SELECTING AND FITTING ASTM/SEI HELMETS

Riding helmets made to the ASTM F1163 standard and certified by the Safety Equipment Institute (SEI) are considered to be the world's best head protection for horseback riders. Although no helmet can protect 100 per cent against every type of helmet injury, studies show a great reduction in both the number of injuries and the severity of injuries in those who use them every time they ride.

ASTM/SEI helmets come in a variety of types, and should be chosen for the type of horse sport the rider intends to enjoy. For English showing, a black velvet hunt cap type is always correct; for Western riding, there is a model covered with a traditional Western hat. Endurance, pleasure, and trail riders favor the ultra-light, ultra-ventilated soft shell models. For riding schools and hack stables, the light and ventilated hard shell schooling helmets are both popular and durable.
No helmet can do its job if it doesn't fit properly. It must be snug but not uncomfortably tight. Every ASTM/SEI manufacturer includes fitting and care instructions in the box with a new helmet or attached to the helmet. Insist on getting this when you buy one! Each model has special "tricks" for fitting, none of them difficult, but all of them important.

When selecting a helmet, make sure it has the SEI Seal on a permanent label inside. This may be hidden under a detachable liner which can be removed and washed/disinfected. The label will also show the date of manufacture. The practical life span of a helmet is five to six years...the manufacturer may specify.....so make sure what you buy has been made as recently as possible.

When a helmet fits correctly, it sits about an inch above the eyebrows, squarely on the head with the brim straight ahead. The harness must be fastened so there is direct firm contact with the jaw or chin, depending on the model and the manufacturer's instructions.

Most harnesses are adjustable on the sides or at the back with laces, velcro, straps, or some other similar system. This should be adjusted to fit as closely to the head as possible with no gaps or lumps.

To check actual fit, place one hand on top of the helmet and rock it backward and forward, and side to side. The scalp should move with the helmet, which is shown by the eyebrows moving. Small fitting problems can be solved by following the manufacturer's instructions, usually by adding the foam padding which is provided with the helmet, or by adjusting the internal harness with velcro on the outside as is possible with one popular model. If the helmet needs more padding than is provided, a smaller size or different model is needed.

If buying helmets for a riding facility to loan, depending on the number riding at once you will probably need one of each available general size (XS, S, M, L, XL) and extras in the small and medium ranges. You should have models from at least two manufacturers since you will have much better fitting flexibility that way; all heads are not created equal!
Replacement on a regular basis should be part of your safety plan for a facility. Serious damage to a helmet cannot always be seen or felt. Any helmet which has been in a hard fall should be inspected by the manufacturer or destroyed and replaced. Some of the signs of hard use in a helmet, and a need for replacement, are:

1. Harness pulling loose from the helmet
2. Squeeze clips with broken teeth
3. White helmets turning yellow
4. Black velvet helmets turning beige
5. Surface cracks, holes or dents
6. Chunks missing from the liner
7. Liner squashed down in places
8. Shell or liner cracked through

Here is a general safety reminder. After years of studies of horse-related accidents, the United States Pony Clubs' Safety Committee recommends that helmets be worn whenever working around horses, as well as when riding or driving a horse; grooming, leading, longeing, bandaging, loading, etc. This is especially important for children, whose heads may be at "cow-kick" height when working around ponies and horses.

Here's where to get help in finding helmets which meet your needs:

www.seinet.org (Click on Certified Products, Select “Equestrian Helmets”)
For helmet photos, go to www.emsaonline.net (Select “Helmets” on the left bar)
Here is an example of the SEI seal, which is found on the permanent label inside ASTM/SEI helmets. It may be printed in any color.

Questions may be directed to New York State Horse Council Safety Chairman Dru Malavase at drumalavase@hotmail.com or at 2270 County Road 39 RD 2 Bloomfield, NY 14469. I can be reached at home at 716 657-7053 after 7:30 p.m. and on weekends