# Riding Without A Helmet?



## vivache

I can't remember if it's up to 16 or 18 that you are REQUIRED by law to wear a helmet. But there is a legal limit, at least in VA.


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## rissaxbmth

I tried looking it up but there was nothing that said there is a law if its on my own property and my own horse. It was mainly stating if I rode at a stable or rode someone elses horse.


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## AztecBaby

I'm 14 and I never wear a helmet unless I have to aka at a comp or some other event where it is a rule.

I ride around the streets and through town etc and the cops have pulled over to talk to me about it before and threaten me with fines etc but I just say whatever and keep doing my thing so they don't bother anymore.

So I'm guessing it's not necesserily legal but if it isn't no punishment is being enforced on me.


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## PaintHorseMares

Every area is different, but I don't believe that any helmet laws reach onto your personal property. The best source of local information is your county clerk's office. As far as riding on the roads, your state department of transportation is the place to call.


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## Twilight Arabians

I know out here in Idaho there is no law about it, in shows its required for English riders but not in western(if over 18). I almost never wear one, I will sometimes if I'm going on a trail ride and my horse is having a bad day, but other wise I don't.


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## speedy da fish

In the UK it is required to wear a helment up until the age of 16. If you are having lesson you are required to wear one at all times no matter how old you are. I dont know if it is the same in the US


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## xLaurenOscarx

In Ireland you HAVE to wear it until your 16 and if your doing cross country you HAVE to wear your body protector too.
I think its stupid when people don't wear there hat. It shows how much people value their life if they don't wear it.


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## Speed Racer

When I was younger I thought I was indestructible, too.

A couple of bad falls and a few nasty concussions later, I figured out that wearing a helmet is a smart thing to do. 

I'm a helmet Nazi when it comes to myself. Every ride, every time. No excuses!

Boarding stables and other riding venues are required by their insurance carriers to require helmets on all riders under the age of 16. My trainer goes further, and says on her property it's 18 and under.

If you don't want to wear a helmet, that's your business. I think it's foolish and asking for trouble, but I'm not going to hound people about it. Unless you're under the age of majority, and then I'm going to ask your parents why they don't love you enough to make sure your brain is protected.


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## ridergirl23

im not sure about laws... but at the barn i board at its rule if your under 18. i always wear my helmet, i ride dressage and even in dressage ive seen some bad wrecks.


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## Fowl Play

Silly question: why not just wear it? Maybe the mother in me is rearing it's ugly head, but it only takes one bad fall to ruin your life.


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## Delfina

speedy da fish said:


> If you are having lesson you are required to wear one at all times no matter how old you are. I dont know if it is the same in the US


My instructor doesn't care if you're 92, no helmet = no lesson. 

I bought myself and both of my girls backpacks from the sporting goods store that were intended for softball gear. They have a section for a helmet and tons of other storage areas which are great for snacks, hoof picks, spare lead rope, gloves, sweatshirt and so forth. They have clips on them for hanging, so we can hang them on the fence for easy access. 

Makes traveling between lessons, the barn and so forth very easy. Just grab the backpack and you're out the door and have everything you need.


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## rissaxbmth

I usually do wear a helmet but I left it one time and rode without it


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## rissaxbmth

Fowl Play said:


> Silly question: why not just wear it? Maybe the mother in me is rearing it's ugly head, but it only takes one bad fall to ruin your life.


I do wear a helmet just left it like I stated and my grandparents house was 45 minutes away and I already tacked up my horse and everything when I realized. I have a horse bag with everything I need but I had a lesson the day before and left it in my room.


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## BFFofHorses

I never wear a helmet. It's not that I rhink I'm invincible. I'm prepared for the worst. But, I think that it is MY choice and if I fall then I will face MY consequences. We don't have any horse riding helmet laws here in new hampshire.


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## gypsygirl

^^ but what about your family & friends ?


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## Jump4heaven

You're from Ohio?

Then no, it is NOT against the law. You do have to in shows though if you are under 18 (At least in most shows..) but not pleasure riding.

