Re: awful time with daughter re riding

I don't think there is anything "inconsistent" with implementing a new
rule based on your new knowledge.

One of my best friends suffered a severe brain injury while taking a
lesson on the flat in a very sandy arena on a horse that is quite well
trained and "sensible". The hunter barn where she boarded did not
require helmets. It's been 9 months since her accident and I am
crushed as I have "lost" my dear friend. She survived, but her injury
has left her literally "brain damaged". We can carry on a
conversation and we talk frequently, but she'll never drive again,
never ride a horse again, (and they were her LIFE), and NEVER be the
same. My friend was a very accomplished rider and the accident was
"freak", like so often they are.

Another woman I know who was a very successful rider on the Quarter
Horse circuit was trail riding her old made horse. She came off at
the WALK (no one knows what happened, but one minute she was on the
horse talking to a friend. In less than 60 seconds, the friend who
was out in front...looked back and saw the girl laying on the ground
and the horse was just standing there!). She died from her head
injury before she made it to the hospital.

If your daughter came off and hit her head without a helmet and was
left permanently brain damaged or dead, how would you feel about the
fact that you had left it up to her as to whether or not she wore a
helmet?

Lastly, my way of reasoning with my daughter about these kinds of
things is to get her to read and understand the facts. Then, once she
agrees that falling without a helmet is much more dangerous than
falling WITH a helmet...I then would ask her if she understood that it
was a mother's duty to protect the child (she'll say "yes"). I would
then explain to her that it was your job to be her mom, not her best
friend...and I'd stick to my guns and calmly let her know that you
believe she would implement the same kind of rule if SHE were the
mother.

Saying that the helmet is hot and uncomfortable is the excuse most
people give, but once you get a good fitting helmet and start wearing
it...you never even think about it being on your head. I admit that I
didn't use to wear one every ride. I would tell myself, "This horse is
safe, the sand is soft, etc." I only wore it trail riding, jumping
and riding green or tough horses. Now, I wear one EVERY SINGLE TIME.
I do not want to do to my family what I have seen happen with my
friend if a helmet could help. I wear my helmet out of love for my
family as much as for my own sense of self-preservation.

A helmet doesn't always prevent a serious injury, but there are plenty
of statistics that can prove that there is a valid reason to wear one.

j-

.

Relevant Pages

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