# Do You Ride in a Helmet? *POLL*



## riccil0ve (Mar 28, 2009)

Sorry love, but what your mom says, goes. The tone of your post suggests you are not old enough or experienced enough to make the choice to ditch the helmet.


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

If anyone laughs at you for taking safety into consideration they should be ashamed of themselves.

If you are a minor I absolutely agree that you should have to wear a helmet.

I am not a minor anymore and still choose to wear mine - I have worn mine doing cattle work, barrel racing, showing.


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## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

I always wear a helmet. I took English lessons, but I have a western horse now and ride her western. Mainly trails and stuff. I really trust her and she's very calm but things can happen. Helmets save lives!! I don't think my mare would ever buck me or rear, but what if we were galloping and she stumbled. I could be thrown and crack my skull. No way - I stay on the safe side.

I think it is a personal decision, but for you - obviously being younger, you have to listen to what your mom says. Look into the helmets that are designed to look like Westen hats. They have some neat ones out there. Maybe you could get one of those and have the "Western" look but still keep yourself safe. And you should never feel ashamed to be safe - it really is important!

Here is one link - I'm sure if you google it you can find lots of others!

Tack Wholesale.com : Quality Horse Tack & Horse Supplies : Troxel Western Hat Helmet [04-100]


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Do I ride in a helmet? Hmmmmmmmm, well lets see. 

Well no there is not enough room in there to ride.


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## Carleen (Jun 19, 2009)

wild_spot said:


> If anyone laughs at you for taking safety into consideration they should be ashamed of themselves.


This, 100%. Wear your helmet.


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

Equus_girl said:


> I always wear a helmet. I took English lessons, but I have a western horse now and ride her western. Mainly trails and stuff. I really trust her and she's very calm but things can happen. Helmets save lives!! I don't think my mare would ever buck me or rear, but what if we were galloping and she stumbled. I could be thrown and crack my skull. No way - I stay on the safe side.
> 
> I think it is a personal decision, but for you - obviously being younger, you have to listen to what your mom says. Look into the helmets that are designed to look like Westen hats. They have some neat ones out there. Maybe you could get one of those and have the "Western" look but still keep yourself safe. And you should never feel ashamed to be safe - it really is important!
> 
> ...


I really like that! Thanks!


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## xdrybonesxvalleyx (Jan 17, 2010)

Helmets save lives. 

Darling, what your mother says goes, and you need to understand that it's for safety. I'd laugh at anyone who laughed at you for wanting to live without brain damage or mental retardation from a wrong fall!! 

By the way, there are plenty of helmets with hats on top that look like normal western hats. Besides, I personally find it ridiculous all those people doing something as dangerous as barrels without any safety considerations.


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## Cheshire (Oct 17, 2009)

I have heard of and personally known SO many people who would be dead or seriously (and permanently) injured right now if they had not been wearing a helmet.

When you are older, you can make that decision for yourself. Right now though you need to do as your mother says. Helmets save lives. No one will laugh if you wear one at Western events.

You can have all the trust in the world in your horse and your abilities but the thing is, stuff happens. All it takes is one helmet-less second in a sea of otherwise uneventful rides and your life can be over. Better to have something between your skull and a hoof or sharp rock.


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## Carleen (Jun 19, 2009)

Spyder said:


> Do I ride in a helmet? Hmmmmmmmm, well lets see.
> 
> Well no there is not enough room in there to ride.


You have no idea how hard I laughed when I read this.


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

NO YOU WOULD NOT BE MADE FUN OF AT RODEOS!

TONS of people who dont use helmets use them for there runs. It's very likely you will see lost of others wearing helmets.

Some places (really depends where you are) make you if your under 18. Not sure about the rodeos, but at some of the jackpots around here they do.

I use one if I'm with certain people (out of respect), at shows/riding centers that require them, and on a horse I'm unsure of or don't trust as much as some. Otherwise I dont use them if there not required. 

You can get western style ones.


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

I found this Spirit Troxel (Equine - Horse Tack Supplies - Safety - Helmets) that looks nice. It could go for Western riding easy I think. I like the variety of colors it comes in, too! Anyone used this helmet before?


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

I've had them on before. There nice, but I think the front part on that helmet is annoying.


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## MacabreMikolaj (May 9, 2009)

Anytime someone tries to tell you a helmet isn't "rodeo like", find the nearest bronc rider wearing a full face hockey helmet. :lol:

Some disciplines are a little slower to catch on then others, but you'll be pleasantly surprised. Besides that, MOST rodeos (around here anyway) enforce rules about minors wearing helmets. There's just too much liability these days, so may as well get used to it! Every event I've been to around here has an 18+ rule if you want to ditch the headgear!


