|
Q:
Thank you for launching your web site, and sponsoring
the BAEN column. I have moved back to an English
barn after a year at an open discipline barn; my
question centers on a pretty interesting difference
between the two -- the REQUIRED use of helmets.
At
the open barn, "helmets were optional" unless
you were under 18 and/or had your parent sign a
"waiver of liability" release. My
new trainer insists that there IS no such thing as a
"release of liability," and that helmets are
more tightly monitored for minors than they had been
previously (i.e., ASTM-SEI standards). I am confused and
thought you might clarify the helmet-requirement laws.
A:
The use of helmets for horseback riding, at least in
California, is not a matter of law. There are no
legal requirements to wear a helmet while horseback
riding. However, many riding stables have rules
regarding the use of helmets. In fact, I highly
recommend that my own boarding stable clients require
every rider to use a helmet, as it is in everyone’s
best interest to help prevent serious injuries.
Personally, I wear a helmet EVERY time I ride, even if
I'm not jumping. More than once, it has saved my
noggin, and it is much easier to replace a crunched
helmet than a crunched head. Thank goodness that
modern helmets are so much more comfortable than the
helmets my mother made me wear when I was a kid!
For more information about horse safety, including
helmet use, you may wish to visit the American
Association for Horsemanship Safety. [See also The
Top 10 Reasons It's Cool To Wear A Riding Helmet -
Ed.]
Liability
releases ARE enforceable in California as long as they
are drafted in a clear and specific way that informs the
person signing of the risks they are assuming. For
more information about liability releases and
enforceability, see "Liability Releases" on Equine
Legal Solutions.
|
