Let's Discuss: Helmets

Having witnessed and supported a loved one through a traumatic brain injury that could not have been prevented (assault) I personally do not understand why anyone gets on a living, breathing, animal worth over 1000lbs of muscle and independant mind without a helmet. My husband was assaulted and received a contrecube brain injury, from left temporal to right occipital lobe and had to relearn how to walk, talk, speak, dress himself, feed himself and sleep over 2 hours during a six month period. I could not leave him alone during this time as he would wander and thankfully the police and I were able to track him the first time he was lost and prevent a reccurence.

He was left with serious side effects including anxiety, sleep issues, memory loss, fine motor skill loss and more. I also suffered a brain injury falling from my horse WITH a helmet and received side effects including severe headaches, memory loss and double vision for many weeks after.

Luckily my certified, correctly fastened helmet saved MY LIFE. It actually cracked and showed my neurologist the point of impact within the foam. He, my husband and myself are all grateful I wore a helmet as I do every ride, every time. Not to mention the supplier replaced my helmet with a brand new one in order to study my fall. Ride with a helmet- every time- every ride!

I am a firm believer in helmets - I was schooling in the arena, and a friend walked in and said, "Don't you have kids? How can you not wear a helmet?"
Funny, I have not gone without since - not to say kids are the only motivator but seriously - it would be rather irrespnosible not to.
I have even gone to get a friends' helmet when she was riding a rather bratty horse- and said, "seriously, we get to call your mom or husband and tell them we watched this and didn't say anything? No"
Actually cracked my helmet in two places - two long cracks, when I flipped over my horse's head when he tripped.
Horse people are so 'particular' about their horses' care - will someone do things your way if you get hurt?
Of course - it would be good if we were as particular about our own care!
Look after yourself!

yup to above
AND
A coach - who should be certified - must always demand that you wear one in their lesson so why would you take it off after.
Like you said above - LIABILITY.
And a barn owner is asking for a whole load of trouble by not demanding that they are worn on their property regardless of age. Again - Liability!
I used to be stupid and not wear one practicing dressage. Then I fell of a stupid animal not to be named. I was damn lucky no other way to put it.
And now that I have kids of my own I just dont understand not ever wearing one.
I had a friend who fell off cross country, had to be airlifted out. thank god she had her helmet on!! The dizzy spells and warped way of walking (lasted months) was a small price to pay. If she hadnt been properly protected she would not even be alive now.

Can the dressage world start with its junior riders? Under 18's in other disciplines MUST wear ASTM helmets fastened -- the exception is dressage! There is nothing scarier than seeing a lovely young 13 year old trot down center line in a hunt cap. There is rule precedent under the USEF in other disciplines; no reason on EARTH why the dressage division cannot require ASTM certified fastened helmets of all junior riders in USDF/USEF recognized dressage competition. Grow a pair!

They'll make helmets mandatory unless some damn lawyer gets in there - the same one no doubt who lobbied and won the "right" not to wear a motorcycle helmet in Illinois. Lots of organ donors out there on the streets.

Agree with above and above again (Retreadeventer)! It's just silly not to wear won. Are we all adolescents that think we are impervious to injury??? It's simple, they are stylish and save your noggin.

Oh boy do I love this debate, both as an eventer, as a a soon to be lawyer, as I am in law school currently. I strongly support the use of a helmet because my though/favorite little quote I tell people when I'm "lecturing" about helmets is "If you don't got this(I point to my head) you don't got shit." Yes bad words and body language involved but it is the truth. If you hit your head, no matter what you did/were before you will not ever be the same. You might be able to come back somewhat but never function exactly the same. I worked at a dressage barn, with an up and coming star for a trainer, but she refused to wear a helmet. I laid into her and it ended up getting me fired, but still, helmets are a necessity! I saw her get thrown and flipped off a few times all without a helmet. She was lucky her head didn't hit the ground, but still. Luck can only go so far. I just feel its so funny today that many people still don't wear helmets, what with the new comfortable and fashionable styles available. I mean if you want to look pretty you can put "bling" on the helmet. Get over the old tradition of a top hat and be smart with your life! On a side note, as a hopefully soon to be lawyer, I will be on the helmet argument. I really want to make it mandatory!

I have always worn a helmet. It was instilled in me as a kid, and I feel naked without it. Kind of like a seatbelt.

I can understand the argument for tradition in the show ring (although I think riders look fine in helmets at the upper levels), but why not at least use one at home? Are people just vain? Why would you not wear one? I'd love to know the excuses. The only two I can come up with are vanity or because they're hot, and either way, those are bad excuses. Is it laziness? Do people think they're "cool" for not wearing one?

