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 On the Countdown
Posts: 2934
   
Location: Texas | It is a personal choice to me. I have never worn a helmet except when I rode English, and only wore it when I went into the pen to show.
I was in a bad car wreck when I was younger, hit windsheild. Who knows why I didn't make it through. I have hit the ground plenty of times on my horse and I haven't thought about wearing one.
We take chances every time we cross the street, get in our car to go to work, get on our horse. Yes, safety has came a long way but to sit down and look at it I think driving to or from work is more dangerous with the loonies on the road than me not wearing a helment, my own opinion! People are killed wearing a seatbelt and others walk away, same with ones that choose no seatbelt. When it is our time to go it is our time.
I don't see anything wrong with anyone wearing them and it doesn't bother me some do. It is their choice and my choice not to. | |
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I Really Love Jeans
Posts: 3173
Location: North Dakota | Wearing a helmet is as important as wearing boots, to me anyway!!! My mare threw her head up and sideways hitting me in the head hard enough to knock me down like I had been hit by a linebacker, but because I was still wearing my helmet it only bruised my shoulder from hitting the ground. If I had not been wearing a helmet she would had knocked me out cold!! Everyone has the right to wear or not wear a helmet, to each his own! Jockeys wear helmets, english riders wear helmets! | |
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 Tried and True
Posts: 21185
Location: Where I am happiest | Nevertooold - 2014-12-12 3:59 PM I wear a helmet because since an auto accident my balance is off and nothing is going to change that. Calling people Selfish is BS. In reality we could say everyone that participates in a sport where they could get hurt is being selfish...I feel a lot safer riding without a helmet on a horse then I do riding in a car without a seatbelt..LOL Hahaha. My husband and I were in the truck and the helmet conversation came up. After my car accident 4 years ago when a drunk driver ran a red light and t boned me going over 85 mph I now have massive panic attacks in the car. My balance, like your's is off and my left side just doesn't work like it used to. Anyway, he started laughing and said I needed to wear the helmet in the car to. Maybe I wouldn't panick as much. lol
Whether anybody else wears a helmet I dont give a rats a$$. It doesnt effect MY life one iota. The choice is their's. I just feel I owe it to MY family, and animals who depend on me and love me to do what I possibly can to stack the odds in my favor to not put them through suffering a massive brain injury because I choose to ride.
Edited by ThreeCorners 2014-12-12 10:03 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 907
Location: a secret | I have been wearing a helmet for several years after I sustained a serious bang to my head after getting bucked off a horse. I was told I was lucky not to be spooe fed for the rest of my life. I was told to wear a helmet or give up riding . I hate the helmet but I love to ride unfortunately for me I can not hit my head again so I wear the helmet. I am as uncomfortable riding in it as people are seeing me wear it. Kudos to Fallon for stepping up to promote safety I just hope she carries through and it is not just for the NFR and the publicilty her voice will be heard if she contiunes to wear it thorughout the year and truly be an advocate for safety. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 340
| hlynn - 2014-12-11 10:35 PM
TrailGirl - 2014-12-11 10:04 PM
When she said she would be taking over 25 hats I did t know so many would be helmets!!
I love that she has the panache to pull of her wild outfits and now the helmets. Whatever the motivation for her wearing them be it safety, or merchandizing or both...the positive image of helmet wear is undeniable.
Hats off (and helmets on ) to you Fallon! 
I'm with you.
Who cares if it's for money? If somewhere some young girl or guy is worrying about not being able to wear a pretty dolled up hat at the rodeo/show, and they look up on the TV and there's a barrel racer at the top of the game wearing a helmet, and think that maybe it's not so bad, then she's done a good thing.
If she makes some money in the long run, so be it. I know Nicole has had the helmet tough deal for awhile now, but Fallon is in the limelight right now and she's running with it.
THIS is what I'm screaming!!
I don't care what her motivation is, it's an amazing message she's putting out there!!
I'm 23, I started riding when I was 4. I've always ridden with a helmet. This is the first time I've ever felt proud to wear a helmet.
Proud to choose safety. | |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 340
| LuckyNGG'sGirl - 2014-12-11 11:53 PM
Wish I could credit the writer, but I'm not sure who wrote it.
"Every time I see someone ranting about how helmets are a personal choice I think:
That's a pretty selfish choice. You splatter yourself, you want to know what happens?
You traumatize the person/people who see it happen or find you.
You cause untold amounts of grief for ANYONE who cares about you.
You force your family to pay for a funeral for your splattered body.
Your horse will probably be sold on to someone else. Maybe they'll get lucky, or maybe your family will blame him and dump him at an auction. And he won't get lucky.
But you have no control over any of it, because you're DEAD.
That's assuming you die.
If you don't die, and just get a traumatic brain injury... Well its your lucky day, ain't it?
Maybe your ability to breathe will be compromised, and they'll alter your airway so you breathe through a hole in your neck.
Maybe you'll be incontinent and spend the rest of your life in diapers, sh*tting your pants.
