My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
If you’ve been riding for as long as I have (about half a century if you count my up/down lessons as a kid), the chances that you’ve had a concussion along the way is pretty high. According to a report issued by Ohio State University in 2020, approximately 10%-30% of horse-related injuries are head injuries. […]
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A simple saliva test is being used successfully to diagnose concussions among professional rugby players in the UK. Researchers have found distinct chemical “signatures’ that correctly diagnose 96% of concussions among 1,028 male professional rugby athletes from the two top-tier leagues in England over two seasons. The results are reported in the British Journal of […]
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According to a study published in the Journal of Neurosurgery, revealed that 45.2 percent of TBI among adults were related to horseback riding, Over the years, I’ve had two concussions — at least that I know of. The last one occurred about 10 or 12 years ago, while I was hunting. There is an in […]
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The days of the traditional top hat are numbered. Dressage riders must wear protective headgear at all times, in the show ring and out, at FEI events as of January 1, 2021. In addition, helmets are required during the marathon phase of combined driving events. The delay in implementation is to allow time for education […]
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Six months after a serious head injury sustained in a fall from Cooley Rorkes Drift at Tattersalls CIC3*, Olympic rider Jonty Evans made it back into the saddle. Okay, the saddle was on a simulator, but to me this looks like an excellent (and safe way) to regain his strength and coordination. I wouldn’t mind […]
Read MoreThinking of buying a new helmet? This is the weekend to do it! Hundreds of retailers are offering discounts on helmets as part of International Helmet Awareness Day. The helmet brands that have committed involvement in International Helmet Awareness Day 2017 are: Caldene, Champion, Charles Owen, Gatehouse, GPA, Harry Hall Hats, International Riding Helmets (IRH), […]
Read MoreI wear a helmet every time I ride. Without exception. But I know plenty of people who don’t. I’ve heard a lot of reasons why. “I don’t need to wear a helmet unless I’m jumping.” Nope, I had a horse fall down once when we were walking down a hill, I was glad to be […]
Read MoreHere’s an article that appeared in the Toronto Star that we should all read and take to heart: Long-term effects of concussion misunderstood. When I was a kid we didn’t worry too much about concussions — or helmets for that matter. If you fell off you got back on. I never had a trainer tell […]
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