HELMET SAFETY

HELMETS

A head injury can change your life. Helmets are an invaluable piece of equipment when it comes to working with horses.

BY JENN WEBSTER, COMPILED FROM THE AEF WEBSITE & VARIOUS SOURCES

Although riding/driving horses provides much joy, there is an inherent risk that comes along with interacting with equines. When you are with your equines every day, it is easy to become complacent and forget how big, powerful, and quick they can be. As such, it is important that you take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from serious injury. The importance of wearing a helmet cannot be stressed enough. A head injury can not only change your life, but also of the lives of those who love you. Don’t let vanity get in the way of using safety equipment.

Concussion Awareness

Concussion, a type of traumatic brain injury, is caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head and brain to move quickly back and forth – causing the brain to bounce around or twist within the skull. This sudden movement of the brain can cause stretching and tearing of brain cells, damaging the cells and creating chemical changes in the brain.

According to the Equestrian Medical Safety Association, riders are more likely to suffer traumatic brain injury (ranging from concussion to life-threatening) than athletes who play rugby, football, boxing, soccer, or even those who race motorcycles – high impact sports in their own rights – each with extremely high concussion rates. As such, recognition and proper management of concussions when they first occur can help prevent further injury or even death.

FACTS

• Neck injuries can still occur as the result of a fall from a horse, even when someone is wearing a helmet.

• Head trauma is a leading cause of injury and fatality in horseback riding accidents.

• Helmet needs vary for every sport. Helmet testing for equestrian sports should trial different impacts and accident scenarios involving horses. Cycling and motorbike helmets offer differing levels of protection – reflective of their sports – and are unsuitable for horse riding.

IN THE USA, AN ESTIMATED EMERGENCY ROOM ADMISSIONS OCCUR ANNUALLY AS A RESULT OF EQUESTRIAN RELATED INJURIES.

2,300 * HEAD INJURIES ACCOUNT FOR 18% OF EMERGENCY ROOM INJURIES. * FACTS FROM A RANGE OF EQUESTRIAN STUDIES

HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT HELMET:

• For equestrian helmets, the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) has selected the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard F1163 to evaluate helmet performance. - The SEI organization certifies protective equipment for a variety of industries. ASTM is one of the world’s most respected standards organizations, setting standards for everything from the curing of concrete, to the hotness of red peppers, to the durability of protective headgear. - ASTM/SEI-certified helmets contain their date of manufacture and the SEI seal under the headliner inside the helmet. • When you fall, a certified helmet absorbs energy by crushing and extending your head’s stopping time to reduce the peak impact on the brain. • Equestrian helmets are built to compress and fracture on serious impact.

* Every helmet company has a different way of measuring their helmets. Start by measuring the widest part of your head, about an inch above your eyebrows. Then, compare that measurement to the helmet size charts of the helmets you’re considering.