How is it that experienced riders suffer serious head injuries such as brain hemorrhages and even death from head injuries? After all, you would expect that the experienced riders would also be the safest. The answer is that in many cases, the experienced rider was not wearing protective headgear. Did you know that horseback riding has one of the highest injury rates of all sports? In fact, the American Medical Equestrian Association reports that in 1992, there were 74,000 equestrian related emergency room visits and over 200 deaths. One fifth of the emergency room visits and 60% of the deaths were due to head injuries. Whether you’re a novice or an experienced rider, safety equipment is essential and no piece of equipment is more important than your helmet.
You should be aware, however, that while any helmet is better than none, there is a distinct difference between a bicycle helmet and a true equestrian helmet. Equestrian helmets are designed with the height that the rider is sitting above the ground in mind. This is important when you consider how high a rider on a horse is, versus how high a rider is on a bike. The fall, and therefore, the impact is much greater when you fall from a horse. Riders wearing approved equestrian helmets have a far lower probability of head injury than riders wearing helmets designed for other sports.
As adults, it is especially important that we wear helmets to set an excellent example for younger riders. If the parents are not wearing helmets, neither will the kids. Do you have children that are riding? You owe it to them to wear a helmet, wear it properly and wear it consistently. As far as wearing it properly goes, there are several things to consider. First, make sure the helmet fits the head. While this may seem like common sense, it is often neglected, especially in children. Part of the reason is that kids grow fast and parents often try to save money by buying helmets the kids will grow into. This is a mistake. The design of a helmet requires a proper fit in order to absorb the energy of a fall. How do you know it fits properly? Try this test. Place the helmet on the head as it will be worn while riding. Now take your hand and rock the helmet back and forth. If the scalp of the head moves with the helmet and the helmet does not feel too tight, it probably is a good fit.
If you have long hair, it should be secured at the nape of the neck, rather than on top of the head. The helmet should be placed on the head in such a way that the brim of the helmet is approximately 10 degrees above the back of the helmet.
Finally, make sure that the helmet is fitted with a chin-strap which is securely fastened. And, make sure you use it. Always keep your helmets clean so that you can see any wear or damage to the helmet. Any time a helmet touches the ground in a fall and sustains a blow that can be detected on the outside, it should be sent back to the manufacturer for inspection and possible replacement. Do You have an opinion? Send it to us at letters@cowherdsroundup.com and be sure to read all the articles about helmet safety found only in our printed edition!