Tips On Buying A Horse Riding Helmet

Horse riding is one of those sports that seem to have lots of different equipment. If you are just a beginner then you might not want to spend a lot of money on fancy new equipment that you’re not even sure you will need. While it’s true that beginners can get away with wearing very basic horse riding clothes, there’s one item that all riders will need. A horse riding helmet is of the utmost importance. When you first go for lessons you will be offered helmets to borrow by your riding school but ideally you should have your own as soon as possible.

The Fit

Don’t worry about how the helmet looks; this is secondary to how well it fits. You can change the look of your helmet later with a horse riding helmet cover. While most of the staff at any store that sells horse riding equipment will be able to help you out with finding the perfect fit, it is still a good idea to have an idea of what makes a good fitting horse riding helmet.

Put the helmet on and secure. Shake your head around a little and nod, you might feel silly doing this but it’s a necessary part of testing your horse riding helmet. There should be no movement, you should feel that your horse riding helmet is level and secure on your head. You should also be able to adjust the chin strap, which should fit snugly but not tight to the point that it feels uncomfortable. 

Safety

After you have checked that the horse riding helmet you have chosen fits you properly you want to make sure that it is safe. The American Society for Testing and Materials approves safe helmets, so make sure that the helmet you buy has been approved by the ASTM.

Another form of certification for horse riding helmets is SEI certification. SEI certification means that the helmet you have chosen has been designed specifically for equestrian sports. It has also passed testing and high safety standards and will be safe to use.

Make sure that you use a helmet meant specifically for horse riding. Other helmets do not provide proper protection even if they are designed to protect your head from accidents. So make sure that you buy a helmet that has the right certification. There are many attractive helmet styles out there so you can choose from a variety of safe to use helmets for riding.