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msar-riders - Re: [MSAR] Shock Absorber

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Subject: Mounted search and rescue

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  • From: "Marie Lester" <marie.lester@gmail.com>
  • To: "Mounted search and rescue" <msar-riders@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [MSAR] Shock Absorber
  • Date: Sun, 13 May 2007 19:35:17 -0400

So, do you alway wear long sleeved shirts to protect from the sun?

On 5/13/07, Karen Nesbitt <spanishequines@yahoo.com> wrote:
One of my arguements supporing the use of a GOOD cowboy hat vs a helmet is
the fact that it does more things.

1) A GOOD COWBOY HAT keeps the sun out of my face and protects it and my
ears from sunburn and to my skin cancer prone nose, this is important. Sun
screen sweats off and is useless on a hot long day.

2) A GOOD COWBOY HAT keeps the rain and the wind and grit out of my face
which inturn can protect my eyes. As for a helmet...no brim!

3) A GOOD COWBOY HAT be it straw or a Stetson hat with a proper inner
band absorbs my sweat and Lord knows how I sweat. I have nto found a helmet
with a good sweat band.

4) If needed, A GOOD COWBOY HAT keeps AND will pot water with the
exception OF the straw (although there are some darn good straws that will
DO ALL OF THE ABOVE AND EVEN pot water!!) And Lord knows how this can be
important when you have run out and lost your canteen and the shallow puddle
ahead of you is your only source of moisture.
A helmet, most have holes or slots in them....hmmmm....

5) AND to me the most important part, the brim whether or not it is a straw
or a Stetson acts as a shock absorber IF I fall which will protect my neck
and head as my head might not hit the ground IF the brim functions
correctly. Again, the helmet, has no brim and therefore NOT enough SHOCH
ABSORBER FOR MY NECK. (key word - my.)

Cons on a helmet...well. other than it might protect me from a concussion,
it will do nothing for the rest of the story above. INCLUDING giving me the
added SHOCK ABSORBING ATTRIBUTE FOR MY NECK. (AGAIN KEY WORDS - my neck)

In all this, though, I advocate that first and foremost is for all to learn
the anatomy of a fall and learning how to take a fall from a horse and how
to do it correctly to protect your head and rest of the body will do more
for any rider than relying on any helmet or other protective gear.

If we are going to be so vulnerable, perhaps the best outfit for all of us
to ride in is a "fat suit" made of 4 inch padding from head to toe. But we
are talking search and rescue missions and part of this is also the aspect
of survival.

One big rule, the ground is hard and does not move when you hit it...YOU DO!
So learning how to rock and roll with the punches will save your bacon no
matter how you protect yoru head and whther you have a hat on onr not.

Personally, I would rather protect the whole package AND have form and
function than opt of a peice of equipment that has limited use. But then,
that is me and once again the arguements for it. When I ride and each time
I ride, I am geared up and liooking into the act of survival and whether I
am helping someone or not.

I also must comment, that no amount of protective gear is 100% fail safe..We
are as riders all not created equal and our bone density and general health
will play a factor on how we take a fall and survive it.

Karen Nesbitt
Iroquois County - VMSAR
Illinois






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