more about bike helmets for equestrian use (NOT)

[dave & abby bloxsom <cyclone@snet.net>]

It's absolutely true that bike helmets are not designed for equestrian
use.  There are all kinds of factors involved in helmet design and
included in the ASTM testing standards -- speed of travel, direction of
impact, height from ground, likelihood of landing on rocks & getting
stepped on, etc. etc.; and bicycling differs from riding in almost all
of them.  Riding helmets look different because they need to be, not
because of tradition.  A bike helmet WILL NOT protect your head
adequately on a horse.

Some riders used bike helmets years ago (when the equestrian standards
were still being developed) because they were better ventilated than the
early black solid styrofoam ones, hence more comfortable & safer than a
baseball cap.

When you get your helmet, it comes with a bunch of foamy thingies to
stick in it to make it fit better.  They're not just for comfort--if it
moves around because it's loose, it can do stuff like break your nose,
and slide off of important coverage points.

SECRETS TO HELMET FITTING:
1- get a helmet that's close to the shape of your head (usually this
means trying several on)
2- use the foamy thingies to adjust the shape of the inside so the
helmet makes your eyebrows move up & down when you wiggle it, AND so
that the helmet doesn't wobble sideways
3- make sure the strap in the back is snug against your head (like UNDER
your pony tail?) 
4- adjust the side straps so they go around your ears
5- keep the chin strap fastened snugly -- too tight & you'll hate it,
too loose & it won't do any good

Adjust your helmet well, & you'll like it enough to wear it.  If you
wear it enough, you'll get used to the feel.

You can mail order just about any kind of riding helmet from your
favorite equest. supply place, and the discount places (Chicks,
Libertyville, StateLine, etc.) usually have good prices.  Ultimately, it
seems like a lot of $$ at the time, but 3 or 4 years later, you'll never
miss the $75, and by then you may be glad you spent it.

Abby and 30+ summer campers 
who watched in horror while a helmet
(REQUIRED) saved a life last summer