First of all, I want to apologize for not getting a trail up for you this weekend. I had a trail ride scheduled, but the person riding with me had something come up and could not go. But I can guarantee you that this weekend will bring a fount of information on a great place to ride. Look for some pre-ride information tomorrow, and lots of pictures to come on Sunday or Monday!
As a filler for my trail ride, I rode Rusty down to a cemetery about two or three miles from my house. I put my boots on and slapped a saddle and bridle on Rusty. But did I wear a helmet? Not this time. I would say that 90 percent of the time, I wear a helmet. The 10 percent of the time that I don't is when I'm riding Rusty on the flat on even terrain. However, I don't usually condone this.
Many people say that to stay safe, you must wear a helmet. I don't like this statement. People do die falling off even with a helmet. However, a helmet is a precaution, likened to a seat belt. Yes, you can still die wearing a seat belt or a helmet, but they can prevent further injury had a person not worn one.
For example, if you're ever on Youtube looking up horse videos, there is a good chance you'll come across memorial videos of Jessica Forsyth. She was a 14-year-old girl who lived in California and died in a riding accident while she was wearing a helmet. Speculation says that Forsyth took her horse over a jump bareback, and since he would bolt after jumps, she used the arena fence to stop him. However, the theory is that the horse's momentum was too great, and he flipped over the fence and landed on her, crushing her skull and neck. Type her name into any search engine and surely you'll find many articles on the accident as well as videos of her riding.
A coma from a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain left Courtney King-Dye, a well-known dressage rider, with months of physical therapy to overcome the damage to her brain. She was schooling her horse when he slipped. She was not wearing a helmet. King-Dye is now a major advocate for helmets and believes the outcome could have been different that day had she been wearing a helmet. In the picture to the left is Courtney King-Dye for reference.
We worry that helmets look stupid to those that don't wear them or that they'll mess up our hair (which they certainly do!), but are either of those excuses big enough to forgo a preventative measure? The safest horse could still have an outburst where the rider fell and the horse stepped on the rider's head. A helmet won't totally prevent injury, but it might prevent your death.
Helmets have gotten more stylish in the past years too, making them not look like big bowls on a person's head. They come in assorted colors now. They are lightweight, allow air to get to your head, and have a stronger foundation to protect you from even the worst scenarios. They also are fairly cheap and still good quality, with schooling helmets being around $30 to top-of-the-line show helmets coming in at $500.
Before I show you some of my favorite helmets, you should know a few things about helmet care and fitting. You need to measure around your forehead to see what kind of size you need, especially for helmets that do not have a dial fit. When you try a helmet on, make sure it stays on. It should cover part of your forehead. It should not be propped atop your head. It should not be down to your eyeballs, either. When you nod, the helmet should not change position on your head, front to back or side to side. Also make sure that if you do showing there's enough room to fit your hair inside the helmet! Also, never buy a used helmet. You don't know what condition it is really in or what wear it has. One other thing: Make sure the helmet is ASTM or SEI certified or both. These kinds of helmets are allowed in shows and are proven to be beneficial to your protection.
After you buy your helmet, make sure to take good care of it. Don't leave it in extreme temperatures because they can damage the integrity of the materials of the helmet. Also, if you fall off and hit your head, make sure to replace your helmet. After the first fall, their protection is no longer as beneficial. Lastly, make sure to replace your helmet every five years, as the materials do wear.
Now, for some of my favorite helmets.
The Ovation Protege is my current helmet. I absolutely love it. It comes in all different colors with the carbon design on the top - you can get darker, more traditional colors like black or navy or brighter colors like pink or light blue. It comes with a dial fit, and the helmet has Coolmax technology in the liner. The liner is also washable, and the snap on the helmet is designed to stay off of your face. It's got a trendy shape to it and fits well. It runs $35-$40 depending on where you look.
The Charles Owen Jr8 Helmet is a helmet that I have known many people to recommend for showing. It has a shape to it that will frame your face and the suede of the helmet will deter scuff marks from appearing. The helmet is versatile enough for the show ring or even for schooling. This helmet runs at about $150, which is a pretty good value for an excellent show helmet.
The Troxel Spirit Helmet is one of the most economical choices in riding helmets, running about $27. The visor is removable as well as the liners, which are washable. Sizing pads make it easier to adjust for those times where you put your hair up and when you don't. The helmet is about 10 oz., and comes in black or white.
The Troxel Dakota Duratec Helmet was designed in mind for someone who wanted to trail ride. The visor is longer, making it easier to keep the sun out of your eyes. It comes in three rustic colors: mojave, grizzly brown, and trail dust. It has seven vents that are mesh-covered, making it easy for the breeze to get inside your helmet. It weights 12.7 oz., and runs about $50.
If you want your helmet to blend in with the rustic look of a western rider, I would suggest looking at the Troxel Sierra Helmet. This helmet has suede or distressed leather design with many air vents for ventilation. It is also very adjustable and weighs in at 15 oz. This helmet runs about $100.
