Horse riding is an exciting sport, but also a dangerous one. If you are someone who is going for horse riding for the first time, then it is imperative to know about the safety measures and equipment that you must carry with yourself while going for horse riding.
Also, safe riding is all about comfort and ease while riding the horse. However, let me tell you, safety equipment are not 100% injury proof. But if you will wear them and carry them with yourself, then it will surely reduce the chances of an injury becoming severe in case of an accident.
With that said, let’s look at some of the most common equipment to load yourself with before going on horse riding.
1. Keep your head safe with a riding helmet
Even if you are not looking to invest too much on heavy equipment, you must get a riding helmet for the purpose of horse riding. You will see a lot of arguments convincing you that it is not necessary to wear a helmet while riding a horse, but trust me, most of these arguments are completely pointless excuses.
Facts say that horse riding is one such sport which has the most number of head injuries caused by it.
It is true that head injuries are not 100% avoidable in case of an accident, but wearing a helmet will surely protect you from any fatal accident.
2. Boots are not just to flaunt your fashion sense
Boots are one of the most important part of your attire for horse riding. It’s not just about fashion sense, but for your safety too. Boots with smaller heel are also good as they will avert your foot from slipping from the stirrups and protect your toes from getting flattened.
Apart from that, taller boots are useful in protecting from hurting while riding the horse.
3. Comfortable rides ask for a some good stirrups
Comfort really matters when you are riding a horse. Therefore, stirrups are one of the essentials to have during this sport. You can choose from a variety of stirrups that are available to make your ride a comfortable one and at the same time, avoid your foot from descending through when you go for a fall.
In case your foot runs overs the stirrup while falling, this can lead to drag your body and you end up getting poorly hurt. Here, safety stirrups play a major role in protecting your foot from severe injury.
4. Protect your organs with some safety vests
The safety vests are so effectively protective for your chest in case you fall from the horse. It clearly protects your internal organ from a fatal injury including your ribs and spine.
If you are in the category of pleasure riders or any speed game participant, then you must have safety vests. It is not necessary that they should be visible on your body, you can hide it under your clothes that you will wear while riding.
5. Underrated, but still essential – mouth guard
Now, this is one of the most underrated equipment, but to be honest, it is very important. Most of the people might not want to wear a mouth-guard has an essential part while horse riding. However, this is a very protective item for those who ride through jumps or if they are doing some face plants in some fence.
You can surely talk to your doctor (dentist) to fit a mouth guard. It is usually similar to what most of the footballers or hockey players wear.
There are mould or foldable guards available in the market, you can easily get one from the drugstores. People also wear for special safety measures or for a short span to avoid injuries while riding over high jumps.
Well, that’s it for now! Keep the above equipment with yourself to have safe ride. Happy horse riding!