ridecamp@endurance.net: traffic and helmets

traffic and helmets

(no name) ((no email))
13 Feb 97 13:39:39 EDT

1) traffic: IMHO don't dismount to walk on a busy road unless your mount is
not traffic-wise. You're probably safer riding. It helps to use bright flame
orange and neon-yellow clothing for visibility, as well as reflectors. The leg
wrap and brow-band reflectors help, as well as look really cool (even when not
near a road) for riding home if it gets near dusk. I think the equine usually
takes the injuries in most car-equine accidents. Last year a truck hit and
killed a Shire here in PA (driver "didn't see it") and the rider survived.
Lately there was a more tragic one.

About 3 weeks ago in a suburban neighborhood 25 mph zone here in SE PA there
were 8 kids on small horses and ponies off the road proper, on the shoulder,
when a 17yo came around a wide curve at nearly 75 mph. It was too fast for the
curve, and, surprise--there were the ponies. He mowed them all down. All the
kids lived, with scrapes and bumps. One went to the hospital because his head
smashed the windshield, but because he'd worn a helmet, he survived, was
treated for concussion, and released. One of the kids that went high airborne
had quite a few scrapes and bumps.

One horse was killed almost instantly. Another's rear legs were both broken.
One gave its life to save the driver's by cushioning the impact of the car
against the telephone pole that stopped it. Its young rider was so traumatized
by its crying that she got under the wreckage so as to sit with the pony's head
in her lap trying to comfort it. When he arrived, her father didn't find her
at first and started to panic, until he followed the sound of it. I don't know
any more details, like how many ultimately survived.

2) helmets: I think wearers- and non- should go see the slides of the head
injuries at Equine Affaire (Ohio, in April), if they have the safety seminar
again. As well as statistics like % men & women & ages, you might learn what
different types of injuries are common. One almost unique to equestrians is
the depression fracture which results when a horse kicks or steps on a person's
head. The piece of your skull that the hoof hits is punched into your head.
On the x-ray it shows the usually roundish hoof-shaped bone lying against the
brain and below the rest of the skull. It requires careful manipulation,
usually involving drilling some screws into that piece of bone, to get it back
into place. After seeing these slides, I started wearing my helmet when
tacking up, and when I go into the pasture to fetch a horse whose buddies like
to crowd and play rough.

Live to ride again! Bridget Brickson in SE PA

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