Maybe you'll be REALLY **** LUCKY, have to relearn to walk, talk, feed yourself and wipe when you go to the bathroom. And have a sort of normal life afterwards.
Or you could put on a helmet. It might hurt your pride. It might make your head sweaty! You might not look as picture perfect without your hair flying loose.
But you're a hell of a lot less likely to get yourself killed that way."
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 340
| bennie1 - 2014-12-12 10:32 AM
I am not downplaying helmet use. I am curious as to whether helmets prevent concussion? I have had a concussion explained to me as the brain bouncing against the inside of your skull when you take a whack on the head, or, say when your head whacks the ground.
Football players still suffer concussions from hits and it's not just when their helmet comes off.
Does anyone know?
Two years ago I fell off, landed right on my head. Thankfully I always wear a helmet. Yes I did get a concussion. Two years later, I still don't remember a single thing about that day. I don't remember going to work for 8 hours. Going home, hooking up the trailer, hauling to a friends house, picking up her horse and driving home. I don't remember saddling up, riding and falling off. I don't remember my mom bringing me to the hospital and the house we spent there. I don't even remember when a doctor, a nurse and my mother had to hold me down while I got shots(I've never liked needles). This is what I've been told happened that day.
No, my helmet didn't prevent my concussion.
But I walked away and went home that night. The doctor said without a helmet, the results would've been way worse. | |
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Regular
Posts: 61
| NJJ - 2014-12-12 11:51 AM
Bug Is Alive - 2014-12-12 11:37 AM ThreeCorners - 2014-12-12 11:29 AM Bug Is Alive - 2014-12-12 11:03 AM LuckyNGG'sGirl - 2014-12-11 11:53 PM Wish I could credit the writer, but I'm not sure who wrote it. "Every time I see someone ranting about how helmets are a personal choice I think: That's a pretty selfish choice. You splatter yourself, you want to know what happens? You traumatize the person/people who see it happen or find you. You cause untold amounts of grief for ANYONE who cares about you. You force your family to pay for a funeral for your splattered body. Your horse will probably be sold on to someone else. Maybe they'll get lucky, or maybe your family will blame him and dump him at an auction. And he won't get lucky. But you have no control over any of it, because you're DEAD. That's assuming you die. If you don't die, and just get a traumatic brain injury... Well its your lucky day, ain't it? Maybe your ability to breathe will be compromised, and they'll alter your airway so you breathe through a hole in your neck. Maybe you'll be incontinent and spend the rest of your life in diapers, sh*tting your pants. Maybe you'll be REALLY **** LUCKY, have to relearn to walk, talk, feed yourself and wipe when you go to the bathroom. And have a sort of normal life afterwards. Or you could put on a helmet. It might hurt your pride. It might make your head sweaty! You might not look as picture perfect without your hair flying loose. But you're a hell of a lot less likely to get yourself killed that way." Given this rant directed at "selfish" non helmet wearers, does it change your opinion of anyone in the spotlight who doesn't wear a helmet? Do you see them as selfish? I'm talking about the big guns who set examples like world champions Sheri Cervi, Charmayne James, Martha Josey, or any of the top 15 at the NFR this week. I want someone to give me just ONE reason Martha Josey (or any top clinician) doesn't wear a helmet to set an example to the thousands of kids she instructs.
 This is where I give Fallon HUGE props for stepping out, and stepping UP to the plate to break that mold. Now, with 2 very good charities with awsome causes putting it out there for the NFR barrel racers this year to wear one , and Fallon putting it out there she will match the donations, YEP, I sure do look at it as selfish. I have a whole new respect for Fallon now. She is confidant within herself to step out there!  I cant believe, even for just one night they cant/wont put stuck in the old vanity mold aside. The message it sends is HUGE. We just have to get more used to seeing them, and seeing them in the limelight. More people are getting smarter every day though. Â
Probably 99% wear vests but I think it is still a long ways off from 70 percent wearing helmets. And to equate barrel racing with the level of danger of riding bulls is silly! It's not even in the same galaxy. Helmet use may continue to grow back east but I don't see it catching on in texas etc with the majority of born and bred cowgirls. Nothing against mrs fallon but it appears that she is trying to market helmets as another income stream. Just my opinion. Unless she makes it back to the nfr again nest year I will bet we don't see a single competitor wearing one in the barrel racing. As I said barrel racing is not bullriding. Look at the other rough stock events which are a heck of a lot more dangerous than barrel racing! No one still wears them. | |
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Regular
Posts: 61
| cheryl makofka - 2014-12-12 2:26 PM
I find if selfish charities are asking for contestants to do this.
We all know this is their main "bread" making for the year. These contestants need to be on top of their game, and helmets are not easy to get used to.
I have worn them in the past and I didn't like them, it throws the balance off, and the ones I wore actually impaired my peripheral vision.
You have no idea why the other contestants said no, so how can you call them selfish?
