April 2023 Issue

Page 24 April 2023 EAST COAST EQUESTRIAN Tell our advertisers you found them in East Coast Equestrian! Go ahead... Ask da Mare By Malorie de la Mare Dear Mal… I don’t like to throw stuff away, which is why I have socks that are older than my horse (and he’s 13!). Recently one of my rid- ing buddies made some comments about my helmet. He said it was too old and not very safe. I joked that it’s fine because—unlike him—I hardly ever fall off my horse. He was not amused, and began listing—in gory detail—all the possible injuries I could sus- Yes, You Need a New Helmet tain with even a “minor” incident. His primary equestrian activity is eventing, while mine is leisurely riding the trails. His safety gear includes a helmet, along with a custom-fitted vest with an airbag! I sort of shut up after he got to the possible ruptured spleen, and then we came to a meadow where a couple of coyote pups were playing. We sat silently, amazed at their cuteness and athleticism. Once they noticed us, they gave us what I imagine is the coyote stink eye, and we turned back to the trail. Our conversation all the way back to the barn centered on coyotes and the beauty of all that we’ve seen on our trail rides. But I went home thinking that my old chipped helmet needs an upgrade. I still don’t think the airbag is necessary, since my riding is so casual—on the trails around the farm, and my horse is not exactly a fireball. What do you think? -Curious Dear Curious… Coyote pups? Wow! How lucky are you to be able to ride wonderful trails. Your friend is obviously concerned about your safety, and that’s another way in which you’re lucky. If your helmet is more than five years old, you need a new helmet. Period. There are a lot of reasons why a helmet’s protective value can erode with time. For one thing, you described your helmet as old and chipped, which indicates that it has run into something harder than it. Maybe you were not wearing your helmet when it was damaged, but that doesn’t mean its integrity has not been compromised. Second, as technology evolves, safety gear frequently gets upgraded. Your head contains an immensely valuable and irreplaceable piece of equipment. You should want the latest technology protecting it, yes? Third, time is the enemy of many things—complexions (so sad!), milk, cars, roads, etc. It also exacts a price on things we use to keep us safe, like riding helmets. Over time, and with lots of use, your riding helmet starts to lose its protective capacity. It gets wet. It is exposed to heat and cold and humidity and sweat. All of these things affect the helmet’s integri- ty. Horseback riding—even on a horse not considered a fireball—is inherently dangerous. When you think about protective gear, don’t think about the cost first. Instead think about your own riding. How frequently have you fallen in the past year? How likely is your horse to spook at sudden noises like a car backfire or the rustling of (Continued on page 33)