And if it is? Almost every barn I have gone to (From pretty professional to just small boarding barns) is breaking the law! lol.


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## rissaxbmth

Jump4heaven said:


> You're from Ohio?
> 
> Then no, it is NOT against the law. You do have to in shows though if you are under 18 (At least in most shows..) but not pleasure riding.
> 
> And if it is? Almost every barn I have gone to (From pretty professional to just small boarding barns) is breaking the law! lol.


Yes I live in Ohio.
All the lesson barns I've been to requires it if you're under 18 but when I was boarding they didn't require it. I think that its only if you ride someone elses horse then they make you and you have to sign a waiver so they won't get sued if you fall. On your own private property I didn't think it was required. I just want to make sure I am not a criminal (haha jokes) and if I go out riding on a trail or else where I won't get fined.


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## Jump4heaven

Well you probably know this but if you're trail riding there could be rules about helmets. 

And yeah, I do the whole waiver thing even at my house. Haha. We once almost got sued because a girl was boarding her horse at my house, and she fell of. >.<


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## PaintHorseMares

A quick search of the internet yielded only 2 US states with equestrian helmet laws, New York and Florida.


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## rissaxbmth

I didn't find any thing about it on the internet! Thanks though!

And Jump4Heaven: I didn't know that about trail riding. I only went on a trail ride at a state park here. 
I don't make people sign waivers but I don't let them ride without me leading them on a line no matter how experienced and if they are under age I make their parents watch. I should print out some waivers just to be on the safe side.


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## heyycutter

you have to be over 18 to not wear one where i am. and trust me, you want to wear a helmet.

im over 18 and i used to skip wearing one sometimes, and then one day on my very reliable horse, we took a fall, completely unexpected. my horse and i both fell down a ditch and i broke some of my teeth and cut my face open to a point where my face was bleeding very heavily.
If i wasnt wearing a helmet I would be dead right now.

You really should always wear a helmet.
your doing a dis-survice to yourself by not wearing one that can cost you your life


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## rissaxbmth

heyycutter said:


> you have to be over 18 to not wear one where i am. and trust me, you want to wear a helmet.
> 
> im over 18 and i used to skip wearing one sometimes, and then one day on my very reliable horse, we took a fall, completely unexpected. my horse and i both fell down a ditch and i broke some of my teeth and cut my face open to a point where my face was bleeding very heavily.
> If i wasnt wearing a helmet I would be dead right now.
> 
> You really should always wear a helmet.
> your doing a dis-survice to yourself by not wearing one that can cost you your life


That was the first time I rode without a helmet in about 5-6 years. I know all about falling believe me. I was riding (with a helmet) and my horse tumbled and I fell over her head and landed on my face, almost breaking my nose and my horse almost crushed me.


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## heyycutter

well, im glad you know the cosaquences.
sorry, i just have mom instincts that kick in when i see kids in dangerous situations lol


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## rissaxbmth

heyycutter said:


> well, im glad you know the cosaquences.
> sorry, i just have mom instincts that kick in when i see kids in dangerous situations lol


 Oh no its fine. Its good that you are like that! You aren't stupid about riding and thats good


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## Reiterin

to answer your question,.. it is _probably_ not illegal on your personal property.

to state my opinion on wearing a helmet... all those who Don't wear one have absolutely no concern for themselves or the people who care about them. It only takes one fall to kill you. and you're only kidding yourself if you think it'll never happen to you.


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## rissaxbmth

Reiterin said:


> to answer your question,.. it is _probably_ not illegal on your personal property.
> 
> to state my opinion on wearing a helmet... all those who Don't wear one have absolutely no concern for themselves or the people who care about them. It only takes one fall to kill you. and you're only kidding yourself if you think it'll never happen to you.


I do wear a helmet just the one time I didn't because like I stated P) I left it in my room and my grandparent's house is 45 minutes away.


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## shaker

I have not hit my head riding a horse yet, so I don't wear one riding.

