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The most important piece of tack-READ!

5K views 65 replies 22 participants last post by  Golden Horse 
#1 ·
Ok everyone, what do we see when we go to an English riding event that we rarely if ever see at a Western riding even? Helmets. I'm sharing my freak accident story and I hope that anyone else who has one of these stories or a why a helmet saved me story to please share to help promote helmet safety.
I have gotten a new horse, 15 years old, been there done that attitude, has been used as a family trail horse for most of his life and was a lesson horse for a couple of years too with little 4 year olds riding independently on him. He was sold because he and the previous owner where not working well together, he did what he was told he just was so slow and he'd stop all the time and he was just a potato if that makes sense (no personality). I wanted a barrel horse, not him. Him and I where not working together at first but I slowed down slower than his pace, worked and bonding up with him. Now he is a fast, expressive, and willing to work. I was still in the "fat slow old horse, good luck if you can get him to trot" mindset.
Yesterday I had watched a helmet safety video, I understood, I agreed, but wasn't motivated to pull mine out. I had gone on a 5km ride without a helmet in a completely new area with him, I was fine no problem he was a great horse. This morning I looked at my helmet as I walked out the door and made the excuse "I'm just going for a 10 min walk in the pasture" and left without it. I bridled him and got on him bare back. We walked around, all good. Trotted a few steps, then he started to gallop all of a sudden. I fell upside down off the left side of him. Fell on my right elbow, hit the ground so fast my elbow couldn't support me, it slipped under my back my head hit the ground. My head. Of all the places in my body that could of hit the ground, it was my head. I felt my spine and neck pop and my arm felt like it could of been fractured. I got back on right away I did not even think of a helmet. and walked the horse to the barrel I set out to walk him around and he started to trot at the barrel.
My slow, fat, old, doesn't get spooked by much had turned into a different horse once we got to know each other better. I finished riding and I could hardly take his bridle off my arm hurt so bad to move (funny how it didn't hurt while riding :icon_rolleyes::lol:)

In english riding it seems to be the norm to have a helmet, in western if you wear a helmet there are more people who consider it abnormal and "not what real cowboys and cowgirls do". Are helmets cool, or sexy? lets be honest. No, not really. And there is most definitely pressure (fight with me on it all you want I won't back down) to not wear a helmet because they are not what "real" cowboys or cowgirls wear. But I have been to lots of rodeos and there are so many of them in neck braces and wheel chairs it's not even funny. But a real rider is humble, they are humble because they understand that they are dealing with a 1300lb animal that doesn't speak their language, it's going 50 km/hr, it's more that a 6' fall if you fall, more like 16' if your thrown, and the obvious, the dirt no matter how fluffy it looks, its hard when you hit it going that 50 km/hr

Please wear a helmet, even if you are riding worlds slowest fastest oldest laziest best trained horse there is. I was riding a horse that I thought was just that, and hurt myself.
Before you ride bonk your head against a wall or table, now imagine that X10 and think how good it would be if you where wearing a helmet as you bonked your head, rather than just your hair. :loveshower::wave::falloff:
 
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#3 ·
I've been a helmet wearer every ride for years, coming from an English background, although I do admit shame faced that I did jump on a reiner at an open day, wearing just a baseball cap, I wasn't expecting to ride, but wasn't going to pass up the chance if getting on her.

When the "big one" came what was I doing, jumping, racing cross country, cutting cows? No the accident that would have been so much worse if I had not of been wearing my helmet was mounting a horse in a round pen, a broke horse that went rogue on me. The first responders and emergency staff all agree that my helmet saved me from worse damage than I actually ended up with.

I don't care if it is hot or cold, if you are riding a greenie or a BTDT oldie, what saddle you have, or what you are intending to do, wear the helmet! Many of us have covers to protect our delicate phones, tablets or laptops, once the cover is on it stays on, you don't take it off because "well I'm just walking around the mall" if you can protect that computing power you can protect your own internal computer.
 
#4 ·
Usually wear one. Sometimes don't. I don't wear a body protector, although a broken back would suck. If I value safety above all, I'll stop riding. I tend to push things harder when I wear a helmet, which may negate much of its value.

It comes down to perceived risk versus reward. Many find no reward at all in going helmet-less, so it then becomes a case where ANY reduction is risk becomes enough to justify wearing one always. Others, including me, find a reward in riding without a helmet. Thus I balance the reward I find in not wearing a helmet against my risks - and sometimes wear a helmet, and sometimes do not.

If someone laughs at me for wearing a helmet, which has only happened once, I give them the middle finger salute. ANYONE who wants to wear a helmet should be free to do so without criticism or complaint.

