Stories from my day

I'm only 20 years old.
I would be one of the first to admit I have ridden without a helmet more then once...
But now I feel weird not riding with one.

Im always raving on my mare Sandy and how she is a dream horse. and believe she is extra special and we do have a huge bond.
But even with her I always try to wear a helmet!
And I've had this bond since 2008 but still know she has a horse mind and you can't 100% know what their next move is going to be.


But then I hear of some friends of friends that are around my age...

Riding bare feet and no helmet on a green broke horse they have had for 2 months.
but """they have a bond"""...
When most of their photos are of them on their horses that are rearing straight up... but they say the horse with not hurt them as it Loves them too much. (no helmet again)


Call me old school but I don't like seeing someone get hurt. even if they are doing something stupid.
but you can only say so much.


But then tonight I also just saw some person almost take out a cop who was trying to direct traffic due to the road being closed... at a set of lights a cop suv blocking the north bound side, a car parked right off the road on the south (both with all the lights going off. very easy to spot a mile away) and 4 cops on foot in the middle of the set of lights. This van hardly slows down. the cop jumps out of the way and the van keeps going north and almost takes out the front end of the SUV...
And once past the Suv they keep going for a few yards!

I'm not the smartest person around. but even I know that if a cop car is out right blocking a road then its probably closed.

still not sure why the road is closed. it has been for over 2 hours now. and more cops just arrived... hopfully tomorrow some news will come... kind of nervous as one of my room mates went out for the night. I'm sure she is fine and she might have even left after the road even closed. as I did not even notice when it really closed untill the horses noticed lots of traffic on a dirt road beside our house. Lots of truck traffic... kept the horses entertained for a while.
Hopefully its nothing extremly bad...



And I was able to sit up on belladonte tonight. walked around a bit.

PRETTY interesting Story there kiddo,,,,,,,sure hope you find out your buddy is safe and sound.....would be interested in reading more on the update of the CLOSED ROAD...........still trying to figure out your whole reasoning and how it all relates.......but I am a linear thinker, so I look for connections......just keep writing anyway....

I'm not quite sure how the two stories are relating either Joan! lol but they are both interesting none the less.

I thinking riding with a helmet is common sense. I've never thought of it as "making me look funny" it is just another piece of equipment that I use everytime.. it gets hauled out with the saddle & headstall.

What I find ironic is there are boots of all kinds to protect horses ie: Sports medecine boots, tendon boots, bell boots, ect... Why are they used? To protect and support the horses legs. It doesn't take very long to velcro a boot on, yet it takes less time to fasten the clip of a helmet. I've seen people who won't trailer their horses without its head bumper on.... yet they don't wear a helmet when they jump a fricken' course?! Yeah, that makes sense alright.

It all boils down to looks VS safety IMO. Sometimes the coolness factor comes into play as well! If your coach doesn't wear a helmet, which should you? after 18 you don't "have" to wear one.. the rebels then stop because of that fact rather than the obvious safety reasons.

My horse and I have been a team for over 6.5 years... I trust her, she trusts me.. but we don't speak the same language. If you spent a lot of time with a friend who couldn't understand you, you'd learn to build a bond & relationship and communicate via sign language and body communication... but really, how much could you trust that person if you don't know what they are thinking, or their views or opionions.

Okay, maybe that didn't make sense.. but it does to me. LOL Willow speaks -horse- and I've come to understand a lot of what she "says" to me. (ie: body language) just as she understands my body language but there is a lot we don't understand and will never understand about each other. Were going against nature here... Predator & Prey friends?

All in all, each horse is different.. every horse is going to have a different reaction & reaction time. BUT every human (regardless if they are your age or not) should have enough common sense to protect "themselves" against injury..... Even with the greatest bond.. a horse can still slip and tumble over!

You may ride 40+ years without a bad spill... but you know what? It only takes a fraction of a second for things to go wrong regardless of the horse, how well you know how to ride, or how good your "seat is"...

If your friend wants to ride around barefoot, without a helmet, on a green horse then all you can do is laugh, because sooner or later her actions are going to catch up to her. (by the way I think I saw these photos on facebook!!! If not, then this is a creepy coincedence!)

So I went off topic here and kind of went over board.. but I've nothing else to do and I've got horses on the brain. :)

they two stories are only related in the sence of people don't use their brains much now a days for common sence. like helmets or stopping for the cops... (and not almost hitting their suv...)
still don't know why the road was closed...


as for helmets, if I see someone I know riding with out one I normaly just say something in passing now like "you should really wear a helmet" or "helmet would be a good idea eh?"
thats if they are over 18. anyone under normaly does not have a choice, (like at shows or lessons) they have to wear one.
At one show we went to this summer (jumpers) there was a rule in place that everyone had to wear a helmet at all times while riding no matter the age.

as for boots I'm trying to get in the habit of putting (at least) front boots on.
It helps to have the job I have. for riding we are all the time putting 4 boots or wraps on.