You won't be able to easily change people's minds. People are stubborn and everyone thinks their way is the right way. I just think it's selfish to those around you who might have to deal with the pain when you're dead or severely injured when just putting a helmet on could have made a difference.

Helmets.

In many states there is no requirement to wear a helmet while on a motorcycle. I am a paramedic, and we call those riding without "moving organ donors". It is not "if" it will be needed, but when, and to what extent. All too often, those riders do live, without insurance, and we are asked to pay the bill as tax payers. It would seem to me that it is obvious that all states need to mandate a law to require the wearing of a helmet while riding a motorcycle. The argument about being "a choice" goes out the windows when the same rider is without medical insurance, and the bill ends up on the back of taxpayers.

Unfortunately the disciplines within the equine world seem quite similiar. I was lucky enough to tour Wellington a few weeks ago....my gosh, how fancy, another story. However, it was with a Dressage Trainer, who took me past the show grounds for them. Bragging about the fact that there weren't lose dogs, gulf carts, and the such to "frighten" the horses. I asked about that, and was told, Dressage horses are every bit as fit as your eventers, they are hot horses, and lead quiet sheltered lives. Hmmmm, yet, you ride without a helmet because?

I beleive everyone should be required to wear a helmet during competitions. I believe property owners, trainers, instructors should be the first one's to put on a helmet. Setting a good example. I don't think any discipline should be allowed to not wear them....I cringe at Barrel shows, that have small tots going a zillion miles an hour, with no control, and no helmet. I think the FEI, USEF, and all other groups that have recognized shows need a helmet policy.

I just don't see it happening. Cudo's to those who take the time to put on a helmet, buckle it, and ride into a ring. Regardless of your discipline.

Helmets are a must!! Too many head traumas to mention...I would not be here at all with out one. Most are non-jumping accidents.
Those who think they have the right to not wear one...should not be covered by insurance, and, have to post a self insurance bond for lifetime care if they are permenantly disabled.
Also, If they have a right to not protect themselves I hope charities supporting injured riders will not support their stupidity.

Sigh.

"A Few Good Men" is a really awesome movie.

Wear your damn helmet! If a stubborn twenty-something can get it, so can you! Trust me, your parents (or children!) don't want to visit you in the OR.

I've seen enough dressage mishaps (but nothing serious yet) to convince me that helmets should be worn there too. Top hats are so 1880's.

Just wear the helmet... it's kinda like the new air vests. Sure you could ride upper level (or any level for that matter) cross country without one, but why would you? Accidents can happen at any time to any level of competitor.

as former pony clubber....
Helmets are not an optional piece of equipment.
I'm so thankful that I was taught that from day one, I feel naked w/out it.

Last year a friend of mine was at college exercising some polo ponies. She wasn't wearing a helmet when her horse tripped and fell on her head. She was on life support for a couple days before they pulled the plug.
I used to not think about putting on a helmet. I did it automatically when I got on to ride, but if my trainer wanted me to hop on a horse for five minutes to see if he was a little off or if I was just riding bareback back to my horse's stall, I wouldn't bother to put my helmet on. "If I'm only riding for a few minutes I'll be fine" I thought. After my friend's death, even my trainer started wearing a helmet to ride.
My friend wore a helmet every time I ever saw her ride. She yelled at me once for getting on bareback without a helmet. I don't know why she rode that day without a helmet. Peer pressure maybe? But I know I will never be getting on another horse without a helmet.

You can't imagine what it's like to lose someone close to you to a head injury. I'm not referring only to someone who actually dies as a result. Oftentimes, even though they lived through the accident and by all outward appearances have recovered, often the person they "were" is gone forever. Those not close to the injured person have no idea that you're mourning the loss of a loved one even though their body is still living. I was lucky though, after 9 months of grieving, the man I had married finally returned, but had no memory of the person he had been. No one, the rider or their families should go thru that experience needlessly. Not wearing a helmet while riding a horse is just pure ignorance. So speak up, don't let your friends take the risk. Don't just set an example, insist on them doing the right thing.

Look, there will always be idiots. So they ride at home without a helmet. We can't control that.
But at shows, they can control it and should. But is that going to happen in the dressage world? Probably not. Why? Because I've seen the mentality lately of some dressage riders. It's not the type of dressage person I grew up with. They were decked out to the nines, had gorgeous horses and they just sat on them to look pretty. Is this the majority of dressage riders? I hope the hell not but I'm thinking it is. Wasn't like it used to be. Unless they stick a helmet underneath the pretty top hats and derbies, it ain't gonna happen.
Heck, I've seen the cowboy hats where there's a helmet in there. If they can do it and still look cool, why can't the english riders do the same?
And foxhunters who want to be cool wear the little hunt caps. Talk about dangerous!
Again, there will always be idiots but at organized events, there should be a ruling.
Also, the insurance companies are going to start weighing and have tried in the past. What do you want to bet they are going to try to not pay for med. expenses if you aren't wearing a helmet?

