{"id":92323,"date":"2022-09-06T10:15:19","date_gmt":"2022-09-06T08:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/antares-sellier.com\/?p=92323"},"modified":"2023-08-14T09:49:07","modified_gmt":"2023-08-14T07:49:07","slug":"the-riding-helmet-safety","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/antares-sellier.com\/en\/2022\/09\/06\/the-riding-helmet-safety\/","title":{"rendered":"The riding helmet: Central to safety"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Riding has many benefits<\/strong> whether you do it competitively or for leisure. As an outdoor sports activity in contact with nature, riding boosts your self-confidence <\/strong>and hones the way you manage your emotions<\/strong> in contact with your horse. Riding also fosters early learning in young children’s development and helps people with disabilities or those in need. The fact remains, though, that horses are animals with their own way of thinking<\/strong> which you have to communicate with. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is a long learning journey that requires patience with the inevitable fall, and falling off a horse is all part of the job.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wearing a helmet is compulsory<\/strong> in some riding schools and stables to reduce the risk of injury, yet often neglected when you become an owner or amateur\/professional rider. While hospital admissions* are highest for horse riding, too many riders leave their helmets in the tack room relying on a special bond with their horse or an advanced riding level. Yet, when a rider and\/or their horse falls it can happen at random, such as tripping on an exposed root, a sudden lunge to avoid low-flying birds, etc. There can be many reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wearing a helmet<\/a> doesn’t compromise your riding skills or the bond you may have with your horse. It can, however, help you avoid serious, even life-threatening, injuries<\/strong> if you do fall. That’s why this feature provides an in-depth analysis of the materials in your helmet,<\/strong> together with drop tests. Armed with this knowledge, you’ll be able to assess how your helmet performs and the need to change it after each blow or fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riding: A dangerous sport<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to a study published in “Trauma Surgery & Acute Care Open<\/strong>” in October 2021, involving 25,000 people who were treated for horse-related injuries*,  riding may well be the most hazardous sport<\/strong>, ahead of motor racing, motorbike racing and skiing.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Now, if you’re a rider, you might be a bit surprised by these findings, yet the report states that out of the 25,000 people treated for horse-related injuries*, 23%<\/strong> suffered head injuries while a quarter of them<\/strong> experienced serious neurological <\/strong>trauma. The study highlights that a high number of casualties were not wearing helmets<\/strong>. It concludes with a stark message: Wearing protective equipment significantly reduces the seriousness of injuries<\/strong>. A riding helmet is subsequently paramount<\/span> to keeping you safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riding hat or helmet?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Choosing between a riding hat <\/strong>or helmet<\/strong> is a bit like deciding between a pain au chocolat or a chocolatine. The riding hat is actually the precursor to the helmet. Riding helmets are far-removed from the time of velour-covered and very often ill-fitting riding hats (with or without chinstraps depending on when you started riding)<\/em>. By contrast, riding helmets are made from innovative<\/strong> and frequently highest-quality materials. They provide riders with proper comfort <\/strong>and optimum protection<\/strong>. Above all, riding helmets meet very specific standards<\/strong> that we’ll discuss below. So, between a simple plastic shell and ever-more technical components, it’s a no-brainer.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Discover our helmets collections<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The technical qualities of a riding helmet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What goes into an Antar\u00e8s riding helmet?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The outer shell<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The outer shell of your Antar\u00e8s riding helmet is made of ABS<\/strong>. Its purpose is to disperse the energy<\/strong> from an impact <\/strong>over the helmet’s surface. When your helmet strikes an object, the shell distributes the shock wave by spreading it out<\/strong>. ABS, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, to give it its full name, is injected into a mould to make a perfectly round shape. Both light and rigid, ABS is also highly scratch-resistant which is why a helmet that has experienced an impact may be scratch-free<\/strong>. That said, no marks on the outer shell doesn’t mean<\/span> that your helmet will give you optimum protection thereafter<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The helmet liner<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The liner is made from EPS<\/strong> (expanded polystyrene). It absorbs the energy by compressing <\/strong>on impact. As a result, the liner becomes far denser and cannot absorb the force a second time as it is ‘single-impact<\/strong>‘. Even if there are no visible scratches on the outer shell, a helmet that has had an impact may need to be changed<\/strong>. Liner densities vary according to the size of our helmets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The effects of impacts on the inside of a helmet<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

To demonstrate this, take a look at the inside of 2 Antar\u00e8s riding helmets. The cross-section shows you the liner of a new helmet <\/strong>in its original state<\/strong>. It is round and sits snugly in the curves of the outer shell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n