| I was recently reminded of the fact that | | | | why is a helmet so different? |
| whenever we work with a free spirit there is the | | | | Choosing a suitable horse is a common fault as |
| potential for great harm. Most horse related | | | | well. That first horse of our dreams may not |
| accidents are caused when safety precautions are | | | | know when to stop running into the sunset with |
| overlooked, however, that is not always so. If | | | | hair blowing in the wind until someone ends up |
| you can, tell me which of these does not belong: | | | | hurt. There is no shame in buying an older, quiet, |
| A. novice rider on a somewhat green horse gets | | | | seasoned horse. Think of all the time you can |
| dumped when horse spooks and the rider suffers | | | | spend enjoying the horse when you don't have to |
| a broken back; | | | | spend all your time and possibly money on a |
| B. experienced rider gets foot broken when | | | | bunch of training or being laid up with injuries. |
| insisting young horse move over and young horse | | | | Then when you become more experienced you |
| knows it can push through people; | | | | can look for a younger more challenging horse. |
| C. intermediate rider gets tossed off several | | | | This is especially true for kids who have poor |
| horses and hits head and receives concussions, | | | | judgment on how much horse they can handle. |
| each time not wearing a helmet; | | | | Yet, as I mentioned, even experienced horse |
| D. and finally, the rider on trail that rounds the | | | | people make mistakes. Once you have been |
| bend at the trot and horse stumbles and falls to | | | | around horses awhile you tend to forget your |
| the ground with rider who suffers a ruptured | | | | own safety rules. We sometimes forget we are |
| spleen and the horse suffers a ruptured intestine. | | | | working with a youngster that really does not |
| If you guessed the last, you are correct. Try as | | | | know better. We skip lessons because we are |
| we may, we can only keep ourselves in a certain | | | | sure he understands and then BAMM!, we end up |
| amount of safety when riding or working with | | | | with an injury. The point is to take all the safety |
| horses. Some scoff at the use of a riding helmet, | | | | precautions you can, remember you are dealing |
| but there are those who are still walking and | | | | with a free minded and free willed animal, and |
| talking thanks to the protection a helmet has | | | | don't get over your head with that first horse. |
| given them while on trail and even in an arena. | | | | Although there is no possible way to be 100% |
| The number one injury in horse related accidents | | | | safe around horses, there are ways to make it a |
| is head trauma. Most people have sense enough | | | | much safer experience. So ride and enjoy the |
| to fasten a seat belt as they value their lives, so | | | | day with your partner. |