# looking at horse ad with people wearing helmets



## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

Why is it i cant even look at ads with people in the pictures wearing helmets. I think when a ad says the horse is broke broke and the person is wearing a helmet they are lying. If the horse is even alittle broke, why you wearing a helmet?


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

That is absurd that you would think because someone is wearing a helmet in a picture that the horse is not broke. Seriously?? I wear a helmet anytime I'm not in the round pen even on dead broke horses. Anything can happen anywhere. It has to do with the person feeling their safety is worth something.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Dear gawd, not THIS old argument again. :?

People wear helmets for the same reason we wear seat belts; to minimize the chance of injuries. Has_ nothing_ to do with whether or not a horse is completely trained.

Tell me cowboy, are you a Pepperoni follower? They seem to be the only ones who think they're invincible around horses, and don't need to wear safety equipment.


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## TimWhit91 (Feb 3, 2012)

I would rather look goofy wearing a brain bucket than have my head crashed into the ground. It has saved me from a few bad situations.


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## Fowl Play (Sep 22, 2009)

A broke horse is still a horse. They are just as capable of spooking as a green horse when the time is right (or wrong). Broke or not, they're a lot bigger than a human, they're amazingly strong, and they have a mind of their own.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

The presence of a helmet has NOTHING to do with how broke, reliable or safe a horse is *shakes head*


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## Daisy25 (May 29, 2011)

Actually, I always feel exactly the opposite.

When I see a horse advertised, and the person in the photo is NOT wearing a helmet, I always feel like the seller must be a little bit of an idiot....


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## roanypony (Apr 5, 2012)

Umm...yea. Has it ever occured to you that the reason accidents are called accidents is because they happen on ACCIDENT. Weird stuff happens to people ALL the time. I think I can speak for many when I say I know I like having the ability to control and have use of all my body parts/limbs. Being a cripple does not appeal to me. I have been riding for over a decade, and recently I bought a helmet because I have come to the realization that just because you wear a helmet, it does not mean your a poor rider, or have an unreliable horse. Like it was said above..you value yourself.

And furthermore, I'm just gonna throw this out there...what if something completely unrelated to you or your horse happens like you scaring up a pheasant or whatever on your trail ride and it flies straight into your head...(I know, a very low chance of occurance, but it COULD happen..anything can happen to whomever)


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## IquitosARG10 (Aug 27, 2011)

I just read this post and couldn't believe my eyes. Everyone above me pretty much stated what I was thinking though. But I will reiterate. Are you freakin kidding me??


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## Fringe (Feb 29, 2012)

I almost never ride without a helmet. It's not that I'm expecting to fall off every time I ride, but every time I have fallen off, I wasn't expecting that, either.


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

I just feel wearing a helmet means you scared of the horse. But in the area im in i have only seen a few people ever wear helmets. I know kids should wear them when they ride.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Nope, doesn't have doodly squat to do with being scared. I wear my seat belt every time I'm in my vehicle; doesn't mean I'm afraid to drive. 

Seriously, you have some weird associations about why people wear and use safety equipment. :?


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Area you're in? It says you are in MN I am in MN, lots of people wear helmets. I haven't met a horse I have been scared of yet, doesn't mean I want to find one when my head is cracked open.


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## IquitosARG10 (Aug 27, 2011)

My horse is in Minnesota too - everyone I know wears one.


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## IquitosARG10 (Aug 27, 2011)

..........so when olympic riders wear helmets, does that mean they're scared??


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Wow... yeah sometimes I will forego a helmet if it's REALLY hot and I'm only flatting, or if I forget (it has happened before). BUT, if I see a sale ad with someone riding and not wearing a helmet, versus one where the person in the saddle IS wearing a helmet, I'm more likely to look at the one where the rider is wearing a helmet.

Why?

Because in Australia in the past few years there have been three or more incidents where talented dressage riders have been riding, AT HOME, on good footing and educated, reliable horses - and the horse has tripped, the rider has fallen, and the rider has died. Yes, that's right - DIED. All because the horse tripped. Which is something horses do ALL. THE. TIME. My boy tripped several times while jumping today, and he's gone down on his knees before because he wasn't concentrating while flatting.

Can I share my personal story? I was riding along a track a good distance from the nearest road, and I'd been galloping my horse. I slowed him back to a walk to get through a dangerous spot, and then asked him to gallop again. Time came to pull him up again and he wouldn't stop, just kept barreling along that hard track. I lost both stirrups trying to pull him up, darn near yanked his face off using a pulley rein... still nothing. So I clung on for dear life and hoped he would stop soon. No such luck, could not get my stirrups back to save my life, and he jumped a ditch... lost my balance, galloped along for nearly a kilometre hanging off the side of him before I finally lost my grip. I hit this compacted dirt track HARD, from a full gallop. Fractured my humerus. I don't remember hitting the ground, I do remember getting up. I don't remember much past that, and nothing of the hours spent in the hospital.

I'm told that the doctor said my helmet was fine, it didn't need replacing. I had already decided to replace it regardless, but I thought I'd pull the lining out to check out the damage.

My helmet had a crack from front to back. A big visible crack.

My pupils weren't the same size for DAYS after that, and I couldn't ride for a week because my fractured humerus was in a sling. It was only a hairline fracture, so it healed pretty quick.

Now, think of what would have happened had I not been wearing a helmet. A minor head injury would have turned into a major one, I could even killed, or worse, permanently brain damaged (yes I do consider brain damage worse than death). The damage done to my helmet as it absorbed some of the shock of the fall would not have been absorbed at all, and would have gone completely into my head and my brain.

I have no doubt that that helmet saved my life. I'd only had it a week, and had to replace it. I replaced it with an identical helmet, same make, same model, because the first had saved my life as far as I was concerned so I was more than willing to spend the money on another one just like it.

MY helmet saved my LIFE. Anyone who thinks they're only for people who are scared, or horses that aren't broke, is gambling with their own life and making riding more dangerous than it needs to be. And that screams to me that they haven't had a bad fall, that they don't know just HOW dangerous riding is.

JMO of course but anyone who quotes "it's for people who are scared, for kids, for bad riders, for green horses" as a reason NOT to wear a helmet is an idiot. Fair enough if you have a medical reason not to, or if you find them uncomfortable and can't enjoy riding with one on, or if you just don't want to. As long as you know the risks of NOT wearing a helmet, and as long as you don't make assumptions like you have!

I wear a helmet almost always. I know I said above that I sometimes don't, but here in Aus, in the summer, we regularly have entire weeks where the temperature doesn't drop below 100F and a helmet in THAT kind of heat is just plain unpleasant. I certainly would never jump without a helmet, and I certainly never ride off the property without one.

I am a good rider. My horse is well broke (if a little bipolar at times) and generally reliable. I still religiously wear a helmet unless it's extremely hot or I'm wearing a hat and therefore forget as I feel like I'm already wearing one.

Ask Faye on here whether riding in a helmet is a good idea or not... she is one person who would most certainly be dead many times over if not for helmets.


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## Kristi46773 (Apr 5, 2012)

I get where your coming from i personally dont wear a helmet but alot of people wear them to be safe, i mean nobody want to fall off and have there brains spilled everywhere if ya know what i mean...


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

Ok i can see a helmet in jumping or where it is required. I should have been more exact. Im a western rider and that is the horses i look at. I just thought of this today when i was looking at young broke horses and one person was wearing a helmet.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> I just feel wearing a helmet means you scared of the horse. But in the area im in i have only seen a few people ever wear helmets. I know kids should wear them when they ride.


I do penning and sorting too. There are several folks that wear helmets.

I am supposed to per doctors orders (brain surgery). I choose not to - my choice. Certainly do not think less of anyone who does wear one.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

What does the dicipline have to do with it?? I was running barrels several years ago at a show in deep sand. My horse did a sideways buck jump thing around the barrel (I have to go by what people said, I don't remember a darn thing). I was thrown off and my helmet cracked in half! It was deep arena sand very soft to land in but my helmet still cracked. I may have been kicked on the way down, like I said I do not remember a thing. 

And I've only ever come off a horse while riding western. I am almost strictly an english rider. So not sure what you are implying by saying that western people don't wear a helmet? Are they just not as smart?


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## PoohLP (Jan 15, 2009)

A young horse is even more of a horse than an experienced one. My horse coming 4yo is definitely broke and generally level-headed, but like many youngsters, he has days where he tests his limits or is feeling his oats (or pellets as the case may be) and even on a perfect day, if something scares him there is always a chance he will do something stupid - much more so than if he were a been there, done that, seen that horse. I wouldn't ride even think of riding him without a helmet - I like my brains where they are.