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## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

GraciesMom said:


> I found this Spirit Troxel (Equine - Horse Tack Supplies - Safety - Helmets) that looks nice. It could go for Western riding easy I think. I like the variety of colors it comes in, too! Anyone used this helmet before?


I use this style of helmet. It is a great helmet! Nice and lightweight - well ventilated and very comfortable. I think it would do great for you. It also is a more affordable price than some helmets!


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

Speaking as someone who is at a rodeo every weekend, I promise you won't be made fun of.  

I don't about 95 percent of the time, but if I am at a show with a new horse or a horse that I know could do something, then I will throw my helmet on and not think twice about it.


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## kmdstar (Nov 17, 2009)

GraciesMom said:


> We are getting our horse tomorrow and my mom said I am not allowed to ride without a helmet. The thing is, I want to ride Western and the helmet doesn't really fit the sport. I fI was to compete in barrel racing, do you think I will be made fun of at rodeos?


I actually laughed out loud at this. You don't want to wear a helmet (something that COULD very possibly save your life or at least protect you) because you think people will LAUGH AT YOU? I say let them laugh all they want because THEY are idiots.

I almost always wear a helmet when I ride, ALWAYS when I jump or barrel race or trail ride. Sometimes I will hop on bareback without a helmet, not a good idea but I've done it. My mom makes me wear my helmet, when I turn 18 in a few months...I don't plan to stop wearing it


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## payette (Jun 3, 2010)

I rarely do, but my two daughters do- every single time, no matter what, and even on the ground when handling horses, most of the time. Double standard? Yep. But, I'm the mom-so what I say goes!


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

OK, thanks guys!

I really do like that helmet. We are ordering it tomorrow, but I don't know which color to get it it in!!


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## Pro (Apr 23, 2009)

I like black because I can use it for everything and with all my different saddle pad colors.


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

The black is OK, but I really like the honeydew or fuchsia. Both are pretty!


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## Equus_girl (Jan 25, 2009)

I got the fuchsia color and love it! I think it is a lovely color.


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## roro (Aug 14, 2009)

No, I don't ride in a helmet. I wear one while I ride.

I agree with your mother, you should be wearing a helmet. Doesn't fit the sport? I'd say head gear fits the act of romping around on a 1000 lb flight animal perfectly.


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## AQHA (Mar 15, 2010)

But where do you draw the line??

Do you wear helmets while in the car, ALWAYS on a bike, while crossing the street? Heck, how many of you swim in the ocean (you dont think a shark can grab you in a split second)? or how about just swimming in a pool. Do you wear a life jacket each time you hop in the pool. NO!

ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO.

You really cant prevent something from happening if it`s you time, it`s your time.

Sure helmets are good, but I know some people who wont hop on a horse (some wont even go near one) without a helmet.

Does everyone who wears helmets ALWAYS wear proper boots, gloves, etc.

Like I know your head is really important, but you always face ways to get hurt or die can you really or even them all?

Cleaning out a horses back feet IMO is just as unsafe as riding...Your head is just by 1000+ pounds of pure power. How many of you who only ride with helmets on put one on before you pick your horses feet?

I`m not against helmets, but really, how can you say you have to have one while riding, but can do so many other things without all the worry?


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## Quixotic (May 22, 2009)

I always wear a helmet when I ride, 100% of the time. If there's not a helmet around, then I don't get on. Simple as that. It's one of those things where, 99% of the time, it's probably just sitting on top of my head doing not much of anything. But let me tell you, during the rare occasion that I end up on the ground, I'm always very glad that I've got it on.
When I was 16, I had to make a very ungraceful split-second decision emergency dismount off my horse. I slammed my head against a tree, & my helmet wasn't useable again after that. I consider the fact that I came out of it with just a fractured wrist & cracked helmet to be lucky - much better than a cracked skull.
Yes, it's a personal decision, but I'd personally rather be safe than sorry.

AQHA - at the barn where I grew up riding, anyone under 18 had to put their helmets on before they started grooming the horses. Same applied at the stable I taught at last summer.


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## Gidget (Jan 19, 2010)

wear a helmet. 
I should and I sometimes do. I need to make it a priority.

A lady told me of a story when I was riding my horse at the arena.She said she was riding her horse on a trail along with her friends and she fell of and hit her head(she had a helmet on) and she got a concussion from it and she also broke her helmet from the fall.

People fall off all the time and should wear them for safety. Some people think they are "lame" but in the end you want to save your head and possibly your life! Don't worry what people think.


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## ilovemyhorsies (Mar 9, 2008)

I do and I don't..

