You may have noticed many international-caliber
show jumpers sporting a new type of helmet with a strip down
the middle. CGF Gallet SA, a French company, is the manufacturer
of the GPA helmet and Europeans Ludger and Markus Beerbaum, Michael
Whitaker as well as Canadians Ian Millar and Jay Hayes are all
sporting this new look and style.
"This new, proper helmet is long overdue, says Millar. "The
helmet is now practical, unlike some of our other attire. What
other athlete competes in a shirt and tie?"
He adds, "Most importantly, the new helmets offer better
protection. They have a better chinstrap and they're lighter."
The moulded harness is made of the same material as the lining,
and is therefore very comfortable for the rider.
"The new helmet is much lighter, it breathes, it's cooler,"
Hayes says. "I'm all for the changing of the garb."
Although the GPA helmets are expensive, retailing in the $400
range, Canadian tack shops are getting hundreds of requests for
this revolutionary new style and are selling out quickly.
A North American company, International Riding Helmets, Ltd.
(IRH), has introduced a helmet similar in look, yet different
in design, that is more affordable to the common rider at approximately
$140. Accoridng to IRH, the Advance Tech Helmet or ATH meets
and/or exceeds ASTM and European standards. It is distributed
in Canada by both Canadian Saddlery and Can-Pro Horse Equipment
and can be found in a growing number of tack stores.
Horses Don't Have Wheels
Bike helmets might be less expensive and more readily accessible
than riding headgear, but they do not provide adequate protection,
nor are they certified for accidents arising from falls from
a horse (if they are even certified at all). When you consider
the tumbles we take from our horses, the injuries that can be
sustained are dramatically different from those sustained while
bike riding - plus they involve a heavy, moving beast.
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