And btw, many Grand Prix dressage riders are starting to use helmets now in international competitions. Those are some of the most well-trained horses you will find period, ridden by some of the best riders in the world. I seriously doubt they wear the helmets bc they think the horse isn't "trained".


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

The fact is, no matter how well trained, reliable and safe a horse is - sh*t happens. Horses that "never" spook can spook, tack can fail, a horse can stumble and fall - any number of things can happen than can cause a rider to part ways with the best of horses. Having a helmet on the rider's head is simply a measure to minimize the damage IF something happens - not an indication that the rider expects something to happen (or that the rider does not trust the horse). It has nothing to do with the horse.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> Im a western rider and that is the horses i look at. I just thought of this today when i was looking at young broke horses and one person was wearing a helmet.


Western horses aren't magically more trained or safe than English horses. Not wearing a helmet may be part of the Western lifestyle/image, but it's slowly changing.

I ride primarily on the flat and only jump if it's absolutely, positively necessary. Not all English riders jump, just like not all Western riders team pen or barrel race.

Riding horses is _more_ dangerous than riding motorcycles and unless they're just ignorant boobs or scofflaws, bike riders are expected to wear helmets.

Wear one or don't wear one, it's all the same to me. Just don't try and tell me I'm afraid of my horse or he must not be as fantabulously trained as yours, since I choose to minimize my injury risks and wear a helmet. I'm planning to buy a riding vest in the near future, too. I like that it reduces the chance of my ribcage getting crushed should something unexpected happen.


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## roanypony (Apr 5, 2012)

> Ok I can see a helmet in jumping or where it is required. I should have been more exact. Im a western rider and that is the horses I look at. I just thought of this today when I was looking at young broke horses and one person was wearing a helmet.
> 
> Read more: http://www.horseforum.com/horse-tal...e-wearing-helmets-118966/page2/#ixzz1rHYxvIQO


Makes no sense. Then you should judge the horses abilities through if they themselves are wearing helmets! Not if the rider is wearing one!


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## FlyGap (Sep 25, 2011)

I ride western and english, never wore a helmet until after my car accident and still I often don't put one on. It's actually irresponsible of me when I KNOW BETTER and HAVE A KID. Hardly anyone around here wears them, I didn't even know what they were for other than looks growing up. Same applies to motorcycle riders, of course they are traveling upwards of 60mph on asphalt, what do you consider them? Experts or unsafe? Accidents happen.

So as far as judging a riders or horses abilities from a photo of a person wearing one, hey, different strokes for different folks.


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## BaileyJo (Aug 23, 2011)

I think you are making a very uneducated assumption on what looks "cool" and what doesn't. It appears you are associating helmet wearing with a lack of education and lack of riding ability - or that the horse is unsafe. That's simply a judgement. And most "judgements" are made out of lack of understanding and knowledge.


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## Regula (Jan 23, 2012)

So are people who wear bicycle helmets scared of their bike then?
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

I may be wrong but i grew up western and have been taught western. And when i see helmet i think somethings wrong. Im not saying i have never taking a wreck i have had many. Landed on my back, head, knees, and a few times on my feet.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

Well there's your problem, you've hit your head. Wouldn't have happened with a helmet.


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## themacpack (Jul 16, 2009)

FTR, OP, I am not one of "those helmet" people who flips their lid at the idea of anyone ever riding a horse w/out a helmet. I grew up without ever even OWNING a helmet (went through 4-H at a time/area where it was never even a thought to require them for the kids). I do require my daughter to wear a helmet when she rides now, and I have even borrowed her helmet on occasion (and, yes, I am shopping for one myself now) when I anticipate having a challenging session with my horse. There are plenty of times even now that I ride w/out that helmet on my head. 
What I find so amusing about your perception is that if you saw a picture of me on a day I was not wearing my helmet you would automatically perceive the horse as better trained.............


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## BaileyJo (Aug 23, 2011)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> I may be wrong but i grew up western and have been taught western. And when i see helmet i think somethings wrong. Im not saying i have never taking a wreck i have had many. Landed on my back, head, knees, and a few times on my feet.


Doesn't matter what _you've_ done. It's the judgement that you place on others. Your judgements are plain wrong. . :?


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## BlueSpark (Feb 22, 2012)

after watching a family member suffer for years with post concussion syndrom, caused by and impact to their unprotected head, I would rather avoid that. They suffer from short term memory loss and cronic migrains. Helmets for me.


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## attackships (Jan 12, 2012)

i get where you're coming from because i don't see people wearing helmets much either, but whether or not the rider is wearing a helmet has as much to do with the horse's training as the color of that riders shirt... 

as long as people know how to be safe riders and are not putting on a helmet expecting for it to be a magical force field then wearing a helmet is always a safer option. 

i have never fallen on my head either, but theres always a chance and my head is the most important to me lol.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I personally do not wear a helmet, but I don't think any different of anyone that does. And children definitely should wear one.
I do have a problem with people who judge or tell that I _need_ to wear one.
If I am fully aware of the consequences of not wearing one, then I should be the one to make the decision whether to wear one or not. Frankly I feel the same way with seat belts.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Fringe said:


> I almost never ride without a helmet. It's not that I'm expecting to fall off every time I ride, but every time I have fallen off, I wasn't expecting that, either.


 
I just had to chuckle here. When I ride I almost alway _expect_ to fall off, so have that helmet on, and am delightfully surprised every single time I come home and have not fallen off. 

Just kidding.


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## Mary Liz (Mar 21, 2012)

I was on a rescue horse that was fully broken and had never threw anyone before and he went crazy started bucking and I got bucked off. When he kicked out it caught me in the head and I woke up in a hospital with a closed brain injury and can't remember anything and I had a helmet on. So I will always wear a helmet on any horse I get on because if I hadn't worn I could have died. Also Courtney King Dye is an excellent rider Olympic athlete who got seriously injured riding without a helmet and is now an advocate for riders with helmets so the long and the short of it always ride with a helmet you never know what can happen on any horse.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

COWCHICK77 said:


> I do have a problem with people who judge or tell that I _need_ to wear one.


I feel the same way about people who judge my riding ability and the training of my horses based_ solely_ on my choice to wear a helmet. :?

As far as seat belt wear, you're not allowed a choice in that particular matter. It's either a primary or secondary offense in all 50 US states if you don't wear one. I wore one long before it became law. Why _wouldn't_ I want to minimize physical injury?


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> I feel the same way about people who judge my riding ability and training of my horses based_ solely_ on my choice to wear a helmet. :?
> 
> As far as seat belt wear, you're not allowed a choice in that particular matter. It's either a primary or secondary offense in all 50 US states if you don't wear one. I wore one long before it became law. Why _wouldn't_ I want to minimize physical injury?


For me i dont wear a seat belt. I dont believe i should be forced to wear on by big bother eather.


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## mls (Nov 28, 2006)

poppy1356 said:


> Well there's your problem, _you've hit your head. Wouldn't have happened with a helmet_.


Sorry - that makes no sense.


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

poppy1356 said:


> Well there's your problem, you've hit your head. Wouldn't have happened with a helmet.


No its not that. I just have my feeling and stick to them. And im not scared to be yelled at for them. I have taken many baseballs to the helmet and that sucks as bad as getting hit with the ball. It hurts getting hit anyway with or without a helmet.


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## poppy1356 (Jan 18, 2012)

I was referring to his logic about why people wear helmets. He said he has fallen and hit his head.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> For me i dont wear a seat belt. I dont believe i should be forced to wear on by big bother eather.


Doesn't matter what you _believe_, it's still the law. It's a primary enforcement in MN where you live, so you'll get stopped and fined eventually because you don't think you should have to listen to 'The Man'. Almost 93% of all Minnesotans wear them, so you're in the minority.

Seat belt usage and air bags have reduced injury and death by quite significant numbers since they were instituted. That's _fact_, not conjecture.

Wearing advanced safety equipment has reduced injuries and deaths in ALL sports, not just equine activities. But sure, all that safety equipment in use nowadays must just be because people are wimpy little dinks, not because they're trying to minimize traumatic injuries.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> I feel the same way about people who judge my riding ability and the training of my horses based_ solely_ on my choice to wear a helmet. :?
> 
> *I am not arguing about that...understandable, just as I wouldn't judge rider or horse because of the use of a helmet.*
> 
> As far as seat belt wear, you're not allowed a choice in that particular matter. It's either a primary or secondary offense in all 50 US states if you don't wear one. I wore one long before it became law. Why _wouldn't_ I want to minimize physical injury?