I never used to wear helmets when doing flat work (unless I was riding something that I knew wasn't well-behaved), and one of the girls at the barn was the same way. Well, for some reason, one day when she was getting on a boarder's horse (a horse she had been flatting all week without a helmet), she decided to put her helmet on. Lo and behold, the horse had an absolute meltdown (we had been warned he might have a few screws loose, but I think it was a saddle-fitting issue, since the girl had been using her own saddle until that day) and bucked my friend off into a wall, knocking her unconscious giving her a concussion. I was out on a hack while this happened, and when I came back to the barn, I couldn't find my friend anywhere. I found the horse in his stall with his tack thrown on the ground, tire tracks leading into the indoor, a dent in the wall and an area where clearly, someone had been laying. I don't think i've ever been so scared. Luckily, I was able to get ahold of the boarder on her cell phone and she informed me that my friend was at the hospital getting checked out. Luckily, my friend was ok, but if she had gotten on the horse without a helmet she would have probably been killed. There was a crack in her helmet and a crack in the indoor! I now wear my helmet all the time, and I think that it's stupid NOT to wear a helmet.
However, I also believe that people have a choice. Is not wearing a helmet the smart choice? I don't think so, but I believe that a lot of people feel that wearing a top hat in the dressage is a tradition that they want to be part of. I think more people should step up and wear a helmet, make a new tradition (allison looks fabulous in her helmet!).

As much as I believe wearing a helmet is the right thing to do and do so myself every ride I do not believe in over legislation and the attempt to protect people from themselves. To this end I would not move to make helmets mandatory for adults. Those who do not want to wear a helmet will risk hurting themselves and only themselves. While it's completely stupid on their part I still believe it's up to them.

I guess the original question was "Will governing bodies make helmets mandatory in dressage?" The answer is yes, they will. Just a matter of when. If Courtney's accident had actually occurred during a competition ride and was all over YouTube video, they might have already done so. But the way laws and lawsuits go, changing a rule immediately implies the rule should have been in place in the first place. The "governed" body will need to request/demand the rule change and have it come about that way.

So far, as always, a lot of awesome comments. Each time I read a new comment I feel like I'm persuaded in that direction. I'll wait till later this afternoon to have Theo pick a "first among equals."

As a quick update about the dressage show the bulletin board photo came from, the show was the CDI in Blainville, which is a big WEG and YR qualifier. 6 Grand Prix riders wore their helmets, including Jacqueline Brooks, Denielle Gallagher, Jaimey Irwin, Lauren Sammis Sue Blinks, and Simone Williams. 4 helmet-wearers finished in the top 6.

I find it interesting how everyone will run out and buy new air vests but not wear a helmet. Fashion and fashion. Let's face it riding fashion is funny.

Reading this article in the chron; http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/brat-pack-gave-bomb-proof-whole-new-meaning ; I reminisced about crazy and dangerous days of my childhood, jumping picnic tables on 12.hh ponies, chasing cows, using leadropes as bucking straps and teaching my pony to rear, all witout a helmet or saddle. However helmets those days were really crap. My charles owen is so comfy you don't even know its there. So really what is so hard about wearing a helmet anyways? Maybe if we all wear helmets we can go back to those summer days of galloping in to lakes and jousting with dressage whips ;)

Many good points above.
I started dressage many many moons ago wearing no helmet. I worked polo ponies wearing no helmet. I got into hunters and wore a helmet over fences, but it's safe to say I almost NEVER wore one on the flat.
My daughter started Pony Club over 8 years ago and I don't think I've ridden without a helmet, no matter what discipline, since. It's hard, no, impossible, to explain to your child why she has to wear a helmet and you don't.
I am now lucky enough to be in the eventing world, best world EVER,(after having been in the others)and am so impressed with the overall focus/interest in safety.
It may be "Red on the right, white on the left, insanity in the middle", but we are all well protected when in the "middle". GO EVENTING

I started eventing at age 49 and I always wear my helmet even in the dressage ring.I may be crazy but I'm not stupid.

Colleen-Your comment reminds me of the time in high school when a kid told me "John, I may be stupid but I'm not an idiot"

Theo picks Kate Shearer as the winner of this week's prize in the hope that when I go and get sued for something ridiculous on Eventing Nation she will remember this moment and represent us for free.

Anytime John! Just got to make it through law school and then pass the BAR first. lol! And to think I entered law school just so I could make enough money to continue eventing, and now I love it because I see so many wonderful opportunities that I can/will(hopefully) be able to be a part of. Keep up the great website!