I wear my helmet ALMOST all of the time. On any horse I ride. 

The only exception to this is when I'm on my 12.3 gelding and I'm just vaulting on bareback in the paddock or letting him graze on the front lawn while I sit on him and read a book or something. 
I trust him a lot and I've had him for about 9 years so I know his 'ins and outs'. That said.. I know how unpredictable horse and ponies are (so please don't yell at me for what I said above S 
I've taken my fair share of tumbles from him. In fact he is the only pony/horse I've fallen off of (with the exception of a fainting episode ahah) >__<
No clue why this is, maybe I just got used to his naughty behaviour (bucking, taking off etc.)

I wear a helmet for anything and everything other than this.
And I think that you should wear one too, regardless of your discipline.

Your mum is right


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## wild_spot (Jan 30, 2008)

See, AQHA, I don't believe that when it's your time nothing can prevent it. I could walk out right now and stand in front of a car and get killed - Or I could stay inside and not. 

Injuries to the rest of the body are usually far less severe than those to the head - And you can't get brain damage from any other part of your body. 

Cars have inbuilt safety features including air bags to protect the head and neck.

I wear a helmet when I snowboard as well.

That's why I wear a helmet - It protects my noggin - And i'm actually quite fond of it. I don't give a fig what other people do, unless they are on my horses, my property, or are a minor.


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

I rode western for years with a helmet, even when my friends ditched theirs.

Helmets have saved my life more than once. And you never know when you will get in such a situation. I have fallen off the most "bombproof" horses. Even just your horse stumbling can cause you to fall in a way that you could crack your head like an egg. Accidents happen.

And as a minor, you CERTAINLY need one, IMHO. Kudos to your mother for being a responsible parent and insuring that you see your 18th birthday in the future!

I agree with what some others have said...your attitude and tone really give me the impression you are not old enough to comprehend the possible consequences of not wearing a helmet, and are thus not old enough nor mature enough to make that choice for yourself.

Spyder, that comment on page 1 has me in tears! LOL!


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## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

I'm another who always wears a helmet but I have come off onto my head and I'm fairly certain if I hadn't been wearing I wouldn't be typing right now. I also wear a body protector but that is because when I had one and didn't wear it I broke my shoulder so now I wear it, mainly for support because it helps keep my back straight which stops my shoulder from aching. I fully endorse minors wearing helmets and I think all beginner riders should do as well only because they're more likely to come off because they don't know how to ride or only know the basics. I do sometimes wear my helmet while grooming but that's because it's comfy and I walk about wearing so I've got my hands free and I'm paranoid about spiders getting into. Always wear one on a bike as well because there are several main roads which are very dangerous. Always wear proper boots, I love my boots  and only tend to wear gloves in winter because most of the reins I've ridden with have been rubber grip ones. 

About the swimming thing, I learnt to swim in armbands and with a float now I know how to safely swim I don't but then since I can only swim in a pool there are lifeguards on hand and other people if things go wrong. However I've done some watersports such as sailing, canoing, kayaking etc and you had to wear a lifejacket and a helmet, no ifs and buts. As for sharks, none where I live, far too cold for the dangerous ones .


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## horseluver250 (Oct 28, 2009)

I ride western and do wear a helmet. I grew up eventing, foxhunting, gaming and ALWAYS wore my helmet. I moved and for a while I did not wear one, for really stupid reasons. My husband doesn't wear one, neither does anyone that we trail ride with and I just felt silly wearing one. Now I honestly just don't care what anyone thinks, I feel more secure having one on my head and am more confident in the saddle. I wish I could get my husband to wear one, I worry every time his horse acts up.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

Spyder said:


> Do I ride in a helmet? Hmmmmmmmm, well lets see.
> 
> Well no there is not enough room in there to ride.


:lol:

Glad I am not the only person who thought that when I read the question.


AQHA - I can not believe you posted all that when a young person is asking about wearing a helmet. 
It is fine if an adult wants to be stupid with their brain, that is their business (well not really, since I as a tax payer will have to fun their feeding tube for the rest of their lives, but lets ignore that part).

And yes, I will not ride in my sneakers, or crocks, or such. I also say something when the kids at the barn ride in their Uggs.



Graciesmom, pick whichever color helmet you like. What color do you plan to wear for your outfit when you are at rodeos? What color is your saddle pad?

Think about it this way; Wearing your helmet is making you a great example to the kids that are younger than you. They can see that you are wearing yours and are not afraid to get made fun of, so they will not have to worry when they have to put on a helmet too.


