Should Riding Hats be Compulsory?

It’s an old question which will always cause a lively argument. Many riders don’t wear safety helmets, some will only wear a hat when show jumping or engaging in what they deem to be risky activity. The Queen is 90 years old and never wears a safety helmet but is she being sensible?

The Same Old Excuses

Those who shun helmets always defend their actions with the same old arguments. These are usually that helmets are uncomfortable, they ruin your hairstyle (the Queen’s excuse), they don’t protect you from all injuries and only beginners need helmets. Then there is the all-time classic excuse, you don’t need a helmet if you are simply taking a leisurely ride in familiar territory. So, do these equestrians have a point?

Comfort and Fit

Let’s tackle the comfort issue first. It simply isn’t the case that riding helmets cause discomfort. If yours does then you are wearing the wrong helmet, the wrong size or both. There are now so many different styles and fits of riding hat available that it is always possible to find a hat which fits correctly and feels comfortable.

Bad Hair Days

Do helmets mess up your hair? Of course they do but who cares? There’s nothing in this world which is messier than a human head which has been kicked by a horse. Enough said.

Protection

Whilst it would be true to say that a helmet won’t always save you, all the available statistics suggest that it often will. At the very least, a helmet will reduce the severity of an injury in an accident. Riding hats are designed to absorb impacts and to distribute the resulting forces in order to minimise trauma to the brain. Put simply, a good helmet could be the difference between a minor concussion and a life changing event.

Riding Experience

Don’t kid yourself, experience is no protection from disaster. Studies into riding accidents in Britain have demonstrated that there is no correlation between riding experience and the incidence of head injuries. American research has suggested that experienced riders are actually more likely to get hurt, perhaps because they are engaging in more dangerous forms of the sport or maybe because they are less likely to wear a helmet!

No matter how experienced you are and how well you know your horse, there is always the chance that something will spook your mount, that someone will drive into you or that you will make a mistake.

Benign Activities

Many equestrians believe that they could be in danger when show jumping or eventing but not when they are taking a leisurely hack. But they should think again. Three studies into horse riding accidents in Britain have revealed that there are more injuries sustained by equestrians whilst leisure riding than when show jumping. Strolling down that pleasant little trail isn’t as safe as it looks. Whilst show jumping is a more vigorous, high speed activity with obstacles, it takes place in a controlled environment.

20% of all riding related head injuries occur when the riders are on the ground and not on their horses. Spooked horses and horses kicking out are major causes of head injuries and these events could happen to anyone and at any time.

Should You Wear a Helmet?

Of course you should! It’s a no brainer and if you don’t wear a helmet, finding yourself with no brain is a distinct possibility! Don’t take the risk. Invest in a good helmet which meets the latest safety standards because it could make all the difference. You could argue that adults should be able to decide for themselves whether or not to wear a helmet but people don’t always make sensible decisions. Helmets probably should be compulsory, even for the Queen!