However I fell out of bed one night and hit my head on the night stand so I always wear one when sleeping.:lol:

I feel a little old for it, but I never heard of wearing a helmet when I first rode a horse. The good Ol' days when if a car had seat belts they were decorations, and the box of a pickup was just a roomy back seat.


I make my daughter wear one, but like many things it is a case of do as I say and not as I do. When she gets more experience I will let her have the option though. 

Life is dangerous and unpredictable, and a helmet does not guarantee safety. You can still get hurt or killed while wearing one. IMHO too many people get a false sense of security from helmets and seat belts.


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## Lis

Yes you can still get hurt wearing one but they save a hell of a lot of lives and I'm speaking as a possible one of those lives. Spent years riding, never had a fall that would have hurt my head then I came off onto the top of my head coming out of a bolt. I would have smashed my skull if it wasn't for my hat. I also wear a body protector because I've been on both sides, I was kicked while wearing one and only had a bruise on my ribs instead of having them broken but on the flip side I was an idiot and didn't wear one when I was on a jumping lesson and riding a known bucker, I came off and broke my shoulder which I wouldn't have if I'd wore the body protector. It takes one time for something bad to happen and having something like helmet increases your odds of surviving without a terrible head injury or indeed just dying. My mum is a special needs teacher and she once taught a little girl who had been a rider and who was severely handicapped but hadn't been like that all her life. One accident without a helmet reduced a bright and capable little girl to someone who could barely understand what they were trying to teach her and would need care for the rest of her life.


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## IheartPheobe

Yeah, same question for me, too. Why not just wear it?
Honestly, I know it seems silly, there's always the whole, "Well, I could die walking across the street," controversy.. But don't you value your life? Seriously, why not just wear it? 
I know this doesn't have much to add to the argument, because it's not riding, haha.. but there's a snowboarder that I used to fallow, and he recently fell WHILE HIS HELMET WAS ON, and got a pretty serious brain injury. He spent four months learning to walk and talk again, trying to regain his sight, and he is still regaining his short-term memory. If he wasn't wearing his helmet, his doctors are sure he'd be dead. And if he wasn't, I don't even want to know what sort of state he would be in. :|


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## shaker

IheartPheobe said:


> Yeah, same question for me, too. Why not just wear it?
> Honestly, I know it seems silly, there's always the whole, "Well, I could die walking across the street," controversy.. But don't you value your life? Seriously, why not just wear it?
> I know this doesn't have much to add to the argument, because it's not riding, haha.. but there's a snowboarder that I used to fallow, and he recently fell WHILE HIS HELMET WAS ON, and got a pretty serious brain injury. He spent four months learning to walk and talk again, trying to regain his sight, and he is still regaining his short-term memory. If he wasn't wearing his helmet, his doctors are sure he'd be dead. And if he wasn't, I don't even want to know what sort of state he would be in. :|


 
Then again it could have been the helmet that threw him off balanced and caused the whole thing. Maybe there would not have been an accident if he had not been wearing a helmet. Or maybe if he did crash with out a helmet and his head was lighter he wouldn't have hit his head because he could lift his head out of danger faster.

Hypothetical the helmet saved my life is nonsense, there is no way to know for sure what would happen if the helmet was not on.

Air bags, seat belts, and helmets are no guarantee to safety but even worse they can and have *caused *injuries.


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## ridergirl23

shaker said:


> Then again it could have been the helmet that threw him off balanced and caused the whole thing. Maybe there would not have been an accident if he had not been wearing a helmet. Or maybe if he did crash with out a helmet and his head was lighter he wouldn't have hit his head because he could lift his head out of danger faster.
> 
> Hypothetical the helmet saved my life is nonsense, there is no way to know for sure what would happen if the helmet was not on.
> 
> Air bags, seat belts, and helmets are no guarantee to safety but even worse they can and have *caused *injuries.


 but they have saved more lives then they have hurt. 
I find it kinda funny... some people that dont wear helmets always are so defenesive. someone will answer the question the OP was asking with a explanation to why THEY dont, or how they feel, and some people who dont wear helmets always jump right on it... some dont, but... I just found it interesting how so many do....:lol:


