Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Safety Helmets for USA National Dressage Required on March 1st

It's about time!  Read the full story HERE.

8 comments:

Grey Horse Matters said...

Good! I'll bet there will be a lot of dressage riders who will probably protest this rule. But really who cares what you look like in the ring as long as you're safe. It's also a bit selfish to care what you look like when you could become a burden to your family for vanities sake.

Calm, Forward, Straight said...

I'll bet most riders are secretly relieved. Now no one has to face the pride issue - everyone wears a helmet.

I know when I was the only trail rider wearing a helmet, I had to struggle with pride / embarrassment - no matter how illogical it was.

This is great news - thanks for posting Billie :)

Jane said...

Finally! I'm with all helmet rules, all the way. I understand the fear is if you don't look like all the past winners (i.e. tophat) you might not have a chance to win - that judges might have a prejudice based on apparel.

That's a little insulting to judges. They're focused on the ride. :)

Arlene you nailed it, that's the line that troubles me between personal choice and responsibility to others.

Honestly, I have turned around and gone home, when one rider in particular rode. She didn't have a good handle on her actual skill level, and rode without a helmet on a horse that was an extreme handful. She believed in his great love of her, he'd 'take care of her'. I was terrified to ride in the same arena. I didn't want to feel responsible if my horse spooked, and set off her horse.

(I'd already been in the ambulance twice with her.)

billie said...

Arlene, while I think the top hats are very elegant, I agree totally that the elegance is not worth the chance of a severe brain injury should something unexpected happen.

In many ways it's just a selfish vanity to wear the top hat - and I say that as someone who detests wearing seat belts and when younger, would often NOT wear them.

After my children were born and I got two tickets in about 2 weeks for not having a seat belt on, my husband informed me: you lost the right to not wear the seat belt when you got married and had children.

I hated to admit it, but he was right.

billie said...

Jane, if dressage is to the point where the top hat earns the score, then we're in bigger trouble than I thought!

It is scary to see folks ride without helmets when it's clear things are not, even in the best case scenario, under control.

billie said...

C, hopefully it will smooth the way so that the wearing of helmets at the higher levels is the norm.

Dougie Donk said...

Having survived a very serious head injury when I thought it was too hot to wear a helmet, I am now a reknowned nag if I see anyone else without one.

It's nice to know that the FEI can take sensible decisions, even if it does take them a while to get there.

billie said...

I'm sure if you've ever had a head injury, esp. from riding, it seems incredibly foolish to go without a helmet!