04/08/2025
Alright, stepping on my soapbox here due to taking a tumble on Sunday where I bonked my head and was reminded of exactly why I spend so much money on a good helmet.....
I see more and more people wearing helmets these days, which is GREAT, but what I also see is people wearing the same helmet they've had for the last 10 years. Or I see people take a hard tumble and not think about replacing their helmet.
The protection a helmet provides is only as good as the quality of the materials within that helmet - the ones inside that you can't see. Materials degrade over time (even without an impact) which can lower their protective qualities. Heat, sunlight, sweat....all these will slowly weaken a helmet's structure and reduce it's ability to absorb an impact.
If you do have a fall and the helmet has impact, this can cause the inner foam layer to compress or crack, basically making the helmet ineffective for future use. The inner foam is what absorbs the impact, so if it is compromised, their is no more impact protection.
Most helmet manufacturers have a 5-year replacement guideline for a reason - the safety experts in those companies know that by this time, there is a high likelihood that helmet materials have deteriorated to a point they are no longer protective.
I love, love, love that I see so many trainers requiring their riders to wear helmets, and so many riders are doing so on their own accord. But, let's make sure we are all wearing helmets that are current and in good shape. We all only have one brain...I'd rather be safe than sorry.
If you need me, I'll be patiently lunging horses until my new helmet arrives and I can hop in the saddle again.
