Equestrian Safety Resources - Horse Illustrated

Equestrian Safety Resources

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Need some help getting started with your equestrian safety plans? Here are some of our best resources to give you the information you need to ride safely, from gearing up for your equestrian sport of choice to riding mindfully on the trail.

The Helmet Argument
Football players wear them. Same for major league baseball players awaiting a pitch at home plate. Even bicyclists and many professional skiers consider them part of their standard attire. So why do a large percentage of equestrians continue to shun protective headgear? After all, riding a horse is also a risk-taking activity. Yet, despite statistics that prove safety helmets can protect a rider from serious head injuries, the same three reasons continually crop up as excuses for not donning a helmet. Are they really valid arguments for not wearing one? You decide.
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Safety on the Trail
If you spend a lot of time riding your favorite horse in an arena, you should go on a trail ride every once in a while. Horses get bored and rank going round and round in circles, and they need a break from schooling. Trail riding is a great way to perk up a lazy lesson horse or energize a slow-poke jumper. Going up and down hills, stepping through mud and popping over a log or two is a learning experience for your horse. Trail riding teaches an arena horse to be surefooted and brave.
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Horse Camp Safety
If you’re planning to go to riding camp this summer, thinking about safety might be boring, but it’s something you should consider before packing your suitcase. After all, you don’t want to be the kid who falls off the first day of camp, breaks her arm and spends the rest of the summer wearing a cast and watching everyone else have fun riding.
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Find the Right Riding Helmet
Two decades ago, if you needed a riding helmet, you went to the local tack shop and picked one out of a selection of nearly identical black velvet-covered hats. Today, riders have more choices than ever when it comes to buying protective headwear.
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How to correctly fit an equestrian helmet
Wearing a helmet isn’t just a requirement for jumpers and dressage riders. It’s good common sense for any rider. Whether you’re looking for a cool, comfortable schooling helmet to wear on the trails or a sporty model for the show ring, protective headgear is most effective—and comfortable—if it fits properly. Here’s how to find a helmet that will fit you correctly.
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Best Vest
There are two factors to consider when purchasing a safety vest made especially for riding: certification and comfort/fit.Some of the older brands and models are not American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) certified. In the U.S., you must have on a safety vest for the cross-country phase at recognized eventing shows, although vests are not yet required to be certified. New ASTM-certified vests cost around $100 and upward.
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Safe Cross-Country Gear
When you go cross-country, your tack has to be safe. The following are equipment recommendations from Lucinda Fredericks, Australian Olympic medalist and 2009 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event winner.
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12 years ago

Abigail Boatwright

Abigail Boatwright is a freelance writer and photographer based in Texas, and is the editor of Horse Illustrated’s sister publication, Western Life Today.