Equestrians must balance their bodies 5 to 6 feet in the air sitting in the saddle on the back of a 1,200-lb. moving animal. Whether jumping fences, working on the flat or herding cattle, falling off a horse is a trauma that most riders experience more than once in their sporting lives. Because head trauma is so prevalent in equestrian sports, many riders wear safety helmets to prevent brain injury and possible death.
Safety Benefits
Traumatic head injuries cause approximately 60 percent of deaths resulting from accidents in equestrian sports, according to the Equestrian Medical Safety Association. The EMSA reports that the height from which most equestrians fall is more injurious than the forward speed of the fall; thus, the need for correctly fitted helmets in all horse-related activities. The association says that wearing a helmet certified by the American Society for Testing and Materials in conjunction with the Safety Equipment Institute can lessen the severity of brain and head injuries and prevent death while riding.
Helmet Materials And Styles
All equestrian safety helmets feature an outer shell formed of rubberized polymer, composite material or carbon fiber, and intended to spread the impact of concussion, a foam liner made to reduce the trauma to the brain, and a harness or strap designed to hold the helmet in place. To receive certification from the ASTM and the SEI, helmets are dropped on two types of anvils then tested for concussion. Both agencies also test for concussion and retention after exposure to extremely high and low temperatures. Traditional show helmets come covered in velvet and are modeled after hunt caps; schooling helmets intended for recreational riding and training exercises contain airflow channels and ventilation holes. The high-tech helmets preferred by hunter-jumper riders show a strip down the middle and built-in ventilation panels. Many newer helmets include a dial or sliding bars at the back to adjust for fit and removable padding to fill gaps around the rider's skull.
Helmet Fit
An equestrian helmet must fit your head properly to be effective. The helmet should sit square on your head, with the sides, front and back completely level, and the harness comfortably snug. You should be able to wiggle the snug helmet side to side so that your scalp and eyebrows move with it, and the helmet doesn't slide around on your head. If the helmet moves, try a size smaller; with a too snug fit, go up a size. The brim of your helmet should sit approximately ½ to 1 inch above your eyebrows. Many helmets come with foam pads to adjust the fit and provide extra protection.
USEF Regulations
Since 1964, the United State Equestrian Federation, the governing body for all equestrian sports in this country, has required that amateur and professional riders wear "protective headgear" in all competitions involving jumping. In 1990, the USEF made wearing helmets certified under ASTM testing standards, and carrying the SEI seal, mandatory for all junior and senior competitors in jumping classes, and included Driving and Endurance equestrians under the rule in 1997. As of 2010, all competitors in USEF sanctioned events must wear properly fastened helmets while working the horse on the flat and in jumping events. This ruling includes those equestrians participating in Paso Fino breed events and grooms working with Driving teams.
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