Do YOU wear a helmet?

I have a youngster.. my hat is ALWAYS on.
If I hack out, I wear a body protector.

My old boy, I didn't. Horses are horses but spooking and pratting around were too much effort for him.


Always ride with a hat on. Better safe than sorry, takes two seconds to put on and it's lightweight.

You know, I see riding without a helmet like riding in sneakers or flip flops. Sure, you can do it. Is it smart? Not in the slightest. What if a horse stepped on your foot? What happens if your foot slips through the stirrup? Why would you take the risk? Same goes for helmets. Can you ride without one? Sure. But why would you risk it? I don't know about you, but I see a head injury as way worse than a foot injury.

I've seen people on here who are very vocally "I'm not going to wear a helmet and nothing you can say will make me change my mind" coming down on other people for wearing flip flops or sneakers and I'm left scratching my head. How can they not see the disconnect there?

And for those who say "I have ridden for years without one and been just fine" or "I've never come off a horse"...all I have to say is "It only takes one time hitting your head to turn you into a drooling vegetable."

Anyway, just my two cents.
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Not really anymore. When I was under 18 I didn't have a choice and thought nothing of it. If I ride others horses I always do as I just don't know them as well and why put that on their conscience if I do fall off their horse. I think I'm in more danger of a head injury walking around on the ice covered barn area then riding at this moment. But I do wear it sometimes, like when I started pulling a sled with my horse, kinda figured there would be spaz moments.

But really if your are over 18 it is your own choice. Under 18 and I feel everyone should wear one. When I start showing again of course I will wear one.

I have to wear one at all times when riding at the ranch I belong to, except for during shows I wear a cowboy hat, and when I occasionally take my mare off ranch property for trail rides or camping, I usually choose not to wear one. If I was riding a younger horse or one I'm not as familiar with I'd probably wear one. Like other people said, I don't care if people do or don't wear one, ITS THEIR HEAD! But what I do care about is when people try to shove their views on it down your throat..like when riding with 'helmeted' people who continually talk you down for not wearing one. That makes me want to quit riding with them, not get off and put a helmet on!

I wont ride with anyone not wearing a hat but then again that issue has never come up as I do not know anyone who doesn't wear one.

I have ALWAYS worn a helmet, but lately I've just been wearing a toque out on the trails since it's so cold out. I always wear one for schooling, training and showing, and at this point I feel pretty "naked" if I'm on a horse and not wearing one. I wear a Troxel Venture.

I wear a helmet 98% of the time. I can count on my fingers the times I haven't.

I can't understand why you wouldn't wear a helmet every time, even if they are uncomfortable/bulky/unstylish. Why gamble?
To me, it's like riding in a car without a seatbelt. One of my friends who usually wear a seatbelt was changing her shirt in the backseat and had unclipped the seatbelt. They got into a bad accident, and she was in a coma for months and has been recovering for almost a year now.
I'd rather not take a chance, even on the most placid and laid-back horse, because horses are unpredictable no matter how old or how much experience they have.

This is Courtney King Dye after her head injury from a fall. Go back on YouTube and watch the videos of her before he fall......

I wear one. When I was younger I was in a bad accident and even though I was wearing a helmet (I was working and they made me) I still had a severe head injury. I was riding an old poky trail horse....the kind people who have never been on a horse before get put on when they go for a 1 hour trail ride at a dude ranch. It showed me anything can happen.

2nd accident was over 10 years later after being out of horses for 10 years and I was not wearing a helmet. I still have no memory of what exactly happened just what I was told that both my horse and I went down hard and thank goodness there was 2 other people there that saw it happen.

I'm older now with a lot less bounce and of my 2 horses one is a green broke relatively mellow mare that occassionally spooks at stuff for "fun" and the other is a 12 year old piss & vinegar mare. I have come off both several times and once saw stars even with the helmet. But it allows me to get back on and keep riding.

My daughter has no choice she has to wear one. But if an adult does not wear one that is their choice. My best friend does not wear one and I don't preach to her and she doesn't say anything to me. Which I think is how it should be.