Mary Miller Jordan is a successful barrel racer and Extreme Mustang Makeover competitor – who recently started wearing a helmet (read “A Cowgirl Change of Heart” by Lisa Kemp). She explained that in her world growing up riding gaited horses western, nobody wore helmets. The riders she looked up to didn’t. And as a result, in her mental picture of herself as a successful rider a helmet wasn’t included. It took having her daughter last October to change her mind. Mary knows that she will require her daughter to wear a helmet on horseback – and the best way for her to encourage that behavior is to be a role model and wear one herself. Now she never gets on a horse without one (read “Helmets for Western Riders. ALL Riders” – by Mary Miller Jordan).
Mary had some great ideas for getting helmets on Western riders – including offering more stylish designs with “bling”, snakeskin, and animal prints and offering cash prizes to riders competing successfully wearing helmets.
See below for Mary’s video presentation from the 2nd Riders4Helmets Helmet Safety Symposium and please always wear a helmet when you ride. (Read an overview report of the helmet safety symposium by Jackie Baker at this link).
Photo copyright: Riders4Helmets
Photo copyright: Riders4Helmets