Those of us who find a reward in riding in a cotton hat should also be free to balance what we enjoy doing against the risks that come with it. Everyone who rides for fun takes a risk they do not need to take. I have never convinced my BIL that riding has ANY reward...but it has a reward to me, and that outweighs the risks.

On some days, the reward I find in riding without a helmet outweighs the risk it involves. But I can no more explain that to someone else than I can explain to my BIL why I ride horses.
 
#6 ·
Totally agree! I've been riding for 13 years (10 of those western), and I ALWAYS have worn a helmet.

I had one fall that would have been much worse if I wouldn't have been wearing a helmet. When I was 15, I would ride a little girl's OTTB when he would act up (I think he was too much horse for an 7 year old, but that's another story).

Anyway, one day when I was riding him, he was really testing me. He was bucking and rearing a lot, and I stayed on each time. But then, when we were almost done with the ride, he reared and then right when he landed, he bucked. I lost my balance and came off of him, and I landed right on the back of my head. Almost immediately, I was very sore, but otherwise, I was okay. When I looked at my helmet, it was a mess. It looked like someone took a hammer to it.

I don't care if I look "cool" or not. If (when- we ride horses- we know it's going to happen sooner or later! ;-)) I fall off, I'd rather be as safe as possible.
 
#7 ·
Great OP.

I have to believe the western culture of "I'm so tough, I'm not afraid to take risks, I'm gonna get crazy!" which comes partly from cowboying essentially being a young man's sport, contributes greatly to the "only sissies wear helmets". Shoot, the trainer who started my horse, a Buck Hat, told me a story with a certain pride about how an old broke mare she was riding got spooked by something and threw her over a gate, and she ended up in the ER not knowing how she even got there. I didn't say "if you'd been wearing a helmet instead of your Genuine Vaquero Hat, you might well have just gotten up and dusted yourself off instead scaring your friend who had to wrestle you into the car and drive you to the hospital half to death and costing your insurance company a few grand." But I thought it silently.

When I go into the tack room to pick up my saddle, I pick up my helmet, and hang my cowboy hat on the peg the helmet was on. When I bring my saddle back in I switch my hats. No helmet no ride.

My teacher has had something to do with that. Once I was going to take my helmet off and adjust the chin strap while sitting on my horse and she made me get off to do it. She's absolutely serious about nobody riding without head protection.

All I got left is my brains, don't know what I'd do without them.
 
#9 ·
Great OP.

I have to believe the western culture of "I'm so tough, I'm not afraid to take risks, I'm gonna get crazy!" which comes partly from cowboying essentially being a young man's sport, contributes greatly to the "only sissies wear helmets".
Glad to see that is changing, lots of the toughest cowboys, AKA Bull Riders are wearing helmets, it's good to see an example being set, some barrel riders are also choosing to wear them.
 
#8 ·
It isn't a matter of "looking cool". Certainly not for me, because nothing can make me look cool, and I'm happily at a time of life where looking cool just doesn't do much for me.

I tried putting together a table to explain:



For Rider B, I put in how I feel when I skip wearing a helmet - the "rewards" I gain. I realize that not everyone shares those feelings. I don't expect them to do so. Like the benefits of riding a horse, the reward is not logical. If I used logic, I'd be riding dirt bikes instead. Cheaper, and dirt bikes don't bolt. I don't ride horses because I need to, and I don't ride because it is a practical way to get from A to B. I do it for the emotional rewards of getting out with an animal who, when things go well, becomes my team mate and companion. And emotions are not strictly rational.

I accept the risks of riding because I enjoy riding. I enjoy riding helmetless more...but not so much more that I refuse to ever ride with a helmet. For me, it is a balancing act - risk versus reward. For other people, there is nothing to balance.
 
#11 ·
A helmet felt funny to me for awhile and then I stopped thinking about it at all. It does not detract from my enjoyment of riding one iota. Everyone has their risk vs value assessment to make. I ride alone, which is risky, because I love doing it. I mitigate the risks the best I can, but I'm sure not going to give it up.
 
#12 ·
OP, I'm pretty surprised to hear that you got back on immediately, after hearing your neck and back go 'pop'. that, to me, would have been my body saying, "something bad just happened, be really careful with me".

just a couple of weeks ago one of the ladies at our barn went down to the lower 30 to get her OTTB to bring him up out of the herd to tack up for a trail ride. just like she'd done, without incident, many times before. being in a bit if a hurry, she decided to tie the lead rope into 'reins' on the halter, sidle him up to a big rock and hop on bareback, and ride him up, rather than walk him up.

well, not more than a second or two after her butt hit his back, he started to cut up, seeing the herd meandering off and him left to work. he started to buck/run and off she went, catapulted into the ground head first. fortunately, she landed in one of the few soft spots, but was still unconcious for minutes and spent two days in the ICU for a brain bleed. she is lucky to be alive. a helmet might have meant no hospital stay, no unconciousness. who knows. she is an experienced rider who took a calculated risk and lost. it happens.
 