*I know that it is law, but I think it should be a personal choice for people of age. And in a way it still is choice, if you don't wear one then you choose to pay a fine if caught. I know this for a fact.
*


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

You can think wearing seat belts should be a personal choice, but it's not and not likely to change anytime soon. I find it to be a non-issue, and don't know why people get their panties bunched about it and start woofing about individual rights. If people were smart enough to govern themselves and be responsible for their own actions and not expect someone _else_ to pay for their stupid mistakes, maybe 'The Man' wouldn't have to make so many laws. 

The amusing thing is that you live in NV and Cowboy lives in MN, where seat belt usage is in the mid-90% range for both states. I live in VA and it's only about 81%, so we definitely have more scofflaws than either of your states.


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## BaileyJo (Aug 23, 2011)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> No its not that. I just have my feeling and stick to them. And im not scared to be yelled at for them. I have taken many baseballs to the helmet and that sucks as bad as getting hit with the ball. It hurts getting hit anyway with or without a helmet.


Because you wear a baseball helmet I bet you strike out alot. You're probably scared of getting hit with a baseball. Can't you play baseball?

That's a joke and silly observation but hey, yours is kind of the same. 

BTW, feelings are feelings but common sense is usually more practical. 

Honestly, I don't care what you really think when you look at a picture but your judgements are way off.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Maybe the difference between the government requiring people to wear seatbelts in cars and not requiring helmets for riders is that one activity is really not a hobby or recreation activity, but something most modern Americans do as part of their daily life. While riding, for most people, is a hobby or recreational activity.
And, the impact on the rest of the population is much less for injured horse riders as compared to those injured or killed in auto accidents. 

You can say, "it's my choice whether to wear a seat belt or not, afterall, it's me who will be killed" . but, in actuality, the consequences travel outward to the general public; things like caring for you in hospital if you become a vegetable, paying for major surgery vs a minor injury if you had been wearing a seatbelt. Not to mention the psychic toll on the other driver if an accident results in your death.

(my SIL was in an accident with a man. Totally his fault, but it resulted in his death. What a hard thing it was to bear for her, knowing that her car had killed this man, a young man who had been drinking and was not wearing a seatbelt.)


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## cowboy bowhunter (Mar 15, 2012)

Speed Racer said:


> Wearing advanced safety equipment has reduced injuries and deaths in ALL sports, not just equine activities. But sure, all that safety equipment in use nowadays must just be because people are wimpy little dinks, not because they're trying to minimize traumatic injuries.


You hit that one right on the head. Back before i was even born there werent these big brother laws and people were just fine. So has everyone became dumber or just wimps to have to have all these laws. We are to dumb to make up our own minds?


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> You can think wearing seat belts should be a personal choice, but it's not and not likely to change anytime soon. I find it to be a non-issue, and don't know why people get their panties bunched about it and start woofing about individual rights. If people were smart enough to govern themselves and be responsible, maybe 'The Man' wouldn't have to make so many laws.
> 
> The amusing thing is that you live in NV and Cowboy lives in MN, where seat belt usage is in the mid-90% range for both states. I live in VA and it's only about 81%, so we definitely have more scofflaws than either of your states.


Oh I know seat belt laws are not going to change, and I don't expect it to.
The comment about "if people were smart enough to govern themselves...."
IMO, that's the whole problem, people expect the govt. to take care of them.

And I may live in a state where 90%+ wear a seat belt, but where I live and the majority(who live in Las Vegas and the Reno/Tahoe area)has nothing to do with how I feel about it. 

I have a hard time understanding why it would matter to you or anyone else if I chose to wear a seat belt. How does that effect you?


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

My mom wore her helmet for 30 years of show jumping. Broke her neck instead and had to have her discs rebuilt. Ironic, neh?

I think I have to agree with the OP on some level. Simply because in western style riding it is very rare to see someone in a helmet. I too get that gut reaction and think "Okay, western riding in a helmet, they are either novices or not very confident in the horse..." It's just not "in the culture" as it were. Nothing against riding in helmets, but when you work with western-style people who go to western-style shows, it's not en vogue.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Tiny, I was recently in an accident where both vehicles were totaled. Neither myself nor the other driver were seriously hurt because we were both wearing our seat belts. She got a little more bruised up than I did because her vehicle was older and didn't have air bags, whereas mine did. 

The way we hit each other, had both of us not been wearing out seat belts, _someone_ would have been seriously injured. The fact that we both walked away from that accident just solidified my belief that seat belts and air bags, which are now mandatory installations in every vehicle since 2000, definitely save lives.

I'm sorry your sister has to carry that burden. It isn't hers to own, but unfortunately she feels responsible even though the other driver caused his own death.

Cowchick, I don't care one way or the other whether or not you wear your seat belt or a riding helmet. If you get killed, seriously maimed, or incur a TBI because of personal choices, I won't be the one who has to pick up the pieces; your family will.


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## BooBear (Mar 23, 2012)

I guess I kind of get what Oh Vair Oh is saying about helmets not being en vogue in western culture. "I would think it would be a lot less fashionable to have a head injury leaking on the ground while waiting for the paramedics to arrive." - My old barn owner.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> You hit that one right on the head. Back before i was even born there werent these big brother laws and people were just fine. So has everyone became dumber or just wimps to have to have all these laws. We are to dumb to make up our own minds?


So I suppose you think lead based paint is fine and dandy to still use in houses? Kids shouldn't be stupid enough to eat paint chips. Serves 'em right if they get brain damage!

Oh, and all those pesky medical advances that have been made over the years should just be thrown out. People are gonna die anyway, so why try and give them some _quantity_ as well as quality of life, right? :-x

What about advances in veterinary medicine? Why bother with all that crap? Horses used to die at 15, and what was good enough for grand-daddy should be good enough for the rest of us. Pshaw on horses living better and longer lives!


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

BooBear said:


> I guess I kind of get what Oh Vair Oh is saying about helmets not being en vogue in western culture. "I would think it would be a lot less fashionable to have a head injury leaking on the ground while waiting for the paramedics to arrive." - My old barn owner.


Yes, but the idea behind the cowboy hat is also to protect the rider too. When you wear a light colored large hat, the horse has no idea where your face is. So if it happens to kick at you, it will more likely hit the brim of the hat than your face. 

We also tend to think that western horses are bred to be more docile than hotbreds, who have to work on the ranch for hours a day. In those situations, it can be very uncomfortable to wear a helmet instead of a cowboy hat. The horses are not being asked to jump over dangerous heights either. The western saddle is also an aid because the western saddle is easier to sit and stay on in than an english saddle. 

Now I do believe that accidents happen, and I had to wear a helmet until I was a teenager, but a whole slew of things could go wrong and not just hit your head. Your neck could break, your foot could get caught, you could get stepped on, dragged, etc. We simply cannot be prepared for everything, and only prepare our horse the best that we can.


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## AlexS (Aug 9, 2010)

I wear a helmet because my barn owner requires it, I am riding on her land. 

Does that mean in the slightest that I am afraid or big brother is out to get me? 
As there are no helmet laws for horse riders anyway, I don't really see how the big brother issue comes into it.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

I don't understand why folks need to lecture others on either side. I normally wear a helmet, but I don't refuse to get on a horse if I don't have one on hand. Riding in our little arena, Mia is the only horse I ALWAYS wear a helmet with. Off property, I'm riding on asphalt, or very rocky trails surrounded by cactus. If I come off, I will be hurt - but I'd rather take a broken arm than a busted skull. So helmet on, always.

Helmets entered English riding via jumping. Western riding has less risk of landing on one's head, and fewer people believe the reward is worth the cost. Either way, helmets are a PART of risk-reduction. Horse, saddle, style of riding, activities, weather, location - they all play a role. Why not let folks makeup their own minds...and leave them be, either way?


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

I dunno about that riding outfit, bsms. Looks kind of restrictive.


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## BaileyJo (Aug 23, 2011)

BooBear said:


> I guess I kind of get what Oh Vair Oh is saying about helmets not being en vogue in western culture. "I would think it would be a lot less fashionable to have a head injury leaking on the ground while waiting for the paramedics to arrive." - My old barn owner.


Western has a different style. I agree most people who ride Western don't wear helmets. I think it is more of a style/cool thing, (what's in, what's out) rather than a safety. You kind of stand out in the crowd of western riders if you wear one. And really, who wants to be an odd man out.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Speed Racer said:


> I dunno about that riding outfit, bsms. Looks kind of restrictive.


If you rode like I do, it might look like "Good Sense"! :lol:


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

bsms said:


> If you rode like I do, it might look like "Good Sense"! :lol:


:rofl::rofl::rofl:

Just make sure you get a mounting block high enough to step over onto the horse, since mounting from the ground doesn't really look possible. 

