Prices reflect a range of styles and features. They vary from as little as $30 for a schooling helmet to as much as $1,450 for one made of carbon fiber. In general, helmets can be categorized in the following way:
Traditional show helmets are modeled after the velvet-covered hunt cap. Unlike the earliest certified helmets, which were big and bulky, today they are low profile. That is, they are made with a bit less material and designed to sit closer to a rider's head while still meeting safety requirements. Black is the standard color; some are sold in brown, navy or gray. Traditional show helmets have either a leather or nylon retention system. Some have ventilation holes or are lined with moisture-wicking fabric.
Schooling helmets are designed with recreational riding in mind. Ventilation holes and channels to assist airflow are standard to maintain rider comfort. Some models are especially lightweight. Many offer a removable visor as well as adjustable parts and fitting features. Some include a removable liner that is washable. These helmets come in gloss and matte finishes, and several colors and styles.
High-tech helmets are state of the art, particularly in terms of versatility. The outer shell may be covered by velvet, suede or a similarly textured synthetic fabric. It also can be fashioned from a smooth substance such as a rubberized polymer, composite material or carbon fiber. Several manufacturers offer a helmet with a stripe down the middle or a dual-toned center panel. Some models allow users to modify the color of the stripe using interchangeable strips; this portion of the helmet also may have built-in ventilation panels. Such styles have become popular among hunter and jumper riders.
Improvements in Fit and Comfort
Manufacturers have long worked to develop innovative ways to make minor adjustments in fit and to prevent helmets from rocking precariously backward and forward on the wearer's head. Some schooling and show helmets now include these features to tighten or loosen a helmet on the head:
- a dial at the back
- a sliding bar at the back or sides
- removable pads or padding that folds down inside a helmet to fill gaps at the front, back and sides.
While these modifications improve comfort for the wearer, says Timms, they don't substantially contribute to a helmet's ability to stay on the head. That responsibility falls to the retention system. As Timms explains it: "Think about a seat-belt system in a car versus the cushioning of the seat. The seat cushions are important in terms of driver comfort but not for function of the seat belt." The same can be said for the fitting systems in helmets, he adds.
Another way that manufacturers seek to remedy fit problems is to offer helmets with different shapes. "You may have riders with the same size but not the same shaped head," says Plastino. "We try to account for that with long oval sizes." He adds that International Riding Helmets also offers a sizing strip (available at the request of tack stores) that molds to the shape of a rider's head when heated with a hair dryer. The cooled strip is then sent to the company for optimum helmet sizing.
The introduction of protective headgear for equestrians marked a giant step forward in reducing riding-related head and brain injuries. But only recently have helmets come to be viewed as more than a necessary evil. Design innovation has yielded an array of products that riders not only want to buy but want to be seen wearing whenever they're in the saddle.
This article originally appeared in the August 2006 issue of EQUUS magazine.
