Yesterday I talked about the importance of regularly replacing your helmet since the protective materials degrade over time. Today, I’m going to address the issue of safety testing. Once you’ve made the decision to buy a new helmet, you probably want to know which helmets offer the most protection. An absolute answer is harder to […]
Helmets are perishable. They look pretty rugged but after a few years they start to deteriorate. You wear them (hopefully) every time you ride and they get hot and sweaty. You might leave one in the trunk of your car where it’s baked by the sun, or maybe you’ve dropped your helmet on the barn […]
Several years ago I had the idea to build a product review web site for equestrian products. I noticed that equine bulletin boards were full of requests for comments on saddles, different feeds, bit choices and more. I thought it would be helpful to have all that information on one site, organized in a way […]
This made me chuckle. Not just because I used to make my Breyer horses jump, but because I love the PSA. You should always “where” (sic) your helmet, even in Breyer land! Rotational falls can happen there, too. The question is, would a frangible pin have helped?!
On June 8th the Governor of Florida, Charlie Crist signed “Nicole’s Law” which requires that horseback riders 16 and younger to wear a helmet when riding on public roads and rights of way and while taking riding lessons. Rodeos, parades and private property are exempt. Sadly, Nicole’s law is named for Nicole Hornstein, 12, who […]
Over the years I’ve had thousands of lessons from many trainers. Lots of phrases stick in my mind from having heard them so many times. “Shorten your reins” comes to mind as an example. Over these same years, there have been some true “light bulb moments,” lessons learned that have stayed with me. The first […]
One of the most interesting things about watching the Olympic show jumping was comparing the styles of the riders from different countries. Some rode in a half seat, some in a full seat. Saddles were different, bits were different, and most important (at least to the posters on various forums) was the way European women […]
When I was a kid, no one paid all that much attention to concussions. Heck, we were lucky if we were wearing helmets that offered even a modicum of protection. Most of us got up, sat down again if we saw stars, and were probably back riding within a day or two. But, let’s face […]