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

I have a pink saddle pad. Most all of her halters, saddle pad, ect. are pink. The saddle and the bridle is all she has that is not pink, lol. I will wear pink (can you tell I like that color?) at rodeos. Maybe black with pink accents  I think i will get the fuchsia. My mom is ordering it in an hour off of Valley Vet Supply.

Thanks everyone for helping me reason that it is a good idea  I really just didn't want to be the only wearing one...Now I know I'm not.


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## Alwaysbehind (Jul 10, 2009)

If you are the only one wearing one, you will be the only one cool enough to be wearing one!


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## ToHotToTrot (Jun 13, 2010)

The only time my mom allows me not to wear a helmet is when im working on western pleasure in the small indoor, where she is watching behind a small glass observation room and there is barely any foot traffic in the small barn. Other than that, i am always wearing my helmet. In 4-H they require a helmet for 18 and under.


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## SouthernComfort (May 13, 2010)

Always wear a helmet. No excuses. 

I do admit that I do wear crocs and go barefoot sometimes. I do not wear sneakers, Dr. Martins, or any shoe that is wide and won't let my foot come out of the stirrup if I do.


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

OK, we got the helmet! We went to our local farm store, they had them for $27.99 on sale!! I picked the white color, it will go with everything  Thanks for all the help!


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

Good choice! White will be cooler as well in the hot months.


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

DressageIsToDance said:


> Good choice! White will be cooler as well in the hot months.


That is what I thought, too


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## equiniphile (Aug 16, 2009)

always when riding a bike, yes. When riding a horse, all the time. Seatbelts while riding in the car, always. We choose to increase our risk of injury by putting our feet in that stirrup and mounting our horse. We increase our risk level by swimming in a pool. But for almost everything we do to increase our risk levels, like crossing the street, there are enforced and unenforced rules that we generally abide by, like looking both ways first. One of them is being a little extra safe when we ride horses, no matter how much we trust them or no matter how safe the situation seems, because anything can happen. Why not take that extra precaution and strap on a helmet? 



AQHA said:


> But where do you draw the line??
> 
> Do you wear helmets while in the car, ALWAYS on a bike, while crossing the street? Heck, how many of you swim in the ocean (you dont think a shark can grab you in a split second)? or how about just swimming in a pool. Do you wear a life jacket each time you hop in the pool. NO!
> 
> ...


_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## OhSoAppy (Jun 7, 2010)

I did not ride in helmets for years. This is the first year I am wearing one more often. I would say I wear it about 80% of the time now. Working my way up to full-time.

I have found I generally have more confidence when I have one on. It may not save me from every potential accident. However, like wearing a seatbelt everytime I drive, it is that extra 'in case' protection I like.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

I don't wear a helmet and never wore one growing up. There wasn't such a thing unless you rode English.

But you are under your parent's roof and have to live by their rules. You can decide when you are older if you want to continue to wear one. Will kids make fun of you, yeah, there will be some that do, but keep in mind one thing, you are riding your horse something you've probably wanted forever and that should outweigh and teasing on the part of stupid people.


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## A knack for horses (Jun 17, 2010)

I only ride in a helmet when I ride bareback, when there is a great risk of injury. That being said, I have been riding for years and only ride horses that are BROKE. When I started riding, my mom told me to wear a helmet any time I rode, and I did, especially when I got on a horse I didn't know. As for people making fun of you, say, *"English riders wear helmets, so why can't barrel racers?"* I have seen hideous accidents in barrel racing and if you can avoid injury to your head and neck, you could save yourself from permanent paralysis, brain damage, and even death. So I would do as your mom says


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## Tennessee (Dec 7, 2008)

Solon said:


> I don't wear a helmet and never wore one growing up. There wasn't such a thing unless you rode English.
> 
> But you are under your parent's roof and have to live by their rules. You can decide when you are older if you want to continue to wear one.* Will kids make fun of you, yeah,* there will be some that do, but keep in mind one thing, you are riding your horse something you've probably wanted forever and that should outweigh and teasing on the part of stupid people.



I have been barrel racing for ten years, have worn a helmet many times, and have never been made fun of.