#17 ·
OP, I'm pretty surprised to hear that you got back on immediately, after hearing your neck and back go 'pop'. that, to me, would have been my body saying, "something bad just happened, be really careful with me".
I'm not the best rider but I'm very confident with horses on the ground and in the saddle. Horses are my passion, I love riding so there was no way I was going to get scared and let it stew and I get more scared. Especially with young horses to train. I was almost shaking I had really scared myself but I needed to live by my rule of "if you fall off get back on".
Ya it hurt and scared me watching hoofs fly over me, but I wasn't unconscious so I knew I could swing my leg over lol. So sore can hardly move tonight though going to take a couple days off riding.
 
#13 ·
I hate helmets. Hate hate HATE helmets.

50 some years ago, when I started riding, the only time we wore them was when we were in a lesson. The stable usually kept a bunch around; black, made of velvet covered cardboard with a useless elastic chinstrap that was always stretched out and tied in several knots in a vain attempt to make it fit. They were always too big, and the brim would come down and rest on your glasses, cutting off any hope of seeing and creating massive headaches. When you fell off, An activity in which I excelled, the helmet always fell off first, and wound up yards away in the dust.

Whenever we weren't in a lesson, we would go out for three hours, bareback, and ride around the scrublands of Southern California completely helmetless. Heaven!

Then, when I was fourteen, my baby sister was born. I took her for her first riding lesson, and what a shock! I was on the rail, watching, and it was unbearable!

There she was, bouncing about on this HUGE animal, laughing like a banshee, with no helmet on at all! I could see daylight between her and her saddle! Her stirrups were flying about everywhere! She could have been killed!!!

I took my next paycheck and bought us each a new helmet; huge, ugly, tan bowling ball helmets, with safety ratings and adjustable harnesses.
They were $50.00 each, a fortune, but from then on we both wore them... At least in lessons...

Now we wear them all the time. They are miles more comfortable than they used to be, but I still hate them.
 
#14 ·
When a man that you know falls off of a motorcycle helmetless, at close to a standstill, (at a traffic light), and his family's life is changed FOREVER, because his DW is now married to a man with a 6 year old mentality, you wear the helmet. Even his toughest biker buddies NOW wear helmets!

OP, glad you are OK!!
 
#19 ·
there is no reason to put up with a helmet this is uncomfortable
This, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the look of Troxel helmets, but my old one used to give me horrible headaches. I bought an English style IRH and it was just so comfortable. I have bought 2 more since then and they all fit beautifully, never have a headache, never worries me at all. There is nothing as evil as a badly fitting helmet, that is why it is so important to try before you buy.
 
#16 ·
I wear a helmet when playing polo or schooling the spoiled for shorter amounts of time.

I do not wear a helmet when doing ranch work all day. I used to. Grew up wearing helmets.

In my late 40s I started getting skin cancers. CancerSSS. Multiple places. I've been whittled on and undergone chemo. My ears look like a nasty cow's who has been on many outfits - each with its' own ear notch.

Since I started wearing either palm leaf hats or my good felts I've not had a spot of skin cancer for 5 years. Yay!

No apologies or excuses. Just a fact.

My dad died of skin cancer. My mother died from the effects of chemo for skin cancer.
 
#21 ·
I'm 53 and had have only really been riding for about 4 years. I have my own BTDT horse now, and she's been great for my confidence (have ridden a number over the past few years that were not!). I ride Western and always wear a helmet now. I understand it's easier for me, at my age w/ no one to impress (though the 2 women I ride with the most wear theirs intermittently.. they often put them on when riding with me :) ). Anyway, I have an oval head so I got the headaches from most I tried. Then ordered my Tipperary online after reading the reviews, and now it's like getting up and brushing my teeth. Totally natural. I'm grateful I don't hate it. In fact in a strange way I take some personal pride in the fact that this sport I've chosen requires certain gear for me as well as for my horse, and I enjoy tacking us both up. Doubt she likes that bit any more than I like that helmet... but she accepts it graciously as part of the 'deal', and I can do the same.

Anyway, another reason I never ride w/o it is that my husband and son both cycle (mountain bike and road bike). Neither of them would ever get on their bikes without a helmet, for which I'm sincerely grateful. They've seen enough wrecks. So, I'm more than happy to play by the same rules. My macabre answer to anyone who remarks (which is rare) is "I want my obituary to read: 'Yes, she was wearing her helmet' " !

