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The excitement never ends.

IL Rancher

Well-known member
Jersey, I have seen 3 types of helmets used when riding horses. One is the classic english helmet whichi has the chin straps and all. Good protection for the back of the head but not a lot on the sides. I have seen bicycle type helmets as well and I have seen helmets with ear protection and a face mask but those were for bucking horses I think... They basically looked like a junior hockey helmet mask combo. Or a lacrosse helmet but not many folks have seen those. I suppose as with most proective gear in most sports it boils down to the equipment will only protect you if it fits you right and stays where the heck it is suppossed to.

The only reason that it wouldn't surprise me if it is mandated at most events in this state is because they hold bikeathons and such all the time and helmets are required to be involved..

We have a horse that is now basically a lawn onrament. She can't really be ridden more than once or twice a week because she has leg issues and we barely ride her anymore. When she was ridden you were able to tell her "There is a baby on your back" and she would be a completely docile animal, refuse to make sudden movements and wouldn't go past a slow canter/lope. Don't say that and she was a much more aggressive horse. We didn't have any kids at the time we rode her but that is what she came to us like as a 13 year old. I don't know what she was like as a 4 year old. The horses I grew up around I wouldn't want to get within 30 yards of as a kid. They were just big, headstrong jumping horses that adults without tons of exp had difficulty handling. A good handler could get a out of those horses but my dad wasn't one of them :shock: :lol:
 

Denny

Well-known member
Northern Rancher said:
Well Dennymeister big differance participating in an organized sport like bull riding and sending a kid out to dreive a 600 pound quad that goes 40 miles an hour-trust me you don't want one of my quad safety lectures in person. My nephew was just recalling the front end loader lecture I gave his Dad last year-I nearly lost Ty in a tractor wreck when he was little-the light came on for me-I was just hoping to switch it on for some people on here before a tragedy does. I really don't like going to kids funerals.

I know what your saying but "Bull Rideing" is not exactly what I would call organized.You can have all the safety nets in place and one wrong turn and it could be another funeral.I have 2 quads the kids can't ride them when I'm not here and by no means when we have company.But then again the same goes with rideing horse.My girls run the quad with respect and caution but the 15 year old boy well lets just say he does'nt get to ride it at all.Now he's at his Dad's and wanting to run a Demo car which I told him when he's 18 It will be fine until then I see no reason to beat up a young body.
 

DiamondSCattleCo

Well-known member
Northern Rancher said:
dreive a 600 pound quad that goes 40 miles an hour-

And therein lies the biggest cause of ATV wrecks. Not the ATV itself, but rather the parents not understanding or not caring that a 10 year old simply doesn't have the physical stength to properly control a 5 to 600 lb machine. There are plenty of beginner level, light weight quads on the market, and every last one of them are safe as long as the children are properly trained in the use of those machines. I've known alot more kids hurt on horses or bulls than I've ever seen hurt on ATVs.

Rod
 

ranchwife

Well-known member
My 10 year old took our 4-wheeler out into the field to try and find his dad and bring him some sweet tea...well...he was without helmet and I saw him heading home...going like a bat outta he$$!!! Scared the tar outta me when I saw him FLY down the gravel road!! Least to say, he got a dandy chewing out when he got home and is grounded from the 4-wheeler til further notice..probably til he is 18...or 30!! Whichever one he makes it to!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: I have had first hand experience with kids (and adults) wrecking quads and the consequences of that split moment lack in judgement!! Horrible when you have to tell parents that "we tried....we really did...but......."!! :cry: :cry:
 

andybob

Well-known member
The point is, that my late collegue was in his mid 50's and has used quad bikes on the farm for over 30 years, pulling trailers and automatic feeders etc. The farm he managed is very hilly (steep) and he went over backward in a freak accident.
 

DiamondSCattleCo

Well-known member
andybob said:
The point is, that my late collegue was in his mid 50's and has used quad bikes on the farm for over 30 years, pulling trailers and automatic feeders etc. The farm he managed is very hilly (steep) and he went over backward in a freak accident.

Suzuki had the first quad about 20 years ago. Before that, Honda had trikes for about 5 years, which were outlawed due to the same thinking I see in this thread.

My point is that ATVs of any sort are not inherently more dangerous than any other mode of transport, including horses. Freak accidents happen, no matter what you're riding, driving, or walking beside. I see calls for banning ATVs outright, and think the line of thinking is purely rediculous. We might as well ban horseback riding and cars while we're at it.

Rod
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
Its interesting around here... When we moved here 6 years ago there was one quad on all the farms around here. Now, 6 years later there are probably 15 quads, 2 gators and 4 or 5 mule/whatever Yamaha's side by side is. There are no horses used on cattle around here basically because if one person is using a horse everyone needs one and when you are gettin temp. help it is easier to find someone who can ride a quad than someone who can ride a horse. We have two quads on this farm but we don't use them for anything but hauling mineral, checking on calves, some fencing stuff and some spraying stuff and arounding up cattle. I know folks who haul hay wagons and grain wagons and I just think WOW, that is an accident waiting to happen but they don't seem to have problems...

I would love to do horses here. I look at the sale catalogs, go to a few sales but I don't know enough about horses to know if I am buying trouble or not... About all I know is that I don't need/want a 3 year old horse that is going to be a handful because I just don't have she skills or knowledge to train/take advantage of a horse like that. Don't even know where to begin looking anymore... And god knows it will be hard to find anything remotely locally to even look at... They are all trail/pleasure horses around here..
 

IL Rancher

Well-known member
Rod, right after writing my last post I hear from down the stairs "Is that a coq in the yard?". Look out an their is a bovine eating the fresh mowed grass. Ran down the stairs, in the pjays of course, hopped on the Polaris and away I went. Found her, and 3 of her coherts who were over conversing with the boys, rounded them up and locked them away. Probably could have done it on foot but I was glad to have the quad.. Hate using it at night but at least it has headlights... I'm just glad my wife saw the cow standing out there because the gates were wide open and I had lots of cows right at the gate to the road when I got over there... I drove a 1/2 mile in every direction, no sign of any cows, I hope they stayed put in the next pasture for the most part (except those 4 trouble makers)..


Again, I would love to have horses... But I would be one of those guys on the phone saying I wantt.. I dunno.... I need to get educated on horses.. ABout all I know now is what colors I like and that is the least important thing I shoulod be thinking about... WEll, at least they could look purdy sitting in the pasture when I'm not using them... At least that is what the father in law would say.. The same guy who suggested I clean the barn pens this winter every day with the skid steer becuase that way it would look better... I think he was serious

:roll:
 

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