A few years back on a sheep hunt in Alaska, our outfitter had us sign waivers stating that we were offered helmets for horseback riding but declined. My hunting partner made quite a few jokes about the current overuse of helmets in society and what sort of putz would be wearing a helmet hunting sheep. Fast forward five days, he's riding down the mountain after killing his sheep and the cinch strap on his saddle breaks. It gets tangled up in it's feet and the horse drags the whole mess (him included) down the side of the mountain. Luckily, the only thing that was broken was his rifle.

Two years later, we find ourselves in Kyrgyzstan, riding incredibly surefooted horses through all manner of rockslides, rock strewn rivers, down cliffs I wouldn't walk down, etc. When one of the guides grabbed my reins and drug my horse (with me on it) down a 100 foot slide, I was holding on to the horses head with my feet while my head bounced off his hind quarters and was able to look straight across the canyon. When we got to the bottom and I stopped screaming, I started to rethink the whole helmet thing. I've been tossed in the Bob Marshall, had my horse swarmed by yellow jackets in the Selway and had a few other close calls. I wear a helmet on a snowmobile and sometimes on my bike, why the hell wouldn't I wear one on a horse?

So with a trip to Azerbaijan coming up, I bought a mountain biking helmet today. I may look like a total putz, but I hopefully won't have my brains splattered on a rock in the Caucasus either.

Does anyone here wear a helmet while hunting off horseback?

No but I take care of my tack and don't let anyone lead me anywhere.

LOL!

I know a LOT of people that wear helmets when astride a nag. I don't but have thought a few time that perhaps I should. I just don't come off a horse unintentionally.

The bigger difference i see in this topic, is putting people on horses that at best are green as grass but are trying to learn, and at worst incompetent as a rider. I understand an outfitter/guide/equine renter requiring helmets or signing a lawyer-proof waiver.

We read it on the forum here from time to time of people that really have no business being on a horse , relating their problems with rented stock. They're not 4 wheelers.

I always have my helmet and crayons

Don't forget your bus pass.





P

They slip an old tire around me and the back of the chair when I'm left alone plus my helmet. I like cheetos.

Damn, I thought this was about horses wearing helmets. Having been in a head butting contest or two with a horse, I was thinking that having the horse wear on of those foam helmets might be a good idea.

I wear a sumo wrestler suit and a helmet

Sorry folks, this is too funny to pass.

I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a helmet, it's just not the cowboy way.

Having said that, I got reckless once, tried to load my dog in the saddle with me. Got lawn-darted, was out for 3 minutes, so I'm told. Had a headache for the rest of the day, was good to go the next day. Two weeks later got a headache that lasted 2 weeks, throw in a snowboard trip, my balance was way off. Following my kids Marine advice "Let's do a jump so you get your confidence back!" Another lawn-dart, spent the night in the hospital after a CAT scan showed a hematoma the size of a chicken egg, the neuro guy drilled 2 holes & sucked it out, and I've never felt such relief.

The next year we took an older (70+) couple on a goat hunt, things went bad & the lady got dumped on her head. She came too soon but it was terrifying watching her convulse until she opened her eyes. We didn't know if she had spinal injuries so we kept her in the same spot for 11 hrs 7pm-6am, waiting for a helo, it rained all night no visibility til morning.

I still don't use one, but sure don't hold it against anyone that does.

I have never met a horse I absolutely trust. I've met several, however, that figure out a way to dump one about every six months or so. Pillars of behavior and then something sets them off. If my business involved putting paying customers on steeds, they would helmet up or sign a waiver. Same in my rig/boat, seat belts/life jackets or waivers.

Wear one if you want to and ignore the scoffing. The older we get the less whack on the head we can stand. I had a close friend that was in her 70s that had a minor auto accident where she bumped her head on the passenger side dash. The EMS looked her over and she seemed fine. After being at her home for a couple hours she started getting dizzy and passed out. She was in the hospital for a week or two and had a rough time of it. Last year my own sister fell off of a Tennessee Walking Horse in her back yard and had a brain bleed that put her in the hospital for several days......she still has memory problems because if it, she wears a helmet now days though....Nobody, no matter how tough they think they are, can shake off a subdural hematoma. I'd rather be a healthy wuss than a paralyzed Cowboy.

Best thing about a horse is you can eat the dumb sonofabitch.

My question is WHY?

I always figured that if they wanted people to wear helmets, be it on horseback or bicycle, they would not make them look so goofy. miles

I have owned at least one horse most of my life. I still do.

My step daughter and I often argue about wearing a helmet. I won't, she does.

Yes, I have been throw, ridden through yellow jacket nests, slid down mud and shale slopes, etc.

The good part is that I do remember those incidents and now the grandkids ride the horse more than I do and, yes, they do wear helmets.

donsm70

I once got a wasp under my motorcycle helmet. You DO NOT want to have your hat strapped down to your head when that happens.

