Horse riding safety: riding hats, body protectors, handling horses and falling off
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Riding is a risk sport: horses are large, strong and quick to react, and falls happen to every rider eventually. Most serious injuries can be reduced with the right equipment and good habits. This guide covers the essentials every rider should know.
Riding hats
A properly fitted riding hat is the most important piece of safety equipment you own.
- Wear one every time you ride, including a quick sit on a quiet horse, and ideally when handling young or unpredictable horses.
- Meet a current standard. Standards in use in Britain and elsewhere include PAS 015, VG1, EN 1384:2023, ASTM F1163 and Snell. Competition bodies and the BHS publish lists of the standards they accept and often require a quality mark, such as a Kitemark or SEI label. Older versions of some standards are no longer accepted, so check the current rules for your activity.
- Fit matters. A hat should sit level, not tip backwards, and feel snug without pressure points. It should not move when you shake your head with the harness done up. Have it fitted by a trained fitter if you can.
- Fasten the harness every time. An unfastened hat can come off in a fall.
- Replace it after a significant impact. Damage inside a hat may not be visible, and manufacturers generally advise replacing a hat after a hard knock. Also replace it when it is worn or old according to the maker's guidance.
- Buy new. A second-hand hat may have been damaged in a fall you know nothing about.
Body protectors
A body protector is a padded vest that reduces the risk of some injuries in a fall. In the UK, the current standard is BETA 2018 Level 3, required for cross-country riding by organisations such as British Eventing and the Pony Club. BETA recommends replacing body protectors every three to five years, as the foam loses its ability to absorb impact.
Many riders wear one for jumping, hacking and on young horses. Air jackets, which inflate in a fall, are worn by some riders as well, usually over a body protector rather than instead of one. A body protector cannot prevent all injuries, but it is worth having fitted properly.
Safe handling on the ground
Many injuries happen without anyone in the saddle.
- Approach at the shoulder, from the side, and speak so the horse knows you are there. Horses have blind spots directly in front of the face and directly behind.
- Never walk directly behind a horse you do not know. If you must pass behind, either stay well out of kicking range or keep close with a hand on the horse so it knows where you are.
- Lead from the left side (the near side), conventionally, beside the horse's head and shoulder.
- Never wrap a lead rope or reins around your hand. You must be able to let go if the horse pulls away.
- Wear sturdy boots around horses; feet get trodden on.
- Tie up with a quick-release knot to a breakable point, such as a loop of string, so a panicking horse cannot injure itself.
Riding habits that keep you safe
- Check your tack before mounting: girth tight enough, stirrups the right length, no worn stitching.
- Tell someone where you are going when hacking, carry a charged phone on your body (not on the saddle) and wear high-visibility clothing on roads.
- Ride to your level and your horse's. Most accidents involve a mismatch between them.
- Keep a safe distance from other horses in the arena and on rides, about a horse's length.
When you fall
Every rider falls at some point.
- If you feel yourself going, kick your feet free of the stirrups so you are not dragged.
- Try to tuck and roll rather than putting an arm out to break your fall.
- Let go of the reins if the horse is moving off; your safety comes first.
- Afterwards, do not get straight back on if you hit your head, feel dizzy, confused or sick, or have neck or back pain. Concussion symptoms can appear later. Seek medical advice, and follow guidance on rest before riding again.
- Report the fall to the instructor, and check your hat for damage.
Safety advice and accepted standards are updated, so check the latest guidance from your national riding body. What safety lessons have you learned at the yard? Share them in the comments.