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## shaker

ridergirl23 said:


> but they have saved more lives then they have hurt.
> I find it kinda funny... some people that dont wear helmets always are so defenesive. someone will answer the question the OP was asking with a explanation to why THEY dont, or how they feel, and some people who dont wear helmets always jump right on it... some dont, but... I just found it interesting how so many do....:lol:


 
Do the math, there are far more people preaching about why you should wear one, than there are people explaining why they don't. And if you care to look the reason the thread went in that direction was because of the preaching about how everyone should wear a helmet.


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## themacpack

ridergirl23 said:


> but they have saved more lives then they have hurt.
> I find it kinda funny... some people that dont wear helmets always are so defenesive. someone will answer the question the OP was asking with a explanation to why THEY dont, or how they feel, and some people who dont wear helmets always jump right on it... some dont, but... I just found it interesting how so many do....:lol:


I'm sorry, the people who _don't_ wear helmets are jumping on things? We must not be reading the same thread about not wearing helmets (the other thread currently going on).


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## ridergirl23

themacpack said:


> I'm sorry, the people who _don't_ wear helmets are jumping on things? We must not be reading the same thread about not wearing helmets (the other thread currently going on).


im talking in general, not specifically only this thread.


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## gypsygirl

personally, i would be dead if it were not for my helmet. my old horse reared & flipped over on me on tightly packed ground. the helmet spilt in half. i had a very serious head injury, it was not fun. i could hardly see, much less walk afterwards. my doctors kept my helmet to show people that helmets do save lives & how it is important to always wear one. that experience is enough for me to know how irresponcible it is to not wear a helmet.


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## Speed Racer

Good heavens, do we really need *two* helmet threads? 

I guess we've stopped arguing about slaughter, so we need something else on which we can disagree! :wink:


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## themacpack

To be fair, SR, this thread pre-dates the latest -- it was started back at the beginning of April and I guess got a second wind due to the newer one.


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## Speed Racer

Ah, now I see. At least our _poseur_, wanna-be cowboy, RHK hasn't invaded this thread. Yet.


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## Brithorse1996

in england you don't see that many riders out in the street 
probably because i live in the city

But all the ones i've seen have hats im not sure if its law though. For comps and lessons you have to wear them though.


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## IheartPheobe

shaker said:


> Then again it could have been the helmet that threw him off balanced and caused the whole thing. Maybe there would not have been an accident if he had not been wearing a helmet. Or maybe if he did crash with out a helmet and his head was lighter he wouldn't have hit his head because he could lift his head out of danger faster.
> 
> Hypothetical the helmet saved my life is nonsense, there is no way to know for sure what would happen if the helmet was not on.
> 
> Air bags, seat belts, and helmets are no guarantee to safety but even worse they can and have *caused *injuries.



I don't really see how in his case, his helmet could have caused the accident. I don't know if you've ever watched snowboarding, maybe in the olympics? (hate to change but the subject, this is the last time I promise lol) But if you haven't -- This guy was doing a back flip, and ended up smashing his forehead on the edge of the half-pipe. So try and picture the half pipe, and the angle he hit it at... If he hadn't hit the lip, he probably would have handed on his head/neck and maybe broken his neck or worse. It was freak accident, and I don't think that he could've stopped it no matter how hard he tried. The way it sounds, the flip was wrong right from the take off; there was nothing he could have done. If he hadn't worn his helmet, there is no doubt he wouldn't be alive. :|
I've had my fair share of saves by my helmet too. My horse threw me into a fence once, and I was completely unhurt because I wore my helmet & vest. My helmet has velvet scratched off of it because I hit the fence; that could have been my _head._ I once had a helmet break when I was thrown off; again, could've been my head.