Cowboy hat or helmet with that outfit? Either would complete the look stunningly. :wink:


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

If the rider is under 18 then a parent or a gaurdian will have control over enforcing a helmet rule with the rider. If the rider is on someone elses property or a public facility then they must follow whatever rules are set forth. There are people in this world who choose to use safety devices no matter the skill level of the rider or the training level of the horse. 

I find it interesting that a buyer might decide to skip an ad merely for that fact that an individual opted to air on the side caution.


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## BaileyJo (Aug 23, 2011)

farmpony84 said:


> I find it interesting that a buyer might decide to skip an ad merely for that fact that an individual opted to air on the side caution.


I agree.


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## Daisy25 (May 29, 2011)

If I remember my history correctly - safety equipment is usually developed by the industry itself to protect its own.

The first "hard hats" were invented by workers on the Hoover Dam Project who got tired of watching their co-workers take falling rivets to the head.

Riding helmets were developed by jockeys after seeing one too many jockeys suffer broken skulls.

Currently, there IS a movement among rodeo riders to develop a safety helmet that will fit underneath a traditional cowboy hat.

Every advance in safety, every law for protection, every warning label is the result of SOMEONE DYING.

So there are really only two choices:

One can learn from those who have gone before.

- or -

One can be the lesson for those who come next.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

oh vair oh said:


> Yes, but the idea behind the cowboy hat is also to protect the rider too. When you wear a light colored large hat, the horse has no idea where your face is. So if it happens to kick at you, it will more likely hit the brim of the hat than your face.


I honestly don't think that could have made any less sense than it did. Cowboy hats were designed to protect the rider from the sun, not from head injury. And I don't know about you, but I have _never_ seen a horse line up and deliberately aim a kick at someone's head. Pretty sure they know that no matter where they hit, it's gonna hurt like hell and more than likely incapacitate whoever they aimed at, so they just kick.

I'm not sure why this has turned into a debate over if you should or should not wear helmets. You should NEVER judge someone's riding ability or a horse's training based on the wearing of a helmet. Just because someone chooses to wear a helmet does not say anything about their riding ability or the horse's training. 

I never used to wear a helmet. I'm a pretty decent rider and have always ridden pretty dead broke horses. Then I worked at a Girl Scout horse camp over the course of an autumn. We were required, for insurance reasons, to wear a helmet any time we were riding. I didn't complain about it, even though I wasn't used to it. I just followed orders because if I hadn't, I wouldn't have been able to work there. Before I got my gelding, I went on a trail ride on one of the barn dude string horses. I didn't wear a helmet and I will admit, it felt weird, but I just kind of ignored the feeling...until we got to the highway and a motorcyclist revved his engine behind us, spooking the supposedly dead broke horse I was riding. The saddle I was riding in was way too big for me (we measured it when we got back and it is a 20" saddle...I usually ride in a 16") and I nearly came off on the asphalt when Reno bolted. I was shaken up, but nothing major. I don't want to think what would have happened if I had actually come off. 

Then, I was trying to be nice to a new boarder and help her out by trying out her new mare for her (looooong story there). I was told this mare was broke and had tons of rides on her, she just needed a refresher. I wasn't wearing a helmet because I thought I didn't need one on this "broke" horse. I swung up on her and my butt didn't even touch the saddle before she rodeo bucked me over her right shoulder. I hit my head and blacked out for a few seconds, during which time she came after me while I was on the ground. If my friend hadn't been in the round pen with me to jump between us, I would have been seriously injured, or possibly even killed. If I had been wearing a helmet, I probably wouldn't have blacked out when I hit the ground and would have been able to get up and defend myself.

Because of that mare throwing me, I will not be caught on a horse without a helmet, regardless of their training. Does that mean I'm still not a decent rider? 

By the way, I have only ever ridden western until I got my gelding (who is now green broke, but was unhandled when I got him). I now ride Aussie because I have never found a comfortable western saddle. So it's not a "culture" thing. It's a personal choice that should not reflect poorly on a rider or the horse they ride.


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## arrowsaway (Aug 31, 2011)

perhaps the OP was implying that western riders are better riders and therefor need no helmets? I ropez cowz so I r indestructeebullz! lawlz. :-|

I don't always wear a helmet, although I know I should. I'm not ashamed of it, I just usually forget. >>
This sunday is the first trail ride [actual large, challenging trails that aren't in the backyard] for Smoke and I since I got him in November. I'll be wearing a helmet just in case.

So, in short, nothing to do with skill level [of rider OR horse] or discipline, and everything to do with wanting to keep your brains inside your melon should a sticky situation arise.


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

I should also point out that in western competition, it is frowned on (and I think not allowed) to wear a helmet over a certain age. And to me it seems that a horse show is the most dangerous place for an accident to happen. So if the objective is to be able to train a horse who can compete without putting you in danger in the most dangerous place, you should be working at home well enough to not need a helmet.


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## IquitosARG10 (Aug 27, 2011)

I'm gonna go out on limb by the saying the OP is just being ignorant.

If you don't agree with wearing a helmet why post about it. Keep comments to yourself that you know are going to be a touchy subject to people.

Go ahead and don't wear a seatbelt, don't wear a helmet, heck don't get a flu shot. But seriously, this was hands down THE most juvenile and useless post I have ever read.


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## chandra1313 (Jul 12, 2011)

lol I wouldn't worry about helmets being an indication of the horses broke ability lol I would worry about all of the gear they have on their horses.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

IquitosARG10 said:


> But seriously, this was hands down THE most juvenile and useless post I have ever read.


You haven't been here very long, have you Iquitos? :rofl:

This was by far_ not_ the most useless and juvenile thing ever posted on this BB. Sad, ain't it?


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## IquitosARG10 (Aug 27, 2011)

Ok, how about it's the most useless one of the day lol


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## Allison Finch (Oct 21, 2009)

oh vair oh said:


> Yes, but the idea behind the cowboy hat is also to protect the rider too. When you wear a light colored large hat, the horse has no idea where your face is. So if it happens to kick at you, it will more likely hit the brim of the hat than your face.
> 
> .



Uh....no. The cowboy hat was to protect the rider from the blistering sun and the brim with the dip in the front and back was to channel rain to fall onto predictable and covered areas when riding in foul weather.

As for my riding with a helmet meaning I am scared....you couldn't be more correct. I am shaking in my boots every time I steer my horse towards a jump that is often over five feet tall. If the horse refuses, I am SO relieved!!! I mean, who cares about the hundreds (sometimes many hundreds of dollars) I paid to enter that jumper class. I am just so happy to get out of that ring alive. And if I am eliminated, I get out even sooner!! WHEW!!!


Cowboy, in case you are wondering, this is my being sarcastic. I rarely ride without a helmet these days. And I consider myself a pretty capable rider.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Yes, but, Allison, you're an English rider, so of course you _have_ to wear a helmet. Those western riders are just so much more capable than the English riders that they don't need to wear a helmet. Duh!

*That's me being sarcastic as well, by the way. ;-)

Honestly, the attitude that I just made fun of is _exactly_ the attitude that the OP and a few of the other posters who seem to agree with him are displaying...or at least they're making it seem like that's the way they feel.


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## oh vair oh (Mar 27, 2012)

lol, I'm sorry I even put that cowboy hat part out there! Just something my trainer has told me, and I'm probably getting it confused with cows kicking, not horses. I admit it sounds silly, but I was really pulling for points to argue with.

I guess the fact is there are no points to argue with. I choose not to wear a helmet, no matter how many people tell me I will eventually get my brains bashed in. I wear a helmet for jumping, that's for sure, but not much else. I agree you shouldn't judge a book by its cover either. So let's just agree to disagree, as people always have on this issue. 

EDIT: And I do not believe that western riders are more capable than english riders. I think that english riders need helmets more than western riders because they DO more difficult and dangerous things.


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## DraftXDressage (Aug 29, 2011)

I find this thread extremely reassuring, if only insofar as I can now rest comfortably in the knowledge that if/when I put my mare up for sale (with photos of my terrified, cowardly self aboard with a helmet), I don't have to worry about the OP coming to look at her.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Yes, but, Allison, you're an English rider, so of course you _have_ to wear a helmet. Those western riders are just so much more capable than the English riders that they don't need to wear a helmet. Duh!
> 
> *That's me being sarcastic as well, by the way. ;-)
> 
> Honestly, the attitude that I just made fun of is _exactly_ the attitude that the OP and a few of the other posters who seem to agree with him are displaying...or at least they're making it seem like that's the way they feel.


It seems to be going both ways. Just because I don't wear one doesn't mean this is how I think =


arrowsaway said:


> I ropez cowz so I r indestructeebullz! lawlz. :-|


I don't care if people wear one or not, I am not going to think they are any less or any more of a rider. I choose not to and I am fully aware of the consequences. I don't think I am "indestructeebullz":lol:


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## BaileyJo (Aug 23, 2011)

For me, if you are required to wear one due to age, then wear one. If you are allowed to go without, go without. If you want to wear one, wear one. In the end, you are responsible for your own life.

