A recent study suggests that only 7% of us wear our helmets while grooming our horses. There doesn't seem to be any statistics about how many of wear our helmets while handling horses from the ground at other times, such as feeding and turning out. But, should we have our helmets on when we are out of the saddle as well as in it? There may be some good arguments for wearing a helmet anytime you are near a horse.
If it seems excessive to suggest that wearing a helmet all the time is a safe idea, you need only look at the statistics. Horseback riding itself is cited to be the number one cause of sports-related traumatic brain injuries. Head injuries are most likely from a fall, but they can also happen at any point when we are near a horse.
So, what can a helmet protect us from when we are working with our horses? The most common, “on the ground” injury is a kick. Can you be kicked in the head. Of course, as a horse is going to hit any part of a person’s body that is in the way. One of the most vulnerable positions to be in is behind a rear load horse trailer, just before the doors are closed. But these types of accidents can happen while the horse is being groomed or having farrier work, during veterinary treatments, during breedings, and during every day grooming.
Many people, like veterinarians, vet assistants and even farriers will be resistant to the idea of wearing a helmet while working with horses. You can certainly see why a farrier would not want to wear a helmet while bent over and hot-shoeing a horse on a warm day. But, who is more likely to be kicked or knocked down than a farrier? Vets and their staff too face the same type of hazards.
Professionals like vets and farriers knowingly put themselves in vulnerable situations, but do the rest of us face less risk? Probably not. Many accidents that include head injuries happen while doing something as simple as leading a horse from stable to paddock. Horses spook or play up while being led. Getting knocked over, pushed into something or being hit by a hoof or head is not uncommon. Accidents happen while grooming, lunging and just hanging over the fence or stall door.
In one unfortunate accident, a rider was kicked in the head as she walked behind her horse to hand her helmet, which she had just removed, to another rider. These types of accidents can happen to anyone. Amy Dundas, a Canadian Equestrian team hopefull was killed when a stallion she was handling kicked her in the head and killed her.
Many people don’t wear a helmet when they are driving their horse. Driving can be as hazardous as riding. There are many accidents that involve being run over by a horse hitched to a vehicle, or getting tossed out of a vehicle. Many driving competitions require participants to wear a helmet while they are driving. But, the backyard driving enthusiast might overlook using a helmet because they feel safer behind, rather than on top of the horse.
Non-riding helmet use is catching on with some workers in the horse industry. Some racetracks now require those working in the starting gates to wear helmets. The Think ahead: Safety First is a program is promoting using helmets during non-riding horse activities and hopes that the resistance to wearing helmets while handling can be overcome.
Like riding with a helmet won’t protect you from every injury, and may not even protect you from a fatal head injury, it may lessen the risk. Our heads are vulnerable, and our bodies don’t work well without them. It might be worth considering wearing a helmet all the time. What do you think?
We’re often told we should wear a helmet when we ride. However, there are lots of good reasons not to. Here are the top ten of my many reasons why I won't wear a helmet.
After spending $60 on a wash, cut and blow dry, countless ...
This equine video is a real life experience on how wearing a riding helmet saved a life. Many riders have different opinions on whether using a helmet is necessary. How do you feel about using helmets? Is it required at your barn, ...
Your riding helmet is a very important piece of equipment that helps protect the one part of your body that is very difficult to fix if it gets broken: your brain. Helmets don't require a great deal of maintenance, but they do ben ...
A recent study suggests that only 7% of us wear our helmets while grooming our horses. There doesn't seem to be any statistics about how many of wear our helmets while handling horses from the ground at other times, such as feedin ...
Over the last few months we’ve lost several top riders, and their deaths might have been prevented by wearing a helmet. A new study suggests that equestrians sports account for about 45% of all adult sports related head injuries. ...
Chances are, if you are out shopping for a helmet, you may assume that the more money you spend, the more protection you will be getting. But, according to an independent test done by a Swedish insurance company, that might not be ...
Each time we ride, our helmet is protecting our heads. To make sure we get the optimum protection throughout its lifespan, we need to give it a little respect. Helmets don’t take much maintenance, but there are some things you sho ...
Purchase an ASTM-approved riding helmet made specifically for equestrian sports and you’ll be confident that your head will have good protection if you fall off. But not all helmets are created equal. The Helmet Lab research group ...
3P *Starring Ruth* has captured two spots on the leaderboard joining * Queen Of Hearts. Starring Ruth is a 17.1 hand Friesian mare out of the PythonPonyPalaces stable and was foaled September 7, 2023. She not only was #1 ranked ho ...
DNA testing can tell you a number of things about a horse’s risk of developing a hereditary disease, coat color, genetic markers for speed, temperament and gait and can give some insight into a horse’s breed. In this video, The Cl ...
Here is a story of how a passion for horses led one woman to a life of secrecy and dishonesty. Over twenty years she built a life of glamor and competitive success. But many people asked how she funded her extravagant lifestyle th ...
One of the world’s rarest breeds is the Suffolk Punch. Native to Britain, these stocky draft horses once had pride of place in agricultural work, hauling artillery, pulling public transportation vehicles like busses and towing bar ...
*V For Victory* is entrenched on the leaderboard and still holds the Best Streak with an 18,792 run and a jumpoff record of 29,444 - 19. But two mares have taken over the Top Rank and Highest Jump records. At 16, the 17-hand Crown ...
Get your daily dose of nature with this 49-minute video of wild horses travelling to a water hole in Sand Wash Basin, a BLM managed area in Colorado. The small herd drinks, grazes and swish's flies in the semi-arid desert environm ...
Halloween is just around the corner and it's time to consider costumes for you and your four-legged friends. A recent viral trend is dressing your pet as a ghost. Some sheets and paint are the basis of this costume, and you can se ...
Good riders do what they can to make their horse’s job easier. Especially when jumping, your position can help or hinder your horse as it adjusts its strides and balance between and over obstacles. Here’s a video with good suggest ...