Dear Jessica, I think I know the answer to this question, but what I really need from you is the reasons behind the answer. My son is fourteen, and we ride horses and bicycles together. We always wear helmets for both activities, but here's the question that made me write to you. Sean wants to use his bicycle helmet for both bicycle riding and horseback riding, and he has shown me the newest riding helmets and I have to agree with him that they are smaller and lighter and look a lot like bike helmets! He really wants to use his bike helmet for everything, and I've been saying "NO" but now that I've looked at the new riding helmets, I'm really not sure that I have a good reason for telling him that he can't. Can you either give me a good reason to tell Sean that he needs a horseback riding helmet for horseback riding, or reassure me that it's okay for him to use his bike helmet?
I have another question related to this one: is there any particular way we should take care of our helmets? I know that they should go back to the factory for inspection if we fall on our heads, but what about storage and so on? And how long do helmets last anyway, assuming that we don't fall on our heads that is?
Thank you Jessica, I love the way you take all of our questions seriously and give us the reasons for answers. There's no service like this anywhere, and I hope that someday I can get to one of your clinics.
Susan
The answer to your first question is NO, don't use a bicycle helmet for horseback riding. Use an ASTM/SEI approved helmet designed for equestrians, and use one that meets or exceeds current standards. There's a good reason for this: helmets designed for equestrian activities are meant to protect your brain against the effects of a fall FROM A HEIGHT. It's the height that creates the G-forces that cause brain damage when your head strikes the ground. Bicycle helmets are meant to protect against falls onto hard surfaces, and they serve that purpose beautifully, but they are NOT designed to protect against falls from heights (That makes sense, right? You're no taller on a bicycle than you are when you're on foot.) If Sean is a typical fourteen-year-old, he may already know more about G-forces than you do! If he doesn't, ask him to find out about them and explain them to you. There's something magical about knowing more than your parents, and if Sean gets to do a little homework and then tell YOU exactly why equestrian helmets should be worn for horseback riding, he'll always remember the reasons, and he'll be more likely to comply even on those occasions when you're not riding with him. ;-)
Most head injuries from riding occur in recreational settings, not competitive ones -- don't "save the helmet for shows." Most occur at a walk or a standstill -- don't "save the helmet for when I'm galloping or jumping." You are wise to wear it whenever you ride, and to insist that your son do the same thing.
Many people DO survive falls and head injuries, but many people don't realize that there's a cumulative effect to brain trauma. A tiny, brief concussion may seem like "no big deal", but add another "little fall" a week or two later, and a third "little fall" a few weeks after that, and you'll be dealing with permanent damage that WILL eventually become noticeable. This is especially nasty when a second or third fall occurs within a few weeks of the first or second fall, while the brain is still swollen. There's not much room between the brain and the skull, and any swelling is dangerous. When you add swelling to swelling through an accumulation of "minor" injuries, you have something that will add up to real trouble. Don't take that chance.
In answer to your second question: you probably know that it's not a great idea to drop helmets on hard surfaces. ;-) What you may NOT know is that you shouldn't store your helmet in your car. High temperatures can damage helmet structural integrity, and on a hot, sunny day, the inside of a car trunk or even the body of the car can get far too hot for your helmet's welfare. Keep the helmets in the barn or in the house, or in the tack trunk at the boarding barn. If you take your helmet back and forth to the barn by car, that's fine -- just remember that you don't want to leave the helmet IN the car.
And finally, the lifespan of a helmet -- assuming no falls and assuming that you aren't keeping it in the car -- is roughly five years, according to the major manufacturers.
Stay safe and enjoy your riding!
Jessica
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