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## Brithorse1996 (May 25, 2010)

Yeah i was galloping earlier and my instuctor was infront of me and i was about 2m away from her (yes too close I know, it's the first time i'd galloped in a field before and it was also a new area to me) and she had to make an emegency stop because there was somthing in the grass, so basically i nearlly rear ended her horse (who is rather tempermental) but i managed to swerve and by the end of it all i was half way down my ponys neck with a mix of grass, dried mud, shiny stones underneath (don't know what they were) and a right at the top of a steep hill. At the speed i was going i probably would have taken a nice trip to A&E


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## DressageIsToDance (Jun 10, 2010)

A knack for horses said:


> I only ride in a helmet when I ride bareback, when there is a great risk of injury. That being said, I have been riding for years and only ride horses that are BROKE. When I started riding, my mom told me to wear a helmet any time I rode, and I did, especially when I got on a horse I didn't know. As for people making fun of you, say, *"English riders wear helmets, so why can't barrel racers?"* I have seen hideous accidents in barrel racing and if you can avoid injury to your head and neck, you could save yourself from permanent paralysis, brain damage, and even death. So I would do as your mom says



Technically speaking, there is less chance of injury bareback (assuming you have good seat and balance), because there is nothing for you to get hung up on if you fall.

I mean, as for the making fun of, even when I rode primarily western with friends who did not wear helmets (who were YOUNGER than I and doing so against the rules of the barn) they did not make fun of me. I was never made fun of by anyone. And really, is being cool worth sacrificing safety?

As for what AQHA said way earlier...sorry, but it really doesn't make any logical sense to me to choose not to protect yourself from serious injury or death in a dangerous activity, when protection is readily and so easily available. I know that I WOULD have died in one fall had I not been wearing a helmet. The helmet prevented my death, or at the very least a head injury serious enough I may have been a vegetative state. My horse was galloping, bucked, and I fell up on her neck, and then slid off, falling in front of her. She had no choice but to run me over. One of her hind feet hit my head at full speed. My helmet was broken, or rather, shattered into pieces. That WOULD have been my head, had I not been wearing the helmet...it WOULD have been my time. But by taking precautions, I made sure it wasn't my time.

Each to his own though. I'm one of those english riders I suppose, but speaking as someone with a background in a variety of disciplines, including barrel racing, I never felt that I looked funny or that my helmet was silly EVER. I rode one, maybe two times in my 11 years with horses without a helmet, and I was very uncomfortable and paranoid the entire time.


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## Solon (May 11, 2008)

Tennessee said:


> I have been barrel racing for ten years, have worn a helmet many times, and have never been made fun of.


Good that was your experience. Unfortunately, it's not like that everywhere. I've seen it plenty of times at the county fair as well as some local shows the kids go to.


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## Jolly Badger (Oct 26, 2009)

To the OP: if your mom says you have to wear a helmet when you ride, then wear a helmet when you ride. When you move out on your own and are paying for all your bills, and your horse's bills, then you can make the call on whether or not you want to wear a helmet. 

My riding background is in the English hunter/jumper disciplines, and wearing a helmet was mandatory during lessons. So, I just got used to the idea and it never bothered me. And, of course, I can personally recall several incidents when wearing a helmet made the difference between being able to get back up and on the horse after a fall. . .and a trip to the hospital. In one case, a friend was riding in a large indoor arena that was enclosed with a concrete wall. She'd just gone through a line of jumps and her horse bucked her off just as he was going into the corner. I was at the opposite end of the arena and could HEAR the crack as that helmet hit the wall. My friend got up, borrowed another helmet and got back on the horse. She was fine. Her helmet - not so much. 

These days, I prefer being out on trail to riding in an arena and I usually ride alone, so it just seems like good sense to be sure my head is protected in case I do have an accident. I don't wear the "traditional" black velvety helmet anymore - I bought one of the ventilated Troxel helmets and find it to be quite comfortable and lightweight.

The trails I ride aren't always well-maintained, so I often have to duck under branches; having a helmet is actually very convenient in this case, because the branches just bounce right off. The evidence of that is all over my helmet - nicks and rubs and scuff marks all over the material. Still, better there than on my scalp! 

Have I been teased about wearing a helmet? You bet! People at my current barn still make comments. . .they still say that they think wearing a helmet is just "too bulky" or that it looks stupid, or whatever. That's their decision, I guess. Though it does make me chuckle when we're on a group ride and I am able to simply duck under low-hanging branches and let them bounce off my helmet, while I hear the people behind me cursing and whining about hitting their heads. . .or having to dismount because the "much cooler" hat they were wearing got caught up in the branches and fell on the ground.:lol:


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## GraciesMom (Jun 17, 2010)

Thanks for the comment 

Wearing it hasn't been all that bad, and yes, Gracie took me under a tree this morning, and the brances just slid right off! I was thankful they didn't hit me in the face.


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## Lis (Oct 29, 2009)

That's when you realise how much you love it  I never really had that problem until I rode larger horses, I'm 4'11 so they still tend to miss me, lol.


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## speedy da fish (May 7, 2009)

If your mom wants you to wear a helmet, then you should until you are old enough to decide. I see a lot of kids riding western with helmets on.

I'm an adult and ride with one but I do ride English.


