Wearing Helmets--Illustrated with Beautiful Horses

Wearing a helmet while riding is important at any level of riding.  This video conveys that message.  And it illustrates the human-horse relationship.  I just love watching the beautiful performance horses.  Take particular notice of the black Andalusian shown at the beginning of the video.  His name is Marques and I had the privilege of watching him train at Epona during my riding holiday in Spain several years ago.  This will be the topic of my next post.

Blessi and MacKenzie and Riding Helmets

MacKenzie is a princess in her pink helmet.

Mackenzie is my 3 ½ year old grandniece.  She lives near Harrisburg, PA and Blessi is boarded in Port Orchard, WA so the two haven’t met yet.  However, MacKenzie loves hearing about Blessi and she really wants to meet him.  In fact, she can’t understand why I won’t drive him to her house.  I tried to explain that it would take me a week to make the drive.  So MacKenzie suggested that I drive Blessi to my mother’s house instead which is only 12 miles from her house—which is closer to WA state I guess.  Her Bubba (my sister’s husband John) got her this riding helmet as soon as she expressed any interest in horses.  Their neighbors have horses so MacKenzie gets to “ride” from time to time.

I wear a riding helmet 99.99 percent of the time (sometimes I do forget to wear one).  I learned almost as soon as I got Blessi that wearing a helmet was a necessity for me since I am a Klutz, with a capital K.  I was riding Blessi with a friend through the woods.  We were merrily talking away when I rode right into a 5-inch thick tree limb.  And it was all my fault since Blessi is in charge of vertical alignment between trees and I am in charge of horizontal alignment under trees.   The impact was so hard that it left a dent in the helmet, which I had to replace.  So I ride with a helmet.

Wearing a riding helmet is a personal choice for everyone.  But here are some facts about head injuries while riding: "JAMA, April 10, 1996, vol 275, no 14, p. 1072
Synopsis: During 1992-93 in Oklahoma, horseback riding was the leading cause of sports-related head injury, (109 of 9409 injuries or 1.2% associated with riding and 23 additional injuries attributable to horses) Of the 109, there were 3 deaths (3%). The injury statistics were:
- males 55, female 54
- age range 3 yr to 71 yrs, median 30 yrs
- most commonly seen in spring and summer
- 48% occurred on Saturday or Sunday
- 95% involved riders who struck their heads on the ground or a nearby object after falling from the horse
- 4% were kicked or rolled on after falling from the horse
- 1% hit head on a pole while riding and fell to the ground
- 90% were associated with recreational activities
- 10% were work-related
- 107 were hospitalized with a median LOS of 2 days
- 79% had one or more indicators of a severe brain injury, including
1. loss of consciousness 63%
2. posttraumatic amnesia 46%
3. persistent neurologic sequelae 13% (seizures, cognitive/vision/speech deficits, motor impairment)

Journal of Trauma 1997 July; 43(1):97-99
Synopsis: Thirty million Americans ride horses and 50,000 are treated in Emergency Departments annually. Neurologic injuries constitute the majority of severe injuries and fatalities. A prospective study of all patients admitted to the University of Kentucky Medical Center with equine-related trauma
from July 1992 - January 1996 showed the following:
- 24 patients (80%) were not wearing helmets, including all fatalities and craniotomy patients" http://gift-estate.com/farm/horseinjury.htm

So MacKenzie, give Bubba John a big hug for getting you that helmet!  I love you too!

How to Organize for a Disaster

Are you prepared to take care of your horse and pets during a national disaster?  It is a new year and time to re-evaluate your planning.  At a meeting of the Pleasure Walkers Club of Washington (Blessi is an honorary Tennessee Walker), a speaker from the Washington State Animal Response Team (WASART)  explained what to do. 

http://washingtonsart.org/

Here are my notes:

 

q  Evaluate your horses.  Develop a list of the order in which they should be evacuated (there may only be so much room the rescue trailer).  Post list in barn.

q  Ensure all horses can be loaded by anybody into any type of trailer.  If horse will not load easily, organizations like WASART will not move them.

q  Establish a phone tree listing of whom to call if there is a problem.

q  Set up a place to evacuate.

q  Have a photo of you and your horse together for ID.  Keep one copy with you and one in the horse trailer.  Include registration number and medical requirements.

q  Create an emergency supply packet for the horses.

q  Have stickers on windows listing the number of dogs, cats, horses, etc.

q  Make sure medications are current.  Have first aid supplies ready to go.

q  Take toys for pets.

q  Every dog and cat should have individual carriers.  After Katrina, shelters for humans must make provisions for pet shelters nearby.  However, pets will be accommodated only if they have individual carriers.

q  Survey horses and trailers available to rescue.

q  Keep at least a half tank of gas in truck.  If there is an earthquake, there will be no electricity or gas deliveries for days.

q  Stash some cash.

q  Stock water and three to five days of human food--make sure that it is food you like.

q  Make plans for alternative routes for evacuation if major roads are closed.

q  Be prepared to be self sufficient for five days.

q  Take CERT training by fire department.

Arena Etiquette--Rules of the Road--need picture

When sharing an arena with other riders, I am always confused about what to do when passing or being passed by another rider.  Here are the “rules of the road” if horses are traveling in opposite directions:

• If riding at the same gait (for example trotting), pass left shoulder to left shoulder.
• If riding at different speeds (for example one rider is at a walk and another at a trot), the faster rider passes on the inside.
• Don’t stop or back up if riding on the rail to avoid a “pile up.” 

From: Mullen, G.  (2008).  Amazing Horse Facts and Trivia.  Chartwell Books, Inc., New York. (p.111)

What Horses See on the Trail

The Back Country Horsemen of Washington state put together the following video about trail safety.  It does a really good job of introducing the topic of how bicyclists, hikers, and horse riders can share the trail safely.  The biggest key is that everybody should talk to each other--let the horse know that that object wheeling silently through the woods is really a human not a predator.

Walk Like a Yak (on Yaktrax)

I live in the Seattle area and usually winters are quite mild.  The weather forecasters are predicting some severe snow this year so last week I invested in some Yaktrax.  (Eddie Bauer featured a half price special.)   Per the manufacturer, "Named after the sure-footed Tibetan Yak, Yaktrax stre[t]ch over everything from casual walking shoes to winter boots."

I have to admit they are easy to put on over riding boots or sneakers.  They provide a lot of traction on icy surfaces--just what a Klutz like me needs--sort of like snow chains for sneakers.  However, take them off before riding or going inside.  And I discovered that if you aren't careful when you stretch a Yaktrax on your shoe, you can fire it across the driveway like a giant rubber band.  I almost hit Ollie my dog.

 http://www.yaktrax.com/pro

Note to self: Next time, remove shoe and Yaktrax before taking
picture--ankle does not bend easily in needed direction.