Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

"Legal" helmets

From: Sandy

Dear Jessica, I bought GPA helmets for my riding program a few months ago. I bought them online and got a great price since I was buying 25 of them. They look fine to me. This morning one of my students came in and told me that she had heard there was a problem with helmets from Europe and that if these helmets weren't the right kind we would not be allowed to use them in the program. Do you know if this is true, and where can I find more information? I have several online "pen-pals" in Europe and I know that they go through the same helmet testing etc. as we do here, so I'm not clear on why there is a problem or how I can find out if my helmets are "legal." Can you explain? Sandy

Hi Sandy! European helmets are tested, but the testing is not exactly the same testing that is performed here, and doesn't necessarily meet the same standards. The only way you can know that a helmet has met the ASTM/SEI standards is to look for the the marks and tags. If you look inside your helmets, you should find an SEI tag in each one, and since you purchased GPA helmets there should be an SEI logo on the buckle. Those are the signs that the helmets you've purchased have met the ASTM/SEI standards.

The USEF issued a news release about a month ago, and that's probably what your student was telling you. Apparently some imported GPA helmets do NOT meet the standards, and those helmets should not be used in USEF competitions.

Here is a link to the news release: http://www.usef.org/content/newsDisplay/viewPR.php?id=1789

Jessica

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