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## IndianGirl (Jan 6, 2010)

Personally i dont wear one. I do think it is a wonderful idea for you to use one. Your mother is just looking out for your safety. I doubt anyone is going to laugh at you. I see so many kids wearing helmets.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

I see more and more gaming and barrel competitors with helmets. You should not be made fun of for wanting to keep your skull in one piece...

I won't ride without a helmet, my big burly man husband won't ride without one, no one is allowed to ride on my property without a helmet! All of my students are required to wear helmets, even my adults, western or English. 

IMO, it is stupid to ride without a helmet. Sure, most falls don't involve a head injury, but it only takes once... I had a 17 yr old friend in HS who was a GREAT rider (Novice level eventer, and moving up!), who had a freak fall when she went team penning with her BF. He made fun of her helmet so she took it off. The horse she was riding tripped and fell while he was trying to cut a cow and she knocked her head on the steel railing. She died a few days later...

Helmets are cheap, light weight, come vented so they're cool, and they even come in fun colors to match your outfit, or there are western styles that are neat. There is no excuse NOT to wear one...

Yes, it is your choice to wear a helmet (if you're an adult), but really, why wouldn't you? Do you want to the risk of a head injury, mild or serious? Do you want to put your family at risk as well? Who do you think will have to care for you in the case of a serious injury? If you're a parent, do you want to leave your kids without a parent or with one that is mildly to seriously disabled? If you're young, do you want to chance the rest of your life on a $40 piece of equipment and "looking like a dork"? If you value your brain, your life, and your family, you will wear a helmet, plain and simple.

Just my 2 cents. If what I says offends anyone, too bad. Think about what I'm saying and what would happen if you were to get in to a freak accident. They do happen, just ask Christopher Reeve...


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## IheartPheobe (Feb 15, 2009)

I ride with a helmet all the time. I have never gotten on a horse without a helmet. . and I probably never will. You never know what could happen. I have broken my helmet on a minor fall - and that could've been my head. I was also thrown into a fence, & the velvet was scratched off my helmet; that could've been my head as well. =\


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## ridergirl23 (Sep 17, 2009)

I love my hair/head, there might not always be a lot going on in my brain, but I still love having one that functions, I love my helmet, it is a velvet one that I LOVE the look of. I don't see a reason NOT to wear one! I kneed a new helmet, and I am being picky because I refuse to buy one I don't love. I don't understand why people don't, but hey, I don't understand the things people I usually anyway.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## liliafavor (Jun 22, 2010)

It seems like people are more inclined to wear helmets after serious head injuries. I can't trust that other are, or that there may be something on the ground, a rock, or a jump standard, that I may hit. I can replace a helmet, but not my head.


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## UnrealJumper (Nov 24, 2009)

You have to wear a helmet at barrel races anyway until your over the age of 18. Not to mention, it's the safe route to go! I took a fall a while ago, and wow was I ever thankful for the helmet! (considering I landed on my head, safety first!)


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## Tasia (Aug 17, 2009)

I wear one. Its a timperary very good quality. BTW helmets go with the western sport a cracked skull does not.


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

I usually wear a helment just because its a saftey precaution. Sometimes I do not but thats only when im on bareback and just going up to a trot. Or if im just sitting on my horse in the arena or round pen as he tried to munch on some grass. Plus my trainer says we have to always wear a helment....so what my trainer says goes. lol. I do remember this one time I was tail riding and this little 5 year old boy was riding with his mother on a horse...and he just thought it was the funniest thing that me and my riding buddies were wearing helments. He was like look mom there wearing a helment and started laughing.. Im not going to lie but I kinda felt dorky and overly safe, but then I just thought of what random little thing that could happen as we were trail riding up/down some steeps hills and going down in ditches and creeks..Just as a simple trip could happen. I think its better to wear helment just to be on the safe side


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## Rowzy (Mar 1, 2010)

I ALWAYS use a helmet, I feel weird when I forget it. I was bucked off once at a gallop. The helmet cracked, I was fine, this is good enough evidence for me.

Not to mention if you are boarding your horse they will most likely have some sort of barn rule that you must wear a helmet if you are under 18. Every show facility and barn I've been at required it because it was too much of a liability.


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## luvs2ride1979 (Nov 9, 2007)

UnrealJumper said:


> You have to wear a helmet at barrel races anyway until your over the age of 18.


Not everywhere. Here in Arkansas helmets are not required by law, and none of our show organizations or riding groups require them for western events. Most require a safety helmet for kids/teens jumping or in English events, but not for western events.