What I don't like is the judgement that goes along _with_ wearing one. This is what was expressed in the OP. Wear one, or not, it's up to you. I won't judge you, you don't judge me. 

Personally, I just don't like the closed minded and judgements posted in the opening thread.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Agreed, Bailey.

I honestly don't care whether someone wears a helmet or not. I'm not their mother, doctor, or insurance agent. Riding horses is all about acceptable risk. I just like to hedge my bets.

However, if you step inside my vehicle you WILL wear a seat belt, or you can find another ride. If I'm responsible for you, your butt (and the rest of you) will play by my rules. :wink:


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## Koolio (Apr 7, 2010)

I don't personally care whether someone else wears a helmet or seatbelt, or whatever. However, I think it is somewhat selfish not to. Sure, people should be able to exercise their own judgement when nobody else is affected, BUT often people fail to foresee how others may be affected by their bad decisions. For example, say someone takes a spill and suffers a critical brain injury because they weren't wearing a helmet. Someone ELSE will have to care for them and potentially their family. If the situation was preventable by simply wearIng the helmet, I don't see that as being fair or considerate of those who have to pick up or pay for the pieces.

I wonder how much the taxpayer saves when emergency services or the healthcare system doesn't have to keep people with serious, irreparable and long term brain injuries alive?


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

As a kid, I think I was about 15 at the time, my dad showed me some photographs of the job he'd been too earlier that day. 

My father was an intensive care paramedic, and worked both on the road, and doing rescue work in helicopters. 
I was looking forward to getting my learners permit, and my dad instilled the fear of god into me about not wearing a seatbelt.
He had been to a car accident that morning, where the driver had not been wearing a seatbelt, while the passenger had. The car slammed straight into a tree, which split right down the middle of the car.
The passenger wearing the seatbelt, suffered a broken arm and a few scraped and bruises. 
The driver was flung from his seat, his head hit the steering wheel and he backflipped through the windscreen. The strike to his head had smash his head open, not unlike an egg, and his brain matter had been sprayed throughout the car. He also broke his neck, and essentially dismembered parts of his body. 

I know I would much rather wear a seat belt, than wear my own brains  


Then there was the rescue he went to when a horse rider, was out riding around her property, no helmet on. The horse was supposedly very quiet and experienced, he was well into his teens and had never had a person come off him. 
He disturbed a bird hiding in some bushes, bird got a fright and flew straight up and hit him in the face. Horse went straight up on his hind legs, flipped over. The girl riding pulled herself to the side, but cracked her skull open on a rock. 
Girl is now a 'vegetable' living in a care home, drooling, with a stomach tube in because she can't eat. Carers wiping her backside, washing her etc. 

It's personal choice, but I prefer to wear my seatbelt/helmet.


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

Speed Racer said:


> I dunno about that riding outfit, bsms. Looks kind of restrictive.


 

"I've fallen and I can't get up!"


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## Country Woman (Dec 14, 2011)

I am 48 years old never worn a helmet before 
but now I will wear a helmet


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

tinyliny said:


> "I've fallen and I can't get up!"


Around here, it would be more like:

"I've fallen, and the coyotes are eating the parts not covered in bubblewrap!" :shock:


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## HagonNag (Jul 17, 2010)

I don't get on a horse without a helmet. What anyone else does is their business, but I have to admit that like the original poster who judges people with helmets, I make judgments about people I see riding without helmets. Judgments like: They've never had a BAD fall. They think they are indestructible. They just don't think. 

I've had bad falls. I'll be 65 this year and I know I'm not indestructible. I've also known a person with very subtle brain damage that made them unemployable after falling off a bicycle! It doesn't always take a huge fall to wreck your life. My helmet has protected my head from tree limbs...not just the ground. 

I trail ride. I don't ride in an arena. A horse is a living entity, not a push button machine. Accidents are not plans, the unexpected is never expected. I spent a lot of $$$ on an education so I could support my horse addiction. Why would I risk my brain? 

For all those reasons, I wear a helmet. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with the horse I'm on.


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## Jake and Dai (Aug 15, 2008)

:rofl::rofl::rofl:





bsms said:


> Around here, it would be more like:
> 
> "I've fallen, and the coyotes are eating the parts not covered in bubblewrap!" :shock:


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## Foxhunter (Feb 5, 2012)

It is up to each individual to decide whether they want added protection or not.
Personally I do not get on a horse without a riding hat. 
A nasty fall I had, when the horse went down just walking on the road, involved me going straight over his head as he fell and landing right on the top of my head. As he scrambled to his feet he kicked me with a front foot on the helmet. 

Now, I know that hat saved me from serious injury. All I ended up with was a cur eyebrow, six stitches, bruising, a mild concussion and a stiffness that lasted longer than the black eye!

it is up to each individual person - *as an adult* - to decide what protection they want to wear. We only have one head.

Anyone who decides to get on a horse whether it is a dead broke animal or a youngster, is taking a risk. Adults are responsible for their own decisions.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Speed Racer said:


> As far as seat belt wear, you're not allowed a choice in that particular matter. It's either a primary or secondary offense in all 50 US states if you don't wear one. I wore one long before it became law. Why _wouldn't_ I want to minimize physical injury?


Correction 1: one ALWAYS has the free will to do as one pleases, including disobeying laws that are malum prohibitum and have no moral force behind them.

Correction 2: New Hampshire has no seatbelt OR motocycle helmet laws. And 30 states have no helmet laws for adult motorcylists.


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## NeuroticMare (Jan 8, 2012)

I wear a helmet every single ride, no matter what horse it is. I had a severe concussion last July (with helmet on, BTW, with my mare I've owned for 12 years!) and later on got a few minor head traumas (not horse related), so I am at high risk for a head injury now, so it's even MORE important.

I have worn a helmet since I started riding at age 6, and can count on my fingers the times that I rode without a helmet, it was not many!

When I see people without helmets, I think of how untrained THEY are  The worst riders at my barn are the ones that go around helmetless. Not because they are helmetless, but maybe some correlation?


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> I have taken many baseballs to the helmet and that sucks as bad as getting hit with the ball. It hurts getting hit anyway with or without a helmet.


No, it is NOT the same to be hit with baseball (or any other object) on your bare head compared to the same impact while wearing a helmet.

It's physics, namely the physics of force distribution over area and dissipation of energy over time. And no amount of your ignorance is going to change that.

A motorcycle helmet saved me from either death or possibly worse living like a vegetable. It took an impact from the road so hard that it cracked from top to bottom on the left side. I suffered nothing more than a slight headache and permanent memory loss of a portion of time during my crash. On top of that I have a degree in mechanical engineering and actually know how helmets do what they do.

I don't care what you do with your life. But don't you come here to tell others that they are "scared" of horses, or that their horses are "not well trained". Some of the best horsemen in the world wear a helmet each and every time they climb on a horse, and some even wear them when ground handling a horse. These are people (Mark Todd, George Morris, Jimmy Wofford) whose horsemanship is so FAR superior to yours that it's not even funny.

So just admit you have no earthly idea what you are talking about. Admit that you ran your mouth foolishly. And ask the moderators to erase this embarrasment you have created for yourself.


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## SueNH (Nov 7, 2011)

[
As far as seat belt wear, you're not allowed a choice in that particular matter. It's either a primary or secondary offense in all 50 US states if you don't wear one. I wore one long before it became law. Why _wouldn't_ I want to minimize physical injury?[/QUOTE]


Untrue. New Hampshire does not require over 18 to wear seat belts. No helmet laws on motorcycles for adults either.

But that said I wear a riding helmet and I do use my seat belt.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

oh vair oh said:


> Yes, but the idea behind the cowboy hat is also to protect the rider too. When you wear a light colored large hat, the horse has no idea where your face is. So if it happens to kick at you, it will more likely hit the brim of the hat than your face.
> 
> The western saddle is also an aid because the western saddle is easier to sit and stay on in than an english saddle.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

oh vair oh said:


> So if the objective is to be able to train a horse who can compete without putting you in danger in the most dangerous place, you should be working at home well enough to not need a helmet.


Why don't you tell Courtney King-Dye that? :evil:


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## Faceman (Nov 29, 2007)

NeuroticMare said:


> When I see people without helmets, I think of how untrained THEY are


That would be a bit presumptuous. I've been riding for 54 years, and have never worn a helmet - I hardly consider myself "untrained".

