Horseback Riding Safety
To be able to connect with a horse is a gift to be cherished. However, horseback riding is one of the most dangerous sports when it comes to head trauma. In this post, I will be covering some of the safety equipment available to help protect you while you ride. Working with and around horses requires you to remain focused on what is going on around you and your horse.
Helmets
Horseback riding accounts for the highest number of sports related traumatic brain injury in the United States.(http://thejns.org/doi/abs/10.3171/2016.1.FOCUS15613). Head injuries are the main cause of horseback riding fatalities. That being said, it surprises me how many people don’t wear a helmet when riding. Helmets today are light weight and come in many styles to fit the rider’s needs. When choosing a helmet, you want to be sure that is has been approved by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). You can also look to see that the helmet has been certified by FEI for safety. Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) maintains a list of all the models and sizes it has certified, so if you have any questions regarding the authenticity of any manufacturer’s product, you can verify certification with the SEI. Here is the SEI link http://www.seinet.org/search/search.php
It is important that your helmet fits well and is comfortable. Start by measuring the circumference of your head just above your eyebrows. Remember to take into account how you will be wearing your hair since this will affect the fit of your helmet. Once you have that measurement you are ready to start trying on helmets. It is best to try on a variety of helmets to be sure it fits your head shape well. Ideally you want the helmet to sit one half to one inch above your eyebrows. The helmet should be snug but not tight. When you move your head back and forth and side to side without the strap closed the helmet should not slide around.
Remember to replace your helmet every five years or after a fall with an impact to your head. In the scheme of things helmets are a cheap investment to protect your brain. Never buy a used helmet since you have no way of knowing the true condition the helmet is in.
Boots
Your boot choice depends on functionality, support and style, so before you buy know what you’re looking for in a boot. When working around horses it is inevitable that your horse will someday step on your foot. Having a sturdy pair of boots on can make the difference in the extent of the injury you incur. The type of riding you do will dictate the what kind of boot you will need. There are a wide variety of boots you can choose from no matter what discipline you choose to focus on. The thing to keep in mind is the heal should be between 1 – 1 ½ inches high. The tread should be small so your boots can have traction in the stirrup without getting your foot stuck if you need to pull it out quickly. Investing in a well-fitting quality boot is essential to ensure comfort and safety while riding. For more information about what to look for in riding boot check out these links:
https://www.thespruce.com/choosing-boots-for-horseback-riding-1885875
https://www.horsejournals.com/riding-training/tack-gear/western/how-find-riding-boots-fit
Safety Vests
Riders that compete in eventing, steeple chasing, and flat racing are required to wear body protection, but that doesn’t mean riding in another discipline is any less dangerous. There are different types of vest on the market that help prevent injury to your internal organs, spine and ribs. With any type of protective equipment three things need to be considered, fit, quality and the type of riding you do. There are soft pliable vests, body armor type vests and air vests. Whatever you choose you want to be sure it is tested by either American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) and Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) or by the British equivalent BETA. This link goes into more details about specific brand of vest and what they offer. http://horse-journal.com/article/heres-choose-body-protector-25128
Chaps and Half Chaps
Chaps and half chaps help protect your legs from minor scratches while on trail rides. They also help prevent rubbing and pinching of your calves if you ride in an English saddle.
Gloves
A well-fitting pair of riding gloves offer protection to your hand both in and out of the saddle by providing better grip strength. We have all experienced rope burn which can be quite significant when lead lines or reins are forcefully pulled through your hands by a horse.
Stirrups
When choosing stirrups, you first want to consider the type of riding you do to help narrow down your search. Then try stirrups wear the boots you practice in and show in. There should be about one fingers width of space on either side of your boot to allow for your foot to slide in and out easily. You don’t want stirrups that will allow your foot to slide through or will cause your foot to get stuck in the case of a fall or miss step. There are quick-release stirrups for English riders and breakaway stirrups for Western riders. Again, these releasing stirrups may or may not be the best choice for the type of riding you do. I ride a reining horse and the breakaway stirrups kept opening during my sliding stops which caused me to lose my stirrup. Here is a link to help you choose the best stirrup to fit your needs and safety. https://www.equisearch.com/articles/stirrups-buyers-guide
Mouth guard
The American Dental Association projects that one third of all dental injuries are sports related. The types of dental injuries that can occur without the use of a mouth guard are chipped or broken teeth, fractured crowns or bridges, lip and cheek injuries, root damage to the teeth, and fractured jaws. Custom fitted mouth guards made by a dentist offer the most protection for your teeth from an impacted. They are also more comfortable to wear than the boil and bite type. Riders that jump or do events that put them in a situation where they would land on an obstacle are the most in need of wearing a mouth guard. It is a small investment to protect your teeth in case of an injury.