Helmets should be replaced 5 years from the manufacturing date or after a fall where the helmet contacts the ground.

Helmets should be replaced in that instance even if they do not look damaged, as they can be internally compromised.

Had a fall recently? You should replace your helmet!

All safety helmets, whether horse riding, bicycle or motorbike, they all work on the same principle.

The inner foam shell helps absorb the force of a fall by basically self destructing.

Once the helmet has had a significant impact-it has self destructed- and may not work effectively in any future falls.
In other words, in future the helmet will transmit more impact energy through to the head rather than absorbing it-meaning a head injury is much more likely.
Sometimes there is no visible evidence on the outside of the helmet but underneath the foam shell has usually been dented in.
This is why the labelling on all safety helmets states that “should the helmet undergo a significant impact, it should be destroyed and replaced”

Don’t take a chance with your most valuable asset – If you have a fall, replace your helmet !!

Bonnetts Saddleworld promote safer riding.

Helmet Fitting

Helmets are a very important part of your safety gear and in many places it is against the rules to ride a horse without one.

It is essential that the helmet be the correct size for the riders head and up to date.

Ideally the helmet should sit down and around the head and not have ‘perched’ look to it. A helmet that does ‘perch’ is probably too small and will not adequately protect the rider, and may cause headaches.

If the helmet is too large it runs the risk of moving around while the rider is riding, and may fall in front of the rider’s eyes and compromise their vision.

A good way to tell if the helmet is too big is to do it up and move your head forward and backwards. If it slips try a smaller size or add some extra packing (available at Bonnetts).
Helmets will settle slightly over time as they are used.

Equestrian Australia(EA) standards are as follows in the link

HELMET
TAGGING
Standards as at July 1, 2019
TAG PLACEMENT
Wrap the helmet “tag” around the
harness, high up, so it is visible,
but out of the way.
HELMET STANDARDS ARE
USUALLY FOUND IN THE
HELMET’S LINING:
o on an info tag;
o direct onto the lining;
o or on a sticker.
Helmets must conform to one of the current approved safety standards:
HELMET STANDARD SAFETY MARK
AS/NZS 3838 (2006 onwards) provided they
are SAI Global marked
ARB HS 2012 provided they are SAI Global
marked
ASTM F1163 (2004a and any subsequent
updates) provided they are SEI marked
SNELL E2001 (and any subsequent updates)
PAS 015 (1998 or 2011 and any subsequent
updates) provided they are BSI Kitemarked
VG1 (01.040: 2014-12) with or without BSI
Kitemark
https://www.equestrian.org.au/content/current-approved-safety-standards-helmets
HELMET TAGGING INSTRUCTIONS AND TIPS
• Check all helmets carefully to find the standard/s. There may be more than one and
they may not be together. You may need to remove the lining to find the
standard/s. It will be either on a sticker on the inside shell, on the outside of the
shell or directly on the liner (the liner may be removable and the standard is usually
on an information tag attached to the liner).
• The symbols/marks are Quality Assurance Marks and signify that the helmet has
undergone extra safety testing – they are not mandatory, the main thing to look for
is the Standard itself, the marks are just an extra.
• The years that are associated with applicable standards are not the year of
manufacture for that helmet, but the year the helmet standard was released,
superseding the previous standard.
• More than one standard is fine, provided one of them is a compliant standard.
Familiarise yourself with our accepted safety standards on the EA website at
https://www.equestrian.org.au/content/current-approved-safety-standardshelmets
• When a standard has a year attached to it (eg AS/NZS 3838 2006) – the year refers
to the date the Standard came out (or was published), not the year of helmet
manufacture – so anything from that standard year onwards is compliant.
• We will accept helmets with standard ASTM F1163 (2004a or 04a
onwards) provided they are SEI marked. Remember, AS/NZS 3838 (2006 onwards) is
compliant provided they are SAI Global marked.
• Wrap the helmet tag around the harness so it can be easily seen by an
official/steward from the ground (see picture for preferred placement). Make sure
you are out of any wet/rain as they don’t seem to stick very well if not dry.

2024-helmet-tag-info-web-page.pdf (ponyclub.asn.au) – Helmet Tag information for SA Pony Club Association

Horse Safety Australia helmet standards are http://www.horsesafetyaustralia.com.au/standards/