How many people that are preaching helmets have texted, talked on a cell phone, put on their makeup, or eaten a hamburger while driving, or how many have driven after having a drink or smoking pot? How many have eaten junk food or smoke or drink cokes? How many are overweight? How many don't get enough exercise?

Come on - none of us go through life without making poor safety or health choices. There is no need to single out a particular issue - it is rather hypocritical unless a person is perfect...which ain't gonna happen.

I believe children should be encouraged to wear helmets, but as to adults, it is their own choice...


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## MHFoundation Quarters (Feb 23, 2011)

I don't think less or more of someone because they choose to wear or not wear a helmet. It's a personal choice and none of my business what others choose to do or not do. 

I don't wear a helmet unless jumping. Growing up, we didn't have helmets, we had dress caps. Even showing h/j as a kid everyone wore dress caps, they were certainly not safety helmets by a long shot. If I show English now, I will wear a safety helmet in any over fences classes but on the flat I will wear my dress cap. 

Anyone under 18 or paying to ride on my property (lesson students or owners of horses in for training) wears one, no exceptions.


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## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm a bit of a hypocrite, I will admit.

Nobody rides on my property without a helmet... except me. Nobody under 18 rides with me without a helmet without me commenting that they probably should... except me. I very, VERY rarely ride without a helmet - I did today, to bring my horse up from the pasture so my cousin could ride him, but that was the first time since the height of summer, and the time before that was nearly 18 months ago. But I won't risk someone else falling off and injuring themselves in a way that could have easily been avoided. Not in my company and not on my property. I'm 4 years older than the friend I ride with most, so I'm considered the one responsible for her health and safety.

If someone fell off their horse on my property, and they weren't wearing a helmet, THEY could sue ME because it happened on my place. Despite their own "negligence" (yes a court will count the lack of a helmet as negligence here in Aus), because it's considered to be MY negligence because it's on MY property so under MY duty of care. That's why nobody rides on my property without one... except for me. Because I can't exactly sue myself, now, can I?


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## SRich (Sep 13, 2011)

It's no one's business other than yours, if you decide to wear a helmet or not. It does not make them any less of a rider if they wear a helmet or choose not to. Every rider knows the risks that are involved with horses. Some people(like my mother), believes that being around horses is too risky whether on the ground or on the horses's back WEARING a helmet, safety vest, knee/elbow pads.. :lol: Then there are some people who will jump without wearing any safety equipment. Its up to you! 

I ride at a laid-back barn and everyone rides Western. I believe(I may be wrong) 2 people wear helmets whenever they are on a horse, the rest dont. I'm the only one under 18 at the barn, but only by a month. I asked my instructor(who does not wear a helmet) if I would have to wear a helmet when I turn 18. I never wore a helmet when I was young, whether I was riding my bicycle or riding with my father. It doesn't feel 'right' and the helmet always gets in my way. My instructor told me that I would have to talk to my mother. When I told my instructor that it wouldn't matter because I will be 18, she laughed. :? I have a feeling they are buddies now. While I don't want to be nuissance and keep asking, I will because I don't think it's fair that other riders don't have to wear helmets.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Faceman said:


> ...How many people that are preaching helmets have texted, talked on a cell phone, put on their makeup, or eaten a hamburger while driving, or how many have driven after having a drink or smoking pot? How many have eaten junk food or smoke or drink cokes? How many are overweight? How many don't get enough exercise?
> 
> Come on - none of us go through life without making poor safety or health choices...


Exactly. Different people assess risks differently, and have different tolerances for risk. Some like rock climbing. You couldn't pay me enough to try it. My brother-in-law rides a motorcycle daily in Tucson - and you couldn't pay me to try that, either. 

He refuses to ride my 2 Arabians, because he says Arabians are nuts - but my daughter will ride the Arabian gelding. I'm the only one who rides my Arabian mare, because no one else wants to. I'll ride my geldings in an English saddle, but Mia only gets ridden using an Australian saddle - rode her English 3 days ago, and it just made me nervous - which Mia picked up on.

I'm puzzled at the number of people who feel a need to lecture others about wearing or not wearing a helmet. I have friends who have ridden their entire lives in rough country, and never worn a helmet. The lady who trained our horses won't get on a horse without one.

My property or horses, my rules. Anywhere else, folks can decide what risks are acceptable to them.


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## Mellow Mel (Dec 1, 2011)

cowboy bowhunter said:


> I may be wrong but i grew up western and have been taught western. And when i see helmet i think somethings wrong. Im not saying i have never taking a wreck i have had many. Landed on my back, head, knees, and a few times on my feet.


I would think it is time for a helmet to save your head next time.

Was "western" riding yesterday with a 12 yr old supposed dead broke bomb proof horse when a plastic bag floated by. he 180'd and his VERY experience rider flew off and banged her head on the road...thank god she was in a helmet.
Broke horse Veteran Rider


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Hmmm...very experienced rider flying off a horse that does a 180?

Starting as a very inexperienced rider, I've not come close to being thrown by a horse doing an unexpected 180 - except for the time she did it when I was dismounting. Even then, we didn't part ways until she finished the 180 and leaped forward. And that was with an English saddle.

Maybe it is because my horses gave me so much practice at unexpected 180s...


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

This happened to my helmet 2 days ago. Freak *accident* that ended up with me going to the ER. If I was not wearing my helmet, that would have been my BRAIN on the grass.

I don't understad people who think they're invincible and never wear a helmet. Double that for people who allow children to go without a helmet.


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## Saddlebag (Jan 17, 2011)

The smart ones are the ones who still have the brains to wear a helmet. Those with brain damage don't.


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

sorry but the OP was a joke right ?


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## tinyliny (Oct 31, 2009)

bsms said:


> Hmmm...very experienced rider flying off a horse that does a 180?
> 
> Starting as a very inexperienced rider, I've not come close to being thrown by a horse doing an unexpected 180 - except for the time she did it when I was dismounting. Even then, we didn't part ways until she finished the 180 and leaped forward. And that was with an English saddle.
> 
> Maybe it is because my horses gave me so much practice at unexpected 180s...


 
There are always reasons why a horse can unseat even an experienced rider doing a 180. The rider could have been leaning off to the side to adjust something, or the saddle loose, or the rider caught at the top of the posting trot, or the horse particularly downhill in build or the rider particularly "off" due to injury, meds or what ever. Anybody can come off of Any horse, sometime.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

DancingArabian said:


> ... If I was not wearing my helmet, that would have been my BRAIN on the grass...


Probably not. I've had a helmet crack from falling off the table...

I wear a helmet, but helmet advocates need to learn not to overstate their case. Most of the riders I've known have never worn a helmet, and haven't splattered their brains anywhere. It could happen, and I don't see how riding with a helmet hurts, but it is entirely possible to fall and even hit your head without your head exploding.

My worst fall has left me with a sore hip for over 3 years now, but my head stopped hurting within an hour. I was wearing a baseball cap at the time.



Saddlebag said:


> The smart ones are the ones who still have the brains to wear a helmet. Those with brain damage don't.


I admire jumpers, but jumping is associated with a much higher risk of head injury, even when wearing a helmet, than non-jumpers have. I would never call jumpers stupid or suggest they are brain damaged. They take risks they are willing to accept to do something they enjoy.

I don't understand making fun of someone for wearing a helmet. 

I don't understand making fun of someone for not wearing a helmet. :evil:


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## ShinaKonga (Jun 24, 2010)

This again? Guys, I have a super idea- how about we agree to disagree and ride our separate ways, helmets on or not?

Or, we could have a discssion about rodeo, or Parelli, or barefoot trimming! And, as usual, instead of letting it be a constructive conversation, we can start pointing fingers and making fun of people who have a different standpoint.

This is all such a rehash of the same old topics that get brought up and then end up with the entire thread locked. Can we not have a constructive discussion instead of saying things like 'The SMART ones have the brains to wear a helmet!' or saying somebody can be 'too experienced' for one?


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

I understand why some people don't want to wear helmets, but SEAT BELTS?

If princess Diana was wearing a seat belt that night, she'd probably still be alive. You're driving fast, and you don't feel the need for a seat belt because your in a fat *** truck and don't feel a thing as your moving with the car... but when your car stops, u don't. Your body keeps going 50 miles an hour when it hits your steering wheel.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Hidalgo13 said:


> I understand why some people don't want to wear helmets, but SEAT BELTS?.


It's called free will.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Hidalgo13 said:


> when your car stops, u don't. Your body keeps going 50 miles an hour when it hits your steering wheel.


There is no difference between your analogy above and what happens to the brain when your head hits the ground. The brain is suspended in fluid inside your head. When your head hits the ground and decelerates from however fast it's going to zero, the brain keeps going and stops cold against the cranium.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Hidalgo13 said:


> I understand why some people don't want to wear helmets, but SEAT BELTS?