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## franknbeans (Jun 7, 2007)

luvs2ride1979 said:


> I see more and more gaming and barrel competitors with helmets. You should not be made fun of for wanting to keep your skull in one piece...
> 
> I won't ride without a helmet, my big burly man husband won't ride without one, no one is allowed to ride on my property without a helmet! All of my students are required to wear helmets, even my adults, western or English.
> 
> ...


 


^^ THIS! I NEVER ride without one......you are dealing with an animal and too many other factors that can be totally unpredictable. Our trainer came off 2 wks ago, and is very lucky to be alive.......he is now a total helmet wearer-and he is a 65+ yo cowboy! And-FWIW, I don't give a rats patute how "broke" a horse is! They are animals, and S$%* happens! When the trainer came off the saddle slipped, and the horse (who has NEVER bucked) became a bucking fool! And-we had checked the cinch no less than 4 times! 

Bottom line-wear your helmet-not just because mom says to, but because you are too smart NOT to. That is my main reason (besides my husband says no helmet-no horse! lol).

And No-noone rides any of mine without boots with heels. Sorry-my horses-my rules.


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## themoshi27 (Jun 24, 2010)

My parents sont let me ride without a helmet to...i am also young


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## AtheistForever (Jun 25, 2010)

Wear a helmet and body protector.Better to look stupid and be alive rather than seriously injured or dead.


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## chevaliernr (May 24, 2009)

At the barns I've ridden at, you don't get on a horse without wearing a certified helmet, and you feel silly and look stupid WITHOUT a helmet, not with one. I am so glad I learned to ride surrounded by the state of mind that safety is a necessity rather than a joke.

AQHA, to me, life is just one big game of chance. The choices you make sway the probability of those chances happening. It's up to us to make choices in such a way that we're protecting ourselves reasonably. I've actually seriously thought about wearing my helmet in a car before :lol:, but as previously stated, cars come equipped with a reasonable amount of safety equipment (seatbelts, airbags, the way the car folds upon impact). The rest is up to people not to be ignorant or careless when driving (although this is clearly asking too much of humanity).

I almost never ride a bike, so I can't tell you from personal experience the dangers of bike riding, but when you're riding on a road with crazy drivers or mountain biking down treacherous terrain, you sure as hell should wear a helmet unless you want your head smashed in. However, there is an important difference between bike riding and horseback riding. In the former, there's a nice piece of metal under you that YOU control. In the latter, there is a 1000 lbs of free-thinking muscle under you that can think for itself and make mistakes. 

As for being eaten by a shark, falling on your head off of a horse is far more probable than being eaten by a shark as far as I know. Please enlighten me if I'm wrong. But if you love the ocean, then that's a risk you're willing to take. I'm not sure there's much you can do to protect yourself from a shark attack, but a helmet is NOT an unreasonable request to make in exchange for partaking in a sport we love. The only complaints I can imagine is that your head gets sweaty or you like to feel the wind through your hair. So I guess if you garner great joy from feeling the breeze through your hair and that's a risk you're willing to take, by all means, go ahead, but don't burden anyone but yourself with your medical bill, please.

I'm not really sure what a pool's going to do to you unless you drown yourself out of stupidity. Children and adults who can't swim or don't know their limits should wear a flotation device when swimming. But if you're a competent swimmer, I'm pretty sure you'll be fine.

Of course there are always ways to die. Our interest is to limit those ways without becoming paranoid or unreasonable. I wear my seatbelt in the car and make sure it's positioned correctly. I don't swim in the ocean because I'm not completely comfortable in it and I KNOW that. I'm not a great swimmer, but I'm confident I can keep from drowning in a swimming pool unless an elephant falls from the sky and lands on me or something of that nature.

Never driving in a car because you MIGHT crash is an unreasonable request. Living like a hermit because someone might be crazy and shoot you with a gun while you're walking down the street is unreasonable. Wearing a light piece of plastic to keep you from having a brain hemorrhage is, however, quite reasonable.

Kudos to you if you read all that. I didn't realize it'd be so long.

Graciesmom, I applaud you for making an intelligent decision and buying a helmet.


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## EbonyLover4Ever (Jun 28, 2010)

I have to where mine in western pleasure shows. It keeps you safe so you should wear. Would you rather A, be laughed at or B, get injured and possibly die?


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## artsyjenn (May 12, 2010)

I always wear a helmet when I ride. I have a lot of responsibilities, and it sets a good example for my kids. Luckily our kids don't make a fuss because they don't know any different, they have always worn them. As of last year, our local 4H requires ALL riders to wear a helmet during ALL 4H riding events.
Afew years ago I had a VERY experienced young rider working my green horse. She never wants to wear a helmet. She was going to ride him in an English saddle for the first time one day, there were some horses he didn't know in the arena, I could tell he was feeling hyper that day... I urged her to wear a helmet and she pooh poohed me. Guess who ended up taking an ambulance ride to the hospital that day for a concussion (thank God that's all it was)? hate to say I told you so...