Didn't for 20 plus years. If you ride horses your going to come off at some point. After many years with Suitor I could sit the saddle and he'd do the rest, But horses don't last forever. New horse and young, wife and I riding the trails loose reins and horse startles and spins. I bail to protect my shoulders and land on my feet only thing ground is very uneven, Tibial Plateau Fracture and 5 months off the leg. When riding with the wife I helmet up, better than the evil eye and silent treatment.

Wrong answer. The safest place is on top.

I have pretty much given up on horses for mountain riding--I'm a confirmed mule man these days. However, a friend who grew up riding horses and mules in rough mountain country, ranching and chasing lions, has had two bad mule wrecks in the last two years. Both required helicopter extractions and life-flight runs to University Medical Center in Tucson. Fortunately, she is a very resilient 50-something-year-old woman. Unfortunately, I have reached the age at which physical resilience is just a pleasant memory.

I've been "bailed"...kinda like I was water in the bucket.

Thank you.

If my memory serves me I have come off three mules when it was their idea,once when it was mine.The once I ended up in a lot worse condition than the previous 3. However staying on, I probably would not have survived at all.

I don't wear a helmet as I have never seen one that would keep my ears warm at 5 degrees F

I don't ride green mules anymore and don't ride anyone's mule when they ask me to figure out what is wrong with me.I ride short, old mules now.

Was going over regardless so tried to save myself. Always try to stay in the seat, my horses have been steady.

I didn't say the seat was the safest, I said on top is the safest.......

Those are for trailered horses so if they get all wound up inside the trailer they don't bust their heads open. Sort of like the helmets for green riders.

I've seen the commercial horse-haulers requiring that horses wear them, just for added liability protection.

Ed

I think they put those on rental horses so the rider doesn't beat them to death.

Helmets On Horses

I hate horses as much as I do dogs and if a hunt required one, I'd not hunt.



Travis

I used to ride a lot as a kid, and was way too tough to wear a helmet, even when some others started wearing them, including my sister. I've been thrown more than a few times, including into gates and fences and onto rocky ground. I've baled out too, and been stepped on. I got put headfirst into a log once, and was out cold. Another time I went in headfirst and hit hard enough that the hair at the front of my head fell out (it grew back though). In retrospect and with a bit more age if not wisdom, I think I should have worn a helmet, and I would now.

Wife and I don't wear them but our 3 year old will be wearing one for a while

Great thread, thanks to all who took the time to find the humorous pix!

My horse back riding was limited, even though I did own a horse briefly. However, when I was about 30 yrs. old I did a good bit of coon hunting. Went with a friend of mine who liked to hunt on mules. He borrowed one for me to ride. The dogs struck and then treed on the back side of a large, fresh cutover. They had piled the windrows up and when we came to the 1st one, my friend's mule went right on over the windrow. But my borrowed mule balked at it. I kept giving him a little encouragement but apparently gave him a little too much incentive and he sent me off between his ears into the windrow. It only hurt my pride a little bit as we got a good laugh out of it.

He wanted you to go first to see if it was safe.Mules are like that

That right there is funny! I don’t care who ya are! LOL!

The only mule I’ll ride these days is named Kawasaki, and only if I’m driving it. Happy Trails

I thought it funny too, not really politically correct, but I don’t give a cshit about that.

These are now horse rated.

Reasonably priced too.

Only when jousting.....

https://d3axvdqkyu09xk.cloudfront.net/attachments/img_20150210_230434806_hdr-jpg.45118/

I would suggest finding a tack store somewhere and buying an actual horse riding helmet.

I bought mine for $60 and I don't feel it looks terrible, it's very comfortable use it every time i'm on a horse.

bike helmet is to take one blow, an equestrian helmet is designed to absorb multiple blows where if you are hung up on the side of a horse and hitting your head off the ground a few times before you can get yourself freed.

it's one thing i've thought about and if I go anywhere and ride an unfamiliar horse, I would be that much more inclined to wear a helmet

I like my Ranger, smoother ride!!

Older horses, faster women, younger whiskey.

We ain't getting any younger!

Had to give up whiskey, can't drive faster women, but my mules are 18 and 20 years old

Miserable old grouch, aintcha?

Me too. One out of three ain't bad at our age. Hell, I don't even have a mule or horse. I gotta shank it!

I keep waiting for an offer from Ironbender.... but noooo......

And after I took him fishing in a truck that jumps (bad king pins) around the road and all....

Never mind Mike. ... that goat permit up behind Tustemena Lake? Ain't no way my boat "Sneer" will handle a horse.

But you are still welcome to strangle fish at Kasilof with me in June. We'll use the "Jumper" again if the bald tires hold out...

Don't need no stinkin hemets for that, unless maybe we have Dean along... (inside joke).

Well, golly. Never had a hint that you were even willing to straddle a nag!

I have a Killey bou permit for this fall. I might could put you in a saddle, but I'd have to swear you to secrecy on camp locations. Yeah, plural. It's two days of riding to get there.

Helmets in the cab of the Jumper might not be a bad way to go!?