a change, we need to listen to their voices and help them amplify it.

I work with numerous employment equity advisory groups, and what I tell folks who want to get involved is that you don’t need to identify with a group to join, but you do have to be ready to listen, and sometimes hear things that are hard, or that may not make “business” sense.

[js]

Don’t some helmet makers offer custom fit helmets?

[Eclectic_Horseman]

Even if they do, it’s the same issue as requiring a haircut. Do you think that beginners should shell out money for a custom helmet before they even know whether they like the sport?

[BigMama1]

@AMWookey

And if you get offended by me telling you that what you are saying is racist, you probably need better self awareness. Because your responses here are racist. Racism isn’t limited to calling someone the n word.

Thank you for stating this so clearly.

[Djones]

@AMWookey

It’s racist in all the ways the poster spoke and equated the problem at hand to other terms. The dismissiveness, the “white girls with bows” as if that actually is anywhere near the idea of black women being told for decades that their natural hair is not appropriate.

It is also concerning when we hear about the need to follow “convention.”

Oh way down yonder in the land of cotton,
Old times there are not forgotten…

[hillary_again]

@js, I don’t think so. The reason: the testing that the helmets go through. It was a thing, years ago, but when we switched over to “approved” helmets, then that went away, since there isn’t a way that a custom fit helmet could go through the certification (testing) process, since by definition, a custom fit is a one-off manufactured for just one set of measurements.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

The way I see it, some hairstyles and helmets are mutually exclusive. As it was pointed out further up (or in the x-post), you can’t expect to wear a beehive with a helmet, no matter how much R&D you throw at it.

So, maybe an entrepreneurial group need to revisit the inflatable collar helmet from years ago as a possible - radical - alternative to a helmet. Until then, people will have to choose between some hair styles and safety, from all backgrounds. As for texture, I use a buff as a go-between over my hair in certain weathers. Keeps it down and stops the helmet rubbing the hair.

[sascha]

@Old_Mac_Donald

As it was pointed out further up (or in the x-post), you can’t expect to wear a beehive with a helmet,

It was also pointed out above that comparing a beehive to the hair and hairstyles we are talking about here is basically racist AF or, more politely, not equivalent.