It is the same...personal choice.

We are all going to die at some point, I could walk into the kitchen right now, slip and hit my head on the corner of the counter and die. So whether it be a wreck in my "fat *** truck" as you so eloquently(my big four syllable word for the day) put it, bounce off my pony onto my hollow melon, or slip and fall in my kitchen, it's my time. 
That is the way I look at it, I am fully aware of the risk involved and it is my choice.
( And I am definitely not going to stop going to the kitchen...that is where the fridge is.)


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

bsms said:


> *Probably not*. I've had a helmet crack from falling off the table...


Are you now an expert in traumatic brain injuries? Just how much impact force does it take to create the result below?


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## gypsygirl (Oct 15, 2009)

i would be long dead with out my helmet ! i had a horse rear and flip over on me when we were HALTED about to do a turn on the forehand. i would certainly be dead if i hadnt been wearing my helmet. that is enough proof for me that helmets save lives. it doesnt matter if you are jumping or walking, if you hit your head hard enough you can die.


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## Hidalgo13 (Dec 24, 2010)

> We are all going to die at some point, I could walk into the kitchen right now, slip and hit my head on the corner of the counter and die.


I agree with you on that, but there is a much larger chance of getting into a car accident and dying, then hitting your head on the kitchen counter and bonking your brains out (although it's very feasible of course).

But then maybe people are better drivers in Nevada and follow the rules so it's not that bad, but in Quebec, there are always a few idiots on the road and I wouldn't get into a car without putting my seat belt on. 

I believe most things happen because they are meant to be, but just because it's not meant to be, doesn't mean it won't happen.


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

mildot said:


> It's called free will.


No, it's called social irresponsibility. Why? Because the paramedics who come to take you to the hospital don't know that you weren't wearing a seatbelt by choice. In the time they spend saving your sorry butt, someone who actually wanted to live might die. Therefore, even if you're paying the bill in the end, not taking safety precautions is being inconsiderate of others.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

ponyboy said:


> No, it's called social irresponsibility. Why? Because the paramedics who come to take you to the hospital don't know that you weren't wearing a seatbelt by choice. In the time they spend saving your sorry butt, someone who actually wanted to live might die. Therefore, even if you're paying the bill in the end, not taking safety precautions is being inconsiderate of others.


Thank you ponyboy. My father would work 12 hour day shifts and 14 hour night shifts, scraping up the guts and trying to stick them back into some idiot that thought he was above the law and invincible, so thought it'd be a great idea to do 140km/h in a 50km/h zone, and hit a tree. Dad would frequently end up working more than 5 hours over time, and more often than not, it was because of some ignorant piece of work thinking they were so high and mighty that nothing would happen to them. 
And then our taxes go in to help cover their medical and ambulance bills. 
It's called selfish people.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Hidalgo13 said:


> I agree with you on that, but there is a much larger chance of getting into a car accident and dying, then hitting your head on the kitchen counter and bonking your brains out (although it's very feasible of course).
> 
> But then maybe people are better drivers in Nevada and follow the rules so it's not that bad, but in Quebec, there are always a few idiots on the road and I wouldn't get into a car without putting my seat belt on.
> 
> I believe most things happen because they are meant to be, but just because it's not meant to be, doesn't mean it won't happen.


Sure there is higher a chance of me dying in a wreck, I am fully aware. 

I am by no means implying that there are better drivers in Nevada and thinking my odds are better. Actually they are probably worse, given that it is almost two hours from town on washboarded dirt roads. It is a long way for paramedics and that is if someone happens to come along to find me.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

ponyboy said:


> No, it's called social irresponsibility. Why? Because the paramedics who come to take you to the hospital don't know that you weren't wearing a seatbelt by choice. In the time they spend saving your sorry butt, someone who actually wanted to live might die. Therefore, even if you're paying the bill in the end, not taking safety precautions is being inconsiderate of others.


I don't subscribe to your idea of social responsibility.

EVERYTHING I do has a negative impact on someone, somewhere. And I don't care.

I exercise my free will every day with regards to laws. There are always laws and rules that I will willfully break.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Kayty said:


> And then our taxes go in to help cover their medical and ambulance bills.


My taxes go to pay for many things that I disagree with. So that argument holds no water for me.


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## karebear444 (Feb 3, 2012)

I have to admit I don't always wear a helmet. I find them hot and uncomfortable, though I know the benefits greatly outweigh the risks of riding without one. 

I agree and disagree with the the OP. Honestly in my small town area there aren't a lot of riders that wear helmets besides myself. I only know of two girls at my stable and that is because they are under 18 and required to. My trainer doesn't even wear a helmet unless she is at the shows. The organized trail rides I attend in the area also have probably about 70% of the riders that do not wear helmets. It may not be the best choice but it's not uncommon. I do not think that wearing or not wearing a helmet has anything to do with how good or not good the horse is, however if that is what you were raised around believing you may treat that as standard. It may not make it right but it's a different way to look at things. That being said wear one or don't wear one, it's still a personal choice.


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## cowgirl928 (Feb 4, 2012)

So I haven't read through all of this, but I am going to throw in my two cents worth. If I had been wearing a helmet for my two worst falls, my life would be a lot better. Granted the only reason I didn't die or end up in a wheel chair was by the grace of God, but if I had been wearing a helmet both times I would not have gotten concussions. I ride western, and I do wear my helmet most of the time. The only time I do NOT wear it is when we have our 90 degree weather with 80% humidity, granted I don't ride in that weather which is probably why. But still, helmets save lives, whether it is an accident or not. The barn I board at views helmets as odd, but after these people saw me get bucked off, kicked in the face at the same time, and land on my back and get whiplash from NOT wearing my helmet, they all thought differently. That horse bucking me off could have EASILY snapped my neck, killed me, or given me brain damage. Again I say, it is only by the grace of God that I did not get seriously injured. I wear my helmet often, not as much as I should, but no matter how darn broke your horse is, and how good of a rider you are, you should ALWAYS have a good, safety approved helmet.


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## Nevreme (Feb 23, 2012)

This helmet vs. no helmet argument never fails to amuse me. I personally ride with a helmet, not only because it's required at my barn but because I've fallen enough times to know that the day I decide not to wear my safety gear is the day I'll fall on my head. I know of one horse that I would feel comfortable sitting on without a helmet, and she is a 30 year old therapeutic riding horse.

As a previous poster said; I wear my helmet for the same reason I wear my seat belt. I want to minimize the risk of injury or death.

I used to think seat belts were kind of unnecessary. I mean, I know why they're there and everything, but I had that whole teenage 'bad things don't happen to me, only to other people' thing going on. Then, a couple weeks ago, I got in a car accident. We made a _completely legal_ left turn on a green light and were T-boned by a woman going 65+ mph. Our car flipped and skidded while upside down. *Both the drive and I were wearing our seat belts*. We had minor scrapes, some bruising, and very sore muscles. I fully believe that if I had not been wearing my seat belt I would be dead. That is why I buckle up every time I get in a car.

I know that probably won't change anybodies mind, but it's just something to think about. No matter how good *you* are at driving, you have no control over the other people on the road. The same applies to horses; no matter how good a rider you are (and how broke your horse is), you have no control over the outside elements. Anything could spook a totally dead broke, bomb-proof horse at any time.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

bsms said:


> Probably not. I've had a helmet crack from falling off the table...


My head and neck will have to respectfully disagree with you  I definitely felt a lot of impact when I hit the gound and I still feel it. I had partial amnesia for 20 minutes!


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

mildot said:


> Are you now an expert in traumatic brain injuries? Just how much impact force does it take to create the result below


Well, I've smacked the ground harder than a fall from a table, and my cloth baseball cap saved my life! I know, because I was wearing it and my head didn't explode! < / sarcasm >

You can crack a helmet with far less force than needed to crack a skull. A fall that cracks a helmet does NOT prove the helmet saved your brains from gushing over the ground, just as the dust on my ball cap doesn't prove my ball cap saved my life.

As I said in the post you are attacking:_"Most of the riders I've known have never worn a helmet, and haven't splattered their brains anywhere. It could happen, and I don't see how riding with a helmet hurts, but it is entirely possible to fall and even hit your head without your head exploding."_​The way some helmet advocates act, putting your butt in the saddle without a helmet on automatically causes you head to explode in a ball of fire. That, combined with the insults, results in a lot of riders giving the helmet advocates the middle finger salute.

You jump with your horses. You are at greater risk, statistically, riding your way WITH a helmet than I am without one. And no, hell will freeze over before I wear a helmet whenever I walk into the corral:



mildot said:


> ...Some of the best horsemen in the world wear a helmet each and every time they climb on a horse, and some even wear them when ground handling a horse. These are people (Mark Todd, George Morris, Jimmy Wofford) whose horsemanship is so FAR superior to yours that it's not even funny...


