I am Thrilled to have partnered with the Riders4Helmets campaign to advocate for Helmets in ALL Disciplines, even Western!
Check out www.riders4helmets.com for all sorts of information on Helmets and why we should ALL "Strap One On"!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So excited to have been a part of the first ever Riders4helmets Safety Incentive! It was held with the Supreme Extreme Mustang Makeover 2011. $2000 was awarded to contestants wearing sei certified helmets! What an inventive way to encourage helmet use in a sport dominated by Western riders!
Check out this link for the press release!
I am honored to say that HCHF and Mary Miller Jordan (myself) are now involved in the Riders 4 Helmets awareness campaign. You will see through-out my website that I have not always worn a helmet and I ride Western and English, but after the birth of my daughter I felt led to change that fact. I now wear a helmet at all times when mounted... Mustang Makeovers.. Barrel Racing.. ACTHA CTC... All of it!.... It is a big transition for us as "Western" riders, but I hope to encourage others to make the switch as well as I wear my helmet in ALL of my Equine activities.
I will be speaking at the second annual Riders 4 Helmets Symposium on behalf of Western riders making the switch to helmet use.
Please visit http://www.riders4helmets.com/2011/07/riders4helmets-to-host-2nd-helmet-safety-symposium/ for details
I would like to share an article I wrote on June 9th, 2011. It expresses my desire for making the switch Cowboy Hat to Cowboy Helmet...
"Ok guys, I know lots of you Western riders are still having are hard time converting to wearing a helmet. I totally understand where you are coming from as I am immersed in a discipline where helmet use is sparse. .. and I know .. we have all heard (or said) .. "I know how to fall" or "My head never hits the ground" ...but all it takes is "One" fall... and lets face it.. if we ride long enough, we WILL fall! Every heard the saying that "You are not a real Cowgirl until you've been tossed of a horse" .. Well it's true... and it IS very important to learn to fall correctly.. All riders should be able to do that, but it is EQUALLY important to stick a Helmet on your noggin! There are Many really cool styles these days to choose from...and all it would take is that one time you land wrong to injury yourself permanently. And how awful would that be to receive a horrible head injury that could alter your life and life Style forever.. that could have been easily prevented! In addition, how are young people and aspiring horsemen and women every going to feel like they should wear a helmet if those of use out their competing in the public eye do not? .. This goes much beyond the English disciplines folks...it goes for the barrel racers, trail riders, Mustang trainers..All of us! I will admit, I've not always worn a helmet. Especially during the time frames of my life where I am surrounded by folks that do not wear helmets...but I really feel led to change this fact. And just because I have not always done it does not mean it's to late to start now! I want my daughter to think it's Cool to wear a helmet.. I want her to think a helmet makes your horse run faster and more likely to win the barrel race (Hey, it might =) .. I want her to think that judges will have more respect for her at shows when she has a helmet on (even in Western Disciples..and even in Mustang Makeovers! .. and they should =) ... I want her to think that sticking a helmet on her head is the same as putting her blue jeans on to prepare to climb on her horse's back... And I want people to see her wearing a helmet and being successful at what she does and want to wear one too .... and seeing as my daughter is only 8 months old, I figure I better do all the above myself =) .. and what better day to make this declaration to all of FB than with the International Helmet Aware-ness day around the corner... check out ... http://www.riders4helmets.com/?page_id=2631 Practically All brands of helmets are being discounted THIS Sat. . check the site for participation stores, but it appears to be very wide-spread to me! ...don't wait for someone else to do something to make it look cool ..then copy them.... DO something yourself! YOU be the "Unique" one and lead by example. Show the Western horse world that you can compete and WIN in a Helmet.... I am making a change right NOW.. I hope you will too! " ~mmj