In the end of course, it is a personal decision. It just gives me peace of mind when my guys wear the safety gear, and I like providing the same assurance to them that I'm doing everything I can. They appreciate it.
 
#22 ·
I have broken a helmet from a fall before.
Last year a friend and I went to the beach. Nice soft, deep sand. I took my mare for a blast down the sea front, had a great time, got high on adrenaline. My friend had a TB (my mare is x breed and always asks 'Are you absolutely sure you want to go faster?' before changing gaits) who she wasn't confident enough to open up in such an open space. So me, feeling invinceable and having ridden her old boy plenty of times before, offered to let him out down the beach.
I hoped on and, stupidly, dug my heals him and opened him up, totally forgetting that he had been a racehorse, hunter and general speed freak. He also had severe separation anxiety so when he noticed that my mare was out of sight he threw on the breaks, threw up his back legs and spun. Amazing I stayed on. Adredaline pumping I let him gallop back to his buddy.
Then I thought "this is so freaking cool" pulled him around and galloped him away again. This time he said "heck no!" spun on a dime, reared, bucked and bolted. I flew threw the air and landed on my head, hitting the wet, hard as concrete sand and blacking out for a few seconds. When I opened my eyes my friend was standing over me and I couldn't breath. I took 5 mins to gather myself, got really p*ssed off, grabbed her TB, got back on and made him trot nicely back to the float before driving home and then going to work. An hour later I was vomiting and in ED. Sprained neck and concussion. I was out for 8 months.
Next day my friend got my stuff out of the car. My helmet was caved in at the back and split. That could have been my head.

TL:DR - I was an idiot on an ex racer, opened him up, fell on my head on wet sand and broke my bloody expensive helmet. Sprained neck causing 8 months off work and even longer off riding.

Wont wear a body protector though because I'm too round to fit one >_<
 
#23 ·
I personally think that whether one rides with a helmet or not is a personal choice that should be based on what they are comfortable with not based on what others think about it.
I've ridden with helmets and it didn't bother me and I've ridden without helmets and it didn't bother me. I really don't have time for people who want to chastise me for riding without one or making fun of me for wearing one. I also come from a school of thought that is "When it's your time, it's your time" People have crawled out of major wrecks with bruises and people have died choking of a piece of popcorn. I do have a helmet and I wear it when I want to, feel like I should, or when it's required from people who have a right to make the rules as in "it's their property and that's what they want".

Honestly, I have never been around people wearing helmets or been wearing a helmet and see or hear other people making fun. I really don't know if this really happens often or if people are just being self conscious themselves and worrying that someone might.
 
#26 · (Edited)
.....

Honestly, I have never been around people wearing helmets or been wearing a helmet and see or hear other people making fun. I really don't know if this really happens often or if people are just being self conscious themselves and worrying that someone might.
I've never been made fun of (like I said, I'm 53 and am just a casual rider. It would be kind of silly to mock me). I OFTEN have people comment though, when I don my helmet and they are riding w/o. I never bring it up - but somehow the simple fact that I'm strapping it on seems to make people I'm riding with the first time or two nervously explain to me why they don't wear one as if I'm judging them (I'm not. Doesn't even cross my mind. I'm too busy hoping I'm not doing anything too foolish or novice that they are judging!). Happened just a couple of weeks ago when my friend's neighbor rode with us for the first time. I'm never sure what to say! That's when I usually just make the obit joke, and change the subject. :icon_rolleyes: I'm well aware that I'm usually the biggest novice in any group (thankfully I have a horse that can cover for my inexperience and make it less obvious lol). Like I said, though, I have a couple of (more experienced) friends who started wearing them at least part of the time after I got mine. I assure you I NEVER said anything to them! They made the decision on their own.
 
#25 ·
Well, a good baseball cap and sun glasses work great!
I am not going to try and justify, my preference to riding without a helmet, western, except to say the time I almost died of a depressed skull fracture, had nothing to do with horses
I was on a fossil hike, with no helmets recommended by that guide, with the idea we were just hiking along the bottom of a creek drainage, that had steep schale slopes on either side, narrowing as it went along
Without any warning that guide scrambled up on e slope, thus was above me and another couple. As those walls got closer together, no way could anyone above, see where we were below.
Long story short, a rock came tumbling down, and struck me in the back of the head, as I was bent over , looking at some possible finds
I was a mm from death, an still have a depression in my skull
Riding, i am more concerned wreaking my knee replacements, then I am coming off of one of my good horses,hitting my head, so take that risk.
I hate, hAte riding with helmets, always getting that pressure feeling at the back of my head, always being aware it is there, so, A RISK i feel comparable taking, having ridden all my life that way, western, except in my latter years of colt starting, when I wore botha helmet and a vest
 
