? about safety helmets......

Question

My daughter has been riding for a little more than a year now. We bought her a Troxel helmet. This helmet has now seperated so that the entire velvet top comes off leaving a styrofoam looking bycycle helmet underneath. I am horrified for her safety and would like to ask for some suggestions on SAFE riding helmets that won't break the bank. I do know that you get what you pay for, but she is only 6 and is growing like crazy every week! Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

Answer 1

Helmet Safety in my opinion is the most important about riding a horse. I myself have had a firsthand experience with helmet safety. I had an accident and fell on my head and had to have brain surgery. After this happened I did tons and tons of research about helmets and I learned that even though helmets are all ASTM/SEI approved some helmets have other higher certifications. Anyway the helmets that I would highly recommend after my research is the IRH and the Charles Owens helmets. And I would say yes get rid of that helmet that is falling apart.    

Answer 2

well you can contact the company and ask for a new one. when i fell off we were afraid if my helmet was damaged at all, so we called the company, and they said we could send it back and they would send us a new one. i'm really not sure about brands of helmets, but you can always go to a tack shop and ask. good luck!

Answer 3

I have been through quite a few helmets, and used to use Troxel's. I have since switched to Charles Owen Helmets, their J3 ( I believe) Skull Cap is an excellent helmet. I use it for when i do cross country and stadium jumping.

http://www.charlesowen.com/en/products/t...

Here is a link to their site, and there is a list of different helmets you can choose from,

your local tack shop may carry them for her to try on.

I highly suggest a "skull", they also have a variety of show helmets.  

Answer 4

If the helmet is SEI and ASTM certified than it is safe. If the helmet was stored in the heat that could be one problem. I just recently bought a a western showing helmet, and stored it upside down in a plastic tack box. After a few days the heat had started to seperate some of the pieces. A helmet just like any piece of tack is an investment, it's best to go for the best product even if that means spending more money. Make sure it's stored safely and properly and it should last a long time. Many companies that make helmets, offer helmets with dials that twist the helmet smaller or larger. I'm 17 and my helmet has been used for a 5 year old girl who was showing in leadline.

She might have to have an SEI or ASTM certified helmet for certain shows. They will occasionally check the helmet when you enter into a class. So it would be best to go ahead and invest in something that will last.

Answer 5

Any ASTM/SEI certified helmet is safe. Troxel is a good brand; it's what I've used.

For a growing child make sure to get a helmet with a dial in the back: this allows you to adjust the tightness as needed.

Answer 6

Like some others have said any ASTM/SEI certified helmets are safe. I have always had Troxel helmets. I currently have a Troxel Grand Prix II. My last helmet (Troxel Grand Prix) withstood a hard fall into a jump standered and a wall. I hit the standerd with my head and went on into the wall. I had no injuries except for a few bruses on my shoulder.

Answer 7

If your that concerned about her safety, get her a skateboarding helmet. I'm dead serious, those things are a lot safer than horse riding helmets. Think about it.

Plus she'll look cool with it :P

Answer 8

The following link is the Troxel website.

http://www.troxelhelmets.com/service/faq...

It states that they do have a 1 year guartanee against defects in workmanship or materials, but I am guessing that you will need your receipt, and you may not have it so that may not help.

Troxel helmets are the leading seller in the equine industry.  They make a very quality helmet and have passed all testing requirements.  I am wondering if maybe it got slightly damp causing the adhesive band that holds the velvet down to come unadheared.  

All equestirian helmets that I know of are based off of a styrofoam core, it is the design and thickness of the styrofoam that differs between a bicycle helmet and an equestrian helmet.

For those that mentioned skateboard helmets, they are not designed for the impacts that occur when falling or being thrown by a horse.  Unless a skateboarder crashes from a jump they are usually not usually 5 foot off the ground (height of a 15 hand horse, plus add to that the height reached when thrown from a horse.  Equestrian helmets also come lower on the back of the head and the amount of foam is designed to absorb more concusion depending on how the head hits.  

I hope this helps.

Answer 9

get her a cowboy hat

but keve is right get a skateboard helmet those thing are supposed to protect u from falling and hitting concret, they be alot safer than a riding helmet

Answer 10

I ride in a very safe GPA now, but never did when my head was still growing because of the cost. I ALWAYS preferred international helmets to troxel. my troxel always felt like it was going to fall apart whereas the international ones are sturdier. My troxel broke in a year whereas i still have my international ones that i grew of--and they're in excellent shape even after some falls. International also has their nicer, velvet IRH line of helmets that are a bit more expensive. What I would recommend for the safest helmet, still slightly expensive but not to the level that GPA helmets are is the Charles Owen skull caps--your daughter can get bright cool covers for them too. The great thing about them is that they don't have the visor. I have heard so many stories of people falling on their face, and having the visor crack off and break their nose. They are about $138 from Dover. I've also heard good things about Tipperary  but never tried one out.