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## Lovehorsesandrunning (Nov 10, 2009)

yes I always wear a helmet even for the horses I trust the most because horses are living animals and you don't always know what they're going to do
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SavvyHill (Jun 29, 2010)

GraciesMom said:


> We are getting our horse tomorrow and my mom said I am not allowed to ride without a helmet. The thing is, I want to ride Western and the helmet doesn't really fit the sport. I fI was to compete in barrel racing, do you think I will be made fun of at rodeos?


Not at all. Quite a few of the younger riders at the barrel shows I've attending wore helmets. Helmets don't suck at all. My father used to make me wear them when I first started riding, and now it's just a personal choice because I've seen so many horses fall in barrel shows.


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## devildogtigress (May 17, 2010)

Ummm...yes...always. I won't get on a horse w/o one. Sorry, but I have too much to LIVE for to consider getting on a horse w/o one. If you wonder about being a "great" rider or riding a "great" horse...as others have said, it only takes a second. 

Take for instance Olympic Dressage rider Courtney King-Dye. (Dressage is like western sports...the upper levels helmets have been considered "unstylish" and while by no means banned, most ppl won't wear them b/c it doesn't go w/ the "styloe"). She was schooling here in Florida for a competition and her horse slipped. She wasn't wearing a helmet. She spent weeks in a coma, and is undergoing extensive rehab just to learn to do normal daily things again as a result of extensive brain damage and a fractured skull. She may or may not ride again (she can hardly control her right side...the only riding she's likely to be doing any time soon is on therapy horses...from Olympic horses to therapy horses) but it's unlikely she'll ever be back at the level she was before...an International and Olympic competetor. 

The Horse | Olympic Dressage Rider Hospitalized after Accident 

Courtney King Dressage

I'd obey your mother, with a smile on your face and be grateful that your mom is so concerned about your safety and wellbeing. As a mother, I won't let my own children get on a horse w/o a helmet either. 

(FYI - suddenly, after this accident, International level dressage riders are pulling out the helmets to compete...even at these high levels)


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## haleylvsshammy (Jun 29, 2010)

My mom used to never make me ride with a helmet. She wasn't taught the importance of a helmet, so she found no need for me to wear one. Then, I got my first horse. He was a 14.3 arabian, cute as can be. I would not get on that horse without a helmet. I didn't feel safe without one. So that's how I started wearing a helmet. I'm so lucky that I was never injured when I didn't wear a helmet, but, looking back at it, I could have died in some freak accident. 

Now, I have a 17hh thoroughbred that I am AFRAID to ride without a helmet. It's not that I don't trust him, I totally do, but that is a long fall! It's not worth the risk. I had an arguement with my friend about helmets the other day. She was talking about a video that we had to watch at the beginning of our 4-H year about helmet safety. She said that a girl died because she went on a trail ride with her predictable horse without a helmet, and there was a freak accident.

I then pointed out to her, "don't you do that all the time?" She responded by saying, "Yeah, but I have Thunder," (her horse) "he's not going to do anything."
WHAT???? The girl who died didn't think that her horse was going to do anything either! The thing is, you don't know what's going to happen. Something could pop out of nowhere and spook your horse. You could fly off and hit your head on a rail. YOU DON'T KNOW. Why risk it when you could put a $40 piece of equipment on your head and keep living? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAPPEN, SO WHY RISK IT?


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## Katana (Jul 2, 2010)

I wear a helmet now. When I was a kid I too hated the way we always had to wear helmets because "Mum said so" I always used to sneak rides without them. When I started Cavalcading/Trail Riding I stopped I was about 18yrs old, had left home & thought I knew it all. -Since then I have know/heard of, a lot of people who have had bad head injuries. Now Its a piece of my equipment that I need - just like a halter and lead


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## Pinto (Mar 31, 2010)

_YES_. End of.
I know of someone (not personally, but she used to ride at my pony club) that now now has an ABI (acquired brain injury) as the result of not wearing a helmet whilst horse riding. I don't know how anyone can even consider not wearing a helmet. No matter how good you are at riding, there's still a danger of serious injury if you neglect to wear a helmet. Look at what happened to Courtney King Dye (US Olympic dressage champion) earlier this year. She fell off her horse, wasn't wearing a helmet and was in a coma for something like 3 weeks. 
I mean... isn't it better to be safe than sorry?


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