Do you wear a helmet every time you ride?

[verthandi]

Owning horses for the past 50 years has caused me to see the errors of my ways. I ran barrels without a helmet for years, did 3 day eventing in the flimsy helmet with a strap that barely kept it on.

About 15 years ago I was riding a 20 year old mare that I had owned since birth across my pasture to get to a trail and experienced what I can hope was a ride of a lifetime. (17 years under saddle and she had never bucked.) For the first time in my life I learned the meaning of "being launched"...and I don't just mean a little bucking. I know how to tuck and roll and get out of the way, but this happened so quick and violent that it was roll and splat! on the fattest part of my body. I always figured I would be safe if I landed there. I never hit my head to the ground....until I blacked out. I had a severe concussion to the brain that had traveled up my butt and spine to my head.

If that had of been a direct hit to my head, I don't even want to think how it would have ended. As it was I was out of work over a month and still have physical effects from the fall. So helmet for me every ride, and anyone that rides here. It's not even an option to ride without one.

 

[TMNTCkins]

My kids always wear a helmet. I do not but if I was to start riding young horses again I think I would wear a helmet.
I do think that wearing a helmet is good for safety but I know of a young girl that was wearing a helmet and she just lost her balance and hit her head. Killed her on the spot she was wearing a helmet. Things happen but better to be safe.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Do you all make sure that your children are wearing their helmets correctly? We attend regular gymkhanas & teampenning at our local fairgrounds. We have a lot of young riders and too often I see children wearing helmets that DO NOT FIT, are not probably fastened, or are WAY too old (or may otherwise be compromised). Safety gear is only good if probably used.

We've had two folks airlifted from our arena this year (one young, one old). Someone gets dumped nearly every event for some reason, generally with little or no injuries, but you never know ~~

 

[RabbitMage]

Quote:
Because when and if someone ends up spending a decade in a coma, they will not be the ones mourning or paying the hospital bills.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

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Because when and if someone ends up spending a decade in a coma, they will not be the ones mourning or paying the hospital bills.

That's a slippery slope that ends with no one having the right to do anything fun because it might not be safe. Helmets today, anti horse laws tomorrow.
"They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin

 

[patandchickens]

Well, it has a good ring to it and all that, and some truth, BUT I do not think that this is the sort of essentialness of liberty -- the *kind* of liberty -- that Franklin was really speaking about, there...

Still not necessarily in favor of helmet laws for adults, though anyone with any sense should wear one by personal choice *anyhow* <g>,

Pat

 

[PurpleChicken]

Quote:
Because when and if someone ends up spending a decade in a coma, they will not be the ones mourning or paying the hospital bills.

That's not really a good, nor logical answer.

Why do I get the feeling every time I read one of your posts that you drive a Subaru wagon with bumper stickers all over the back of it?

 

[PortageGirl]

Well, the whole time I was in the military... should I say the whole time I was owned by the military? I had to wear my seatbelt, and a bicycle helmet, and get any shots and procedures they deemed I needed... If I didn't do so, and I got hurt or sick... or killed in an accident, if I didn't wear my seatbelt, my family would not have received the insurance benefits. They started that some time in the 80's when people would leave the post gates, and unbuckle their seatbelts, then get killed when ejected from a wrecked vehicle.

It saved lives, reduced medical expenses and such, and made the paying of those death benefits less necessary... Yes accidents still happened, and yes, people still got killed, BUT, the deaths and severe injuries were fewer due to the hard-line stance over wearing seatbelts etc.

Yep, people still die in battle, in accidents and from illnesses, but I'm now in the habit of taking the precautions I can, and I would never denigrate anyone for taking precautions where they can. //edited to add// no matter what bumperstickers they have on their vehicle.

 

[PurpleChicken]

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You served in the military so you're one up on me. When you volunteer you do sign away a lot of your liberties and become government property, sort of. I'm not educated enough on this nor have I put a lot of thought into it so my opinion is about meaningless. I'll just say that the forced vaccines, such as the A one, are proving to have been a big mistake.

What if I said if we should have the National Guard go door to door and test every citizen for AIDS? It would save a lot of lives if we round those people up and incarcarate them(or euthanize). The mear suggestion of this should bother most people. Of course I don't mean it but I'm trying to make a point. How about closing all the McDonalds? Fast food is costing this country a lot more money than people not wearing helmets.

Back to the OP who was asking a preference question and some of us jumped back in and turned it political. I wear my motorcycle helmet when I feel conditions warrant it. I would wear a helmet for riding a horse under the same premise, if I felt it was prudent. So in my case no I don't wear one every time.

Finally, in response to your last statement, I do not believe I denigrated anyone. It's simply lighthearted humor among friends. Lighten up a little. You'll live longer.

 

[PortageGirl]

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I my whole post could be simmered down to this statement... mostly. My paranoia doesn't stretch anywhere near to rounding up people and euthanising them... I have no idea how this got to this point.