The Aegis Pony Schooling Helmet was made for little kids who also want to ride! It has a dial fit and vents for air flow. The snap of the helmet can be unsnapped with one hand. This comes in cute little designs like tie-dye peace, blue with ponies, or purple with ponies. This helmet runs at $50. There is also a similar helmet for junior riders from Aegis.
There are also many more helmets available on the market, but I figured these helmets would fit most riders reading this blog, at use and affordability. Many big companies carry these helmets and more similar to them. With the varieties offered, I'd think there's a helmet for every kind of rider!
Click it or ticket (at least for seat belts!),
Kelsey
As a filler for my trail ride, I rode Rusty down to a cemetery about two or three miles from my house. I put my boots on and slapped a saddle and bridle on Rusty. But did I wear a helmet? Not this time. I would say that 90 percent of the time, I wear a helmet. The 10 percent of the time that I don't is when I'm riding Rusty on the flat on even terrain. However, I don't usually condone this.
Many people say that to stay safe, you must wear a helmet. I don't like this statement. People do die falling off even with a helmet. However, a helmet is a precaution, likened to a seat belt. Yes, you can still die wearing a seat belt or a helmet, but they can prevent further injury had a person not worn one.
For example, if you're ever on Youtube looking up horse videos, there is a good chance you'll come across memorial videos of Jessica Forsyth. She was a 14-year-old girl who lived in California and died in a riding accident while she was wearing a helmet. Speculation says that Forsyth took her horse over a jump bareback, and since he would bolt after jumps, she used the arena fence to stop him. However, the theory is that the horse's momentum was too great, and he flipped over the fence and landed on her, crushing her skull and neck. Type her name into any search engine and surely you'll find many articles on the accident as well as videos of her riding.
A coma from a skull fracture and bleeding in the brain left Courtney King-Dye, a well-known dressage rider, with months of physical therapy to overcome the damage to her brain. She was schooling her horse when he slipped. She was not wearing a helmet. King-Dye is now a major advocate for helmets and believes the outcome could have been different that day had she been wearing a helmet. In the picture to the left is Courtney King-Dye for reference.We worry that helmets look stupid to those that don't wear them or that they'll mess up our hair (which they certainly do!), but are either of those excuses big enough to forgo a preventative measure? The safest horse could still have an outburst where the rider fell and the horse stepped on the rider's head. A helmet won't totally prevent injury, but it might prevent your death.
| This helmet fits this girl well. |
Before I show you some of my favorite helmets, you should know a few things about helmet care and fitting. You need to measure around your forehead to see what kind of size you need, especially for helmets that do not have a dial fit. When you try a helmet on, make sure it stays on. It should cover part of your forehead. It should not be propped atop your head. It should not be down to your eyeballs, either. When you nod, the helmet should not change position on your head, front to back or side to side. Also make sure that if you do showing there's enough room to fit your hair inside the helmet! Also, never buy a used helmet. You don't know what condition it is really in or what wear it has. One other thing: Make sure the helmet is ASTM or SEI certified or both. These kinds of helmets are allowed in shows and are proven to be beneficial to your protection.
After you buy your helmet, make sure to take good care of it. Don't leave it in extreme temperatures because they can damage the integrity of the materials of the helmet. Also, if you fall off and hit your head, make sure to replace your helmet. After the first fall, their protection is no longer as beneficial. Lastly, make sure to replace your helmet every five years, as the materials do wear.
Now, for some of my favorite helmets.
 |
| Ovation Protege Helmet |
 |
| Charles Owen Jr8 Helmet |
The Charles Owen Jr8 Helmet is a helmet that I have known many people to recommend for showing. It has a shape to it that will frame your face and the suede of the helmet will deter scuff marks from appearing. The helmet is versatile enough for the show ring or even for schooling. This helmet runs at about $150, which is a pretty good value for an excellent show helmet.
 |
| Troxel Spirit Helmet |
 |
| Troxel Dakota Duratec Helmet |
 |
| Troxel Sierra Helmet |
 |
| Aegis Pony Schooling Helmet |
If you want your helmet to blend in with the rustic look of a western rider, I would suggest looking at the Troxel Sierra Helmet. This helmet has suede or distressed leather design with many air vents for ventilation. It is also very adjustable and weighs in at 15 oz. This helmet runs about $100.
The Aegis Pony Schooling Helmet was made for little kids who also want to ride! It has a dial fit and vents for air flow. The snap of the helmet can be unsnapped with one hand. This comes in cute little designs like tie-dye peace, blue with ponies, or purple with ponies. This helmet runs at $50. There is also a similar helmet for junior riders from Aegis.
There are also many more helmets available on the market, but I figured these helmets would fit most riders reading this blog, at use and affordability. Many big companies carry these helmets and more similar to them. With the varieties offered, I'd think there's a helmet for every kind of rider!
Click it or ticket (at least for seat belts!),
Kelsey