#27 ·
@Folly
I, too, sort of feel a sense of pride that I have 'gear' for my sport. in actuality, I ride pretty darn sedately most of the time, but when I put my helmet on, I have this silly fantasy of me 'suiting up', just like a REAL horse rider, for the track or the jump arena, or ? just the thought that my sport is dangerous enough to make a helmet a wise choice makes me feel a bit of pride that I do something like that. LIttle old suburban , chubby housewife me.
 
#29 ·
You know... I take it back. I WAS actually mocked repeatedly by the first trainer I ever worked with. He went on-and-on about how they didn't help anything, and he'd rather die from a skull fracture than break his neck etc..., and he smirked and laughed at me about it. Seriously. I didn't enjoy those conversations. His criticism was unprofessional. The guy was a huge fan of a 'certain trainer' with a big YouTube presence, and felt free to 'channel' him and speak directly to his female clients in exactly the same derogatory tone and silly laugh. Anyway, I found the argument ridiculous and moved on to other teachers who respected my adult decision. So, there you go, there actually are those who make fun of us believe it or not!! I'm just old enough to blow it off...
 
#30 ·
I loathe people who ridicule someone for wearing a helmet. There is nothing wrong with taking precautions. I used an Australian saddle for some years because I found it easy to stay on when my horse spooked or bolted, and I'd have been ****** if someone asked if I wasn't 'man enough' to ride an English saddle. I rode English saddles for a while too, but sold them because I was just as happy in my Australian one.



I usually ride western now, using sheepskin. I have a slick seat, slick swell western saddle, and it is also a bit too big for me. I can slide around on it like a skater on ice. The sheepskin shrinks it a little, and makes it VERY easy to stay with my horse. I ride a canter much better now because it helped me to feel the horse in a way slick leather does not! If I had to choose just one item for safety, I'd rate the sheepskin as more effective than a helmet. And of course, I have the option of using both.



If that makes me a wimp, then sign me up. I'm more comfortable, confident and ride better. My HORSE is welcome to judge me, but I don't care about anyone else.

But while I do wear a helmet a lot (always when riding alone), I also have found I enjoy riding without a helmet more than with - a lot more, really. I think that is the part a lot of people cannot identify with or understand. I know there is more risk involved, but I find significant additional pleasure in riding without a helmet. For me, it really does involve a balancing act between risk and reward.
 
#31 ·
For me, it is simple: No helmet - no ride. When I trailer out for a ride and forget my helmet, my horse and I go for a walk instead...

It wasn't always like that, though. There was that one incident almost exactly 29 years ago that changed it: I went to one of those stables that rent out horses and went for a ride with 2 friends (both non riders). They had 2 bombproof ones available and their "hotrod". But, being a teen and feeling invincible, I was "oh no problem, I can handle him". I wish! At one point my pony decided he had enough and bolted home - all on paved roads. I hung on until the last turn, which was almost at a right angle. The pony struggled, but made it while I flew off, landing head first on the road; of course not wearing a helmet... I came to when the barn staff walked to me with the pony in hand and my fellow riders caught up with me... Clambered back on and rode back to the barn... I was extremely lucky, that my head didn't crack open; a bad concussion and an injured neck was all I had... But I don't want to find out if I would be that lucky the next time - no helmet, no ride. Period.

Yes, it felt a bit strange to be the only adult wearing a helmet at open western shows, and the owner of the horse I showed even told me "you don't need one on my horses". But I never got laughed at because I was the only one wearing a helmet and now it's is simply part of me when riding...
 
#32 ·
tinyliny;9419514 my helmet said:
My experience too. I never ride without it any more -- (the photo in my avatar is from a day I spoke at our church's 125th anniversary about life in 1888). Even on long trail rides it is just as comfortable as my favorite hat.

I have a long skinny oval shaped head. If you have a round Charlie Brown head you might find a different helmet more comfortable.
 
#34 ·
My experience too. I never ride without it any more -- (the photo in my avatar is from a day I spoke at our church's 125th anniversary about life in 1888). Even on long trail rides it is just as comfortable as my favorite hat.
I have a long skinny oval shaped head. If you have a round Charlie Brown head you might find a different helmet more comfortable.
That's the exact helmet I use. Sportage. Same here - oval head. And I'm a petite woman, so it appears to have a good wide range of sizes.
 
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