This is the first year our fair has instituted the everyone under 18 must wear a helmet rule. Yeah. We've always had that (in my time anyway) for 4H but this is for the open classes in the fair.

I am going to be the devil's advocate here.

Wearing a helmet is a personal choice. Is it not the smartest idea to go out and ride without one? Of course. Is it anyone's business if some adult does not (providing they aren't riding under regulations saying they should) wear a helmet? Not in the least.
It's like smoking. It will kill you, slowly and painfully. Does your going around telling smokers thy should quit do one bit of good? Not at all, unless your goal for the day is seeing how many times you can get told.

Helmets are awesome, I think the under 18 rule is awesome, and I don't let anyone under 18 ride without a helmet. *But* I don't own one. It has nothing to do with me being a 'rebel' and everything to do with the fact that I can't focus and feel clumsy and unbalanced with a dome on my head (I've tried loads of types, and can't tolerate any of them for any length of time). Maybe it's because of the nerve damage in my neck, who knows, but I find helmets heavy and awkward. I wish I found them comfortable, as then I'd be more inclined to wear them, as I do like the idea of helmets. As it stands though, I don't wear one unless I need to (because of jumping or rules or bc I said, yep. I should wear a helmet today). If I ever got hurt, I'd say I wish those darn helmet things were at all wearable because then I would have one and not a concussion!

Now body protectors I love and I wish I could afford one. Why can't they make helmets as comfy as body protectors??

not the devil's advocate at all!
it is a choice.
all my close friends that smoke know where I stand with that. its their own personal choice but I hate it.
with out touching a smoke at all point in my life my lungs are as bad as a smoker due to just being around people who could not go for 5 minutes with out one unless sleeping. which made being in sports, which I loved, a bit harder with breathing problems. which sucked.
I can be around friends out side while they smoke but if we are in a room inside it makes me sick.

but with both riding saftey and smoking I've given up on trying to talk to people.
If I know the person I say something just in pasing but thats it anymore.
now most of my friends are older so they can think about their own saftey and health.

I want a body protector too. seems like a very good idea

Fiere, you're still cool in my books so long as your not riding in your barefeet, helmetless, on a green horse! hahaha

It is a personal choice, I understand that. I've ridden a few times without a helmet but have always wished I'd of had it on.

I started riding at a young age with a helmet and it just made its way into my routine I guess.

I like my boots too much to not ride in them! LOL
But I mean there are always photo opportunities, you know those nice ones barefoot and bareback, where you just sit there with someone not too far away from you. I would definitely do that. On my green bucking horse. He is solid as a rock so long as you don't ask him to do anything

I never wore a helmet as a kid, we were backwoods hicks, riding bareback (because we only had one saddle) with racing bridles on our stbd's or halters and lead ropes, sneakers and flip flops and the whole nine yards. It was not smart and there were a few injuries, we were lucky we weren't killed and I would never let my daughter do that. We just didn't know any better!

When I was taking lessons as a kid/teenager I always wore a helmet. That was the Law, and it was a good law! I just can't stand helmets (bike helmets, motorcycle helmets, riding helmets), I feel like my head is going to flop over and roll away. My hardhat is the only 'helmet' I can stand because it is light and fits more like a ball cap. Obviously a riding helmet can not be made the same way, but I wish you could get one that was light and compact...

I really like those western helmets. They look massive and heavy though. If I ever come in close proximity to one I must try it on.

hahahah I'm picturing it all in my head.

I have a Troxel Sierra. I like it a lot.. totally adjustable so that it can fit my friends/family when they ride. I can't stand riding in a helmet that is too big... it has to fit nice and snug. Honestly, when I have my helmet on I forget that I'm wearing it!

Everyone rider at my barn (which is only 4 :P) wears a helmet. One girl wasn't going to because she never did at other barns and didn't own one but I gave her an old one and she wears it everytime now. The barns neighbours (avid trail riders) also have the same helmet as me.. her husband has the darker colored one and its quite perdyy.

pretty sure the Insurance companies can cancel coverage if you are not wearing your helmet when involved in an accident.

I'm quite sure they can, Joan. Or at least not pay out.

thats what I meant Meg......Decline Coverage...........my mouth doesnt always say what my hands type....you know. or maybe thats the other way round.

I think some companies might drop the policy as well, but I am not sure. I know they can refuse coverage. It's like not wearing your seat belt, getting in an accident and being thrown from the vehicle, you can go to your insurance company for damages, but they aren't gonna give you diddly for it.

We think the road was closed for a man hunt but thats unoffical.

I did not know that about insurance but it does make sense.


(and I will post photos soon on my blog post!!!)