| While people are becoming more aware of the need | | | | he does not want to do. |
| for head safety, somehow the equestrian world has | | | | World class dressage riders have been known to lose |
| missed the boat. Cyclists are wearing helmets, | | | | control of their horses, and dressage is the sport |
| worrying about the potential impact should they fall or | | | | where control is of the essence. Jumper riders get |
| be hit by a car. And yet, riders on living, thinking animals | | | | ditched by their horses when they refuse a jump. An |
| seem to forget the risks. | | | | overexcited gaming horse can slip and fall in the middle |
| Horseback riding has one of the highest accident rates | | | | of a pattern, and even a champion pleasure horse can |
| for minor injuries. When entering the Emergency room | | | | stumble, catching his rider unaware. |
| with a broken collar bone or other injury, most doctors | | | | And yet, thousands of adult riders refuse to wear |
| and nurses just sigh when you tell them you ride | | | | helmets. They are hot, they are uncomfortable, and |
| horses. It is an every-day kind of occurrence. | | | | they don't look cool. You name it, and the excuse is |
| Lots of people think of riding motorcycles as being | | | | used. So many riders feel that they would never fall |
| highly dangerous, but in fact, riding horses ranks at | | | | off, or that their horse would never pull anything stupid |
| about the same level! Imagine, on a motorcycle, you | | | | on them. And yet, as a rider becomes more |
| are traveling very quickly with nothing much between | | | | experienced, the risk of injury during a fall tends to go |
| you and the ground. On a horse, you are traveling very | | | | up. This is because it generally takes something a lot |
| quickly with nothing much between you and the | | | | bigger to get them off, and the potential for landing |
| ground. The only difference is that motorcycles are | | | | badly increases with the explosiveness of the situation. |
| controlled by the driver. Horses have a mind of their | | | | All it takes is once, and you could suffer from a |
| own. | | | | serious concussion, or worse. It is a fact that riders die |
| It is easy to forget how quickly things can go wrong. If | | | | every year from head impacts that would have |
| your horse is a quiet animal who rarely startles, you | | | | caused little more than a serious headache if they had |
| might not think that anything could happen. But all it | | | | been wearing a helmet. |
| takes is a sudden noise, or something that catches his | | | | Additionally, as adults, we need to set a good example |
| eye and he could be off and running, leaving you in the | | | | to young riders. How many kids feel that it is perfectly |
| dirt. Even the quietest horse in the world has the | | | | safe to hop on a horse without anything on their head? |
| potential to spook. | | | | How many others can't wait until they are 18 and no |
| When training a performance horse the risk is even | | | | longer need to wear a helmet in the ring? If adults |
| greater. The more fit the horse is, the more likely he is | | | | were more responsible about wearing helmets, |
| to have the athleticism to unseat his rider. Besides | | | | perhaps the young riders would feel more comfortable |
| being fit, he is also more alert and has a higher chance | | | | about protecting their heads. |
| of pulling something stupid in response to good spirits, | | | | You only get one head. It is worth protecting. |
| or even having a temper tantrum over a movement | | | | |