Lisa - Yes, you will most likely not get hit by a car on a horse, however, you have the very good chance of getting thrown onto concrete, thrown into a tree, thrown into a wall, thrown into a fence, or thrown 10 feet past a jump that your horse decided not to jump. I've got the scars to provie it!!!
You also have to rememeber, on a horse, you are twice as high than on a bike.
:D :D :D :D :D
I know, I used to have a horse, hunting and jumping, etc. Been kicked, and fell off horses plenty of times. But actually I never felt as much in danger on a horse as I do riding my bike around town on the same road as cars. Only riding bike a month and I've already seen/had some pretty scary moments totally due to car driver carelessness.
In any case, I think helmets are advisable for both activities!
I feel naked w/o a helmet just like not wearing a seatbelt.
Well, the chances of me getting hit by a car are next to zero, since I only ride on rail trails. I do ride my horse on roads, so there's a double whammy! LOL
I guess rail trails are fairly safe as far as cars go, but please do wear a helmet if you EVER ride where ther are cars!
Lisa :) I'm picking one up today - I promise!!!!!!!! :D
Yup - always wear my helmet. I've had too many friends on bikes and horses both who have said "At least I was wearing my helmet - it could have been MUCH worse." I have a new helmet for horseback riding... the new ones are much lighter and have air vents (not like the one I used to have - heavy and hot). Ratings on helmets are different from bike to horse, so you really should have a helmet specific to each activity. Okay! Enough preaching about helmets from me!!! :rolleyes:
So, on clipless... I have them on my bike, and love them. But - I think they need adjustment (or I do!) - I have more trouble staying IN them than coming out. So, they need to be tightened, and I need to sit on my trainer and practice clipping in and out so I get better at it!
I just wanted to thank you all again!
:D :D :D :D :D
You ladies are awesome!!!!!!
:D :D :D :D :D
Roshelle from Milwaukee
Pascale
Congrats on going clipless! I converted 2.5 months ago and love it
The first time I went out for a long ride with friends they offered to go on either side of me at stop signs to hold me up :p
I lasted a month and a half without a fall.( feeling pretty cocky) When it finally happened I was going all of about 1 mile an hour (just taking off) it was pretty well slo mo - TIMBER! a little road rash, a good laugh (it was leaving the parking lot after a club ride) and I was on my way.
Spoke wrench was right - EVERYONE I have talked to has been going slow when they fell (even veteran riders say they have wiped at stop signs because they forgot to unclip) and I haven't heard of any serious injuries with the sole reason being they were clipped in
I unclip one foot in any questionable situation and figure if I am going to fall at a higher rate of speed it won't be because I am clipped in that I am going down. Also I figure it would happen so fast I wouldn't have time to save myself by stepping down anyway
I actually fell more before I went clipless - go figure :confused: :confused: :confused:
YAY!!!! Good for YOU!!! :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Pascale
I fell the first time I tried the bike with the pedals - in the parking lot of the bike store, with the sales guy watching. Got that one over with.
I was determined not to this again, however, so I rode around in a park on grass. :) I put one regular shoe on, just in case, until I started to get the hang of it with the other foot.
Bike helmets are not approved for equestrian activities. You just don't sustain the same sorts of impacts. A bike helmet is inadequate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pascale
I highly recommend the Tipperary Sportage as a schooling helmet. It's lightweight, has a flattering profile, and offers protection to the base of the skull. It is in fact the cheapest helmet on the market ($60) with the highest safety rating.
Having destroyed more than one riding helmet (mostly freak accidents during light riding), and having also found myself tangled between a bicycle and the under-chassis of a car with a barely-spared skull, I can tell you, a helmet is vital. It may be a personal choice right now, but ending up paralyzed, brain-damaged or dead will put a lot of undue stress on friends and family for a completely preventable pending accident.
I'm so sorry - I was completely kidding on this comment, forgetting how easily comments can be misconstrued online if you don't actually know someone. If I thought they were interchangable, I'd never bother to get a bike helmet and just use the Troxel I already have for horses. Bad me!!!! :oQuote:
I wonder if I can wear the biking helmet on the horse as well, cuz the horse helmets are heavier and a total PITA.
Aww, but I was all ready with the rebuttal arsonal of news stories URLs...
Whew, no worries. Glad to see you've got a head on your shoulders worth protecting!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deb76
This is what I did too!
And when I would ride with newbies...they would see how I did it... clipping out EARLY... and followed my lead... since it worked.
Anytime I saw ANYTHING where it looked like I might need to stop, I would unclip and prepare.
I only fell once, in a parking lot. It was pretty minor.
OH... and another thing... half of the battle is in your HEAD! You have to tell yourself, I CAN DO THIS... I WILL NOT FALL OVER! Visaulize success!