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## RawhideKid

shaker said:


> I have not hit my head riding a horse yet, so I don't wear one riding.
> 
> However I fell out of bed one night and hit my head on the night stand so I always wear one when sleeping.:lol:
> 
> I feel a little old for it, but I never heard of wearing a helmet when I first rode a horse. The good Ol' days when if a car had seat belts they were decorations, and the box of a pickup was just a roomy back seat.
> 
> 
> I make my daughter wear one, but like many things it is a case of do as I say and not as I do. When she gets more experience I will let her have the option though.
> 
> Life is dangerous and unpredictable, and a helmet does not guarantee safety. You can still get hurt or killed while wearing one. IMHO too many people get a false sense of security from helmets and seat belts.


Exactly. My appraoch to it as well. The times I've come off my horse my cowboy hat protected my head. For me it is the whole image and lifestyle thing. Something ingrained in me from childhood. Like some golfers who wear the whichamacallit short pants.

But like you, I would have young children wear a helmet, and respect anyone who chooses to wear one. There's no sense in pushing someone beyond their comfort zone. And then there are some horse shows and sports events wear a helmet is not only for protection, but it seems to be apart of the image as well. But part of the activity I'm not into. I started over again a little too late for all that. :lol:

One time as a kid I went for a butt over tea kettle roll on pavement with our race horse and we both just came up with a few scrapes. Helmets were never an issue back then.


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## sarahver

Well I have an interesting helmet related story (perhaps to steer this thread away from the image related battlefield it is becoming - loosen up guys...). I was out at a racing stable the other day to work some horses for the trainer. I hadn't been there before but was excited to ride trackwork again as it is exhilirating and I just LOVE thoroughbreds. I didn't take my own helmet as I assumed there would be helmets available, unfortunately not the case. 

The first horse on my list to ride was the trainers beautiful big 4 year old stallion who had not been ridden for two months.... riding in a racing pad (would have much preferred my beautiful dressage saddle but that would truly be ridiculous). Well I was very uncomfortable with the whole situation. Did I expect to fall off? No. If I did fall off did I expect to end up in hospital? No. I just wanted my helmet on as a precaution against the inherent risk of riding an unpredictable horse in a tiny saddle with my stirrups up around my ears.

As the story goes, I worked the horse (no galloping though) and despite him throwing a couple of half hearted bucks I was fine. Didn't fall off, didn't even come close but at the back of mind was the fact that I had no protective gear on. If I had have come off, it would have been onto a soft sandy track and I _probably_ would have been fine, however I was much further out of my comfort zone without my helmet.

So in addition to my earlier posts (some of which were somewhat condescending towards non-helmet wearers, apologies for the attitude guys) I would like to say that I wear a helmet because it is like my comfort blanket. I feel naked without it. I don't need one every time I ride, but I do want to be wearing one the day that I need it to be there so I want to wear one every time I ride.

When I went back the next day I sure as hell had my helmet with me!


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## farley

the only time i ride with my helmet is if My Main Man is having a grudy day, he can be moody and unpridictable sometimes, i also sometimes wear one if im riding off the main property, but that depends on the weather an the horse. and i almost wear one when im working with a horse i dont know or dont ride often. 

i understand that anything could happen at any moment, however if you know your horse and what you can handle i think you can determine wether or not it is safe or not. 

however if you are a young kid or anything under an experianced rider then you need to have a helmet on for your safety, even if you are a child whos been on a horse your whole life you are fragile and still need that extra protection.


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## Alwaysbehind

More relating to the original question of this older thread and not the derailed topic but here is a Link to the New York state helmet law for those that are interested. 

Like someone else already posted, I do not see a similar law for Ohio.


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## Tazmanian Devil

You not only have to consider state law, but also local law. It is possible that your county, town or village has a helmet law that must be considered.

Note that a helmet law may not be enforceable, per se, on private land. However, there are other issues to consider.

You are a minor. If, heaven forbid, you were to fall and get hurt it is conceivable that your parents could be in trouble for your failure to wear a helmet. Doesn't matter if there is an actual helmet law - your parents could be prosecuted for negligence, child abuse or anything else the DA wants to throw at them.

May be a longshot, but stranger things have happened.


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