And yes, many outstanding horsemen also ride without helmets. It is an individual choice about how much risk to accept. I spent a career strapping into ejection seats. Some call that risky. I thought it was fun, and would gladly do so again if anyone would let me...


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## HorsesAreMyPassion (Feb 16, 2012)

I didn't get the chance to read through all of this yet, but after reading the opening paragraph I just have to say that is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. Absolutely ridiculous!


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

oh vair oh said:


> Yes, but the idea behind the cowboy hat is also to protect the rider too. When you wear a light colored large hat, the horse has no idea where your face is. So if it happens to kick at you, it will more likely hit the brim of the hat than your face.


I've never heard THAT one before! 

Maybe it would be better to own horses that didn't aim at your head. :lol:

I ride western, but just out on trails. I wore a hat for years. I started wearing a helmet regularly when my colt was born because I wanted to pony him out and I felt that my risk of a crash increased because I was trying to control two horses at once. And then I discovered something- my helmet is actually COOLER than my hat! I live in Arizona and it's hot in the summer, and my head actually used to sweat more in my hat than it does now in my helmet. I still need to get a dog-gone brim for it though because the tiny brim it comes with doesn't keep the sun off my neck.

Anyway, I guess I had the same perception as the original poster at first. I was kind of like "now everyone will think I am scared." But I got over it. I wear what I want and don't worry about what other people think. I have a friend who rides in a baseball cap. I don't know why she chooses that over any other head gear, but hey, we each wear what feels right to us. 

But it is downright ridiculous to make assumptions on the rider based on whether they are wearing a helmet in an ad photo. That's just silly.


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## calicokatt (Mar 5, 2012)

So if you're wearing a motorcycle helmet when riding a motorcycle, that means the motorcycle won't behave? This is just absolutely ludicrous. People wear helmets to protect their heads should they fall or be thrown. People DO fall off of horses because of their own stupidity, you know. Just like people fall off of motorcycles and darn near anything else they could possibly get on. I want to protect my head, and because I want my children to protect THEIR heads, every person who rides with my children is REQUIRED to wear a helmet, to set an example, this rule has actually saved the life of my own mother. Better to wear a helmet and look like your horse is wild or you are an inexperienced rider, than to wind up dead or brain damaged just so you can prove your point or show off your good hair day.


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## happy123 (Jan 4, 2012)

*facepalm*

Good luck to you in life sir. 

Accedents always happen. A helmet can be the difference between life and death. Think about it.


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## Lunarflowermaiden (Aug 17, 2010)

themacpack said:


> The fact is, no matter how well trained, reliable and safe a horse is - sh*t happens. Horses that "never" spook can spook, tack can fail, a horse can stumble and fall - any number of things can happen than can cause a rider to part ways with the best of horses. Having a helmet on the rider's head is simply a measure to minimize the damage IF something happens - not an indication that the rider expects something to happen (or that the rider does not trust the horse). It has nothing to do with the horse.


Or they can drop dead of a heart attack/stroke/aneurysm (like with Hickstead). 

I know of at least one or two riders that had badly broken legs when their horses tied up, or colicked suddenly and threw themselves to the ground. No brain injuries though, thanks to their helmets.


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

I ride western, and though I personally don't usually wear a helmet, seeing people that do wear helmets is becoming more and more popular in my area. I barrel race, and even at association shows you'll see plenty of people, both young and old, wearing helmets. 

The only time I wear a helmet is if I am riding a horse I've never rode before, a young horse, or if I get the feeling that my horse is going to act up that day. 

I don't understand why people feel the need to tell others whether or not they should wear a helmet. I think it is important to inform people of the risks, but what is anyone honestly solving by calling either other afraid or stupid?


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

bsms said:


> The way some helmet advocates act, putting your butt in the saddle without a helmet on automatically causes you head to explode in a ball of fire. That, combined with the insults, results in a lot of riders giving the helmet advocates the middle finger salute.


Exactly.



mildot said:


> I don't subscribe to your idea of social responsibility.
> 
> EVERYTHING I do has a negative impact on someone, somewhere. And I don't care.
> 
> I exercise my free will every day with regards to laws. There are always laws and rules that I will willfully break.


Exactly.



mildot said:


> My taxes go to pay for many things that I disagree with. So that argument holds no water for me.


Here some fun examples that I copied and pasted:

The U.S. government is spending $750,000 on a new soccer field for detainees held at Guantanamo Bay.


If you can believe it, the U.S. government has spent $175,587 "to determine if cocaine makes Japanese quail engage in sexually risky behavior".


The federal government has shelled out $3 million to researchers at the University of California at Irvine to fund their research on video games such as World of Warcraft. Wouldn't we all love to have a "research job" like that?


The Department of Health and Human Services plans to spend $500 million on a program that will, among other things, seek to solve the problem of 5-year-old children that "can't sit still" in a kindergarten classroom.


Fannie Mae is about to ask the federal government for another $4.6 billion bailout, and it will almost certainly get it.


The federal government once spent 30 million dollars on a program that was designed to help Pakistani farmers produce more mangos.


The U.S. Department of Agriculture once gave researchers at the University of New Hampshire $700,000 to study methane gas emissions from dairy cows.

The U.S. government once spent 2.6 million dollars to train Chinese prostitutes to drink responsibly.

U.S. farmers are given a total of $2 billion each year for not farming their land.


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## Cacowgirl (Feb 19, 2011)

After reading this thread & watching my ARAb "dance" w/my neighbor a bit yesterday-when I rode him today I wore my helmet. Since I anticipate his "lightness" he did keep his front feet pretty close to the ground today. I, too want to get a brim for the helmet as sunny & warm weather will be coming soon.


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## I LOVE PAINTS 101 (Mar 26, 2012)

That is so stupid to think that a horse is not broke if the rider is wearing a helmet . I mean come on that is so stupid i wear a helmet and my horse is the best broke horse i have ever known .


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## ponyboy (Jul 24, 2008)

mildot said:


> I don't subscribe to your idea of social responsibility.
> 
> EVERYTHING I do has a negative impact on someone, somewhere. And I don't care.
> 
> I exercise my free will every day with regards to laws. There are always laws and rules that I will willfully break.


Well at least you're honest. But do you break laws just for the sake of breaking them? Because I don't see how wearing a seat belt is too much to ask. Hell, after I broke my shoulder wearing a belt with a shoulder strap hurt, but guess what - I got over it. If you want to break laws just to prove how tough you are I can think of better ones to break.


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

ponyboy said:


> But do you break laws just for the sake of breaking them?


No. I do it when, after a lot of thought, I see no rational basis for such law. Most of the ones I choose to ignore are based on your concept of "social responsibility" where me breaking them results in no direct harm to anyone else.



ponyboy said:


> Because I don't see how wearing a seat belt is too much to ask.


Whether you think it is a significant imposition or not is not relevant. That doesn't give you the moral authority to impose your will via law on others who have done nothing to wrong you.



ponyboy said:


> If you want to break laws just to prove how tough you are I can think of better ones to break.


I do wear a seatbelt. But only because I have decided it is a benefit to me. Not because a law makes it compulsory. It is also compulsory to drive no faster than 65 mph on freeways where I live. And guess what, I never obey that. As to what else I consider not worthy of my obedience, that's not for public discussion.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

Ah I see, like the young provisional drivers that think they're beyond the law and speed limits are challenges, not limits. So, before they see that 60km/h sign as being stupid, why not go 120km/h in that area? No ones around, until some lady pulls out and gets cleaned up by the invincible, above the law young driver who thinks 'it's just a little bit faster, it's not going to hurt anyone... I'm a great driver!'.

Gee Mildot, I wish I could be special and above the law like you!


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## mildot (Oct 18, 2011)

Kayty said:


> Gee Mildot, I wish I could be special and above the law like you!


You can robotically follow each and every one without thought. Or not.

I choose the latter.

PS, I have been at fault in ONE accident in 30 years of driving. And it happened at about 5 mph in stop and go heavy traffic. But thanks for asking.


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## Rascaholic (Oct 4, 2010)

Allison Finch said:


>


Love this picture, you should take that helmet off so we can see your hair....heheheh j/k

I don't ride with a helmet all the time. It depends on the location, the horse, and if I have one that fits since my personal helmet was crushed when it was stepped on by a 17 hand draft who didn't want to be ridden. Oh, did I mention my head was in it at the time? I am so seriously glad it was too!:lol:


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## GoAppendix (Mar 22, 2012)

^ That looks like a hunt cap?


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