The contestants could be claustrophobic and panic with the clasp under the neck
Totally agree!!! | |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | I couldn't care one way or another if someone wears a helmet or doesn't but I wouldn't put it past Fallon to do it for publicity only. Which is not cool. We'll see if she wears one from now on....but i highly doubt it. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| It should be a personal choice period! I don't care if you do or you dont bc I believe to each their own. The ones saying it's selfish to not wear one because they have a family and loved ones who depend on them and if they get hurt then they would suffer as well is ironic to me. How many of you eat unhealthy, smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol in excess, don't get enough sleep, etc??? All these things cause disease and illnesses and it does take away from your loved ones but you don't want anyone telling you what to eat, drink or what have you.
Hands down FT is an awesome jockey and Babyflo is bad to the bone, however I really dislike that she has taken the helmet issue and put herself center stage with it. I'll agree it is a huge platform for marketing but she really has placed the other 14 contestants "on the spot" with it and that is unprofessional in my opinion. Those ladies worked just as hard to get there and to have this overshadow and take center stage is unfair to them. IMO FT is the selfish one. She's getting paid to wear them folks and that's the bottom line for her. | |
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Veteran
Posts: 170
| jewishprincess - 2014-12-13 9:21 AM
I couldn't care one way or another if someone wears a helmet or doesn't but I wouldn't put it past Fallon to do it for publicity only. Which is not cool. We'll see if she wears one from now on....but i highly doubt it.
Why is that not cool?
There seems to be two types of people with this subject, those that undertand that while she may be making money selling the helmets, she is doing this to bring awareness, to make those who do wear a helmet feel less goofy and to show the younger generation it is ok to slap a helmet on for 14 seconds and look glam the rest of the time.
Then then there are the people who say shes only doing it for attention and to make money.. I guess if you had any kind of understanding in the ways of marketing, advertising, and business you'd see what she's doing is actually super cool and smart!
I'm shocked anyone has anything negative to say about her wearing one and selling them. How is it ANY different than the girls wearing their sponsor's jeans, hats, tack, saddles etc and then hanging out at the conventions and selling them? It's not. Fallon caters to the divisional, younger barrel racers and she is a hell of a role model in my opinion. She is 1 of 15 barrel racers wearing a helmet at the NFR, the most publicized rodeo..... If she doesn't continue to wear one, oh well, she did her part by wearing one for 9 rounds of the NFR! | |
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Veteran
Posts: 227
Location: Heart of Texas | MNcanchaser7 - 2014-12-13 10:03 AM
jewishprincess - 2014-12-13 9:21 AM
I couldn't care one way or another if someone wears a helmet or doesn't but I wouldn't put it past Fallon to do it for publicity only. Which is not cool. We'll see if she wears one from now on....but i highly doubt it.
Why is that not cool?
There seems to be two types of people with this subject, those that undertand that while she may be making money selling the helmets, she is doing this to bring awareness, to make those who do wear a helmet feel less goofy and to show the younger generation it is ok to slap a helmet on for 14 seconds and look glam the rest of the time.
Then then there are the people who say shes only doing it for attention and to make money.. I guess if you had any kind of understanding in the ways of marketing, advertising, and business you'd see what she's doing is actually super cool and smart!
I'm shocked anyone has anything negative to say about her wearing one and selling them. How is it ANY different than the girls wearing their sponsor's jeans, hats, tack, saddles etc and then hanging out at the conventions and selling them? It's not. Fallon caters to the divisional, younger barrel racers and she is a hell of a role model in my opinion. She is 1 of 15 barrel racers wearing a helmet at the NFR, the most publicized rodeo..... If she doesn't continue to wear one, oh well, she did her part by wearing one for 9 rounds of the NFR!
Everyone on this board gets the marketing aspect of this, nobody is denying that, what some of us are trying to say is that we hope her interest in this isn't dis-in guine. I'm sure you've heard the saying, practise what you preach? Don't preach that smoking is bad then go have a cigarette behind the building. Sherry endorses Crown C saddles and RIDES in one. Fallon endorses Vortex but rides in a treeless. She may have a LOUD voice but it's not a very credible one is she doesn't follow through. That's all I'm saying. | |
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 Wounded in Action
Posts: 4431
Location: LOUISIANA | Personal Choice. If memory serves me right a few years ago there was an NFR barrel racer that wore a helmet. I cant remember her name though. | |
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 I'm not opinionated
Posts: 4597
Location: Online | To avoid offending someone, because someone will be offended if I type what I'm thinking, and avoid being called a "couch jockey that can't get out of the 4D". I will keep my thoughts to myself about Fallon Taylor. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| As a marketing professional I completely understand the platform and all the exposure doing this at the NFR will gain however, on the flip side is all the sponsors that helped her get there all year round. The helmet company has taken center stage and all the talk is about them! They're benefiting it seems greatly. My marketing director would be ticked if we sponsored her all year long and she got a new sponsor AT THE NFR and was taking center stage. I'd be surprised if there wasn't some back lash from her current sponsors. It's this type of "winning at all costs" attitude that I don't like. Rise to the top no matter who you offend and step on. Will she lose some sponsors, maybe? But if she wins the world she'll have more. I think success is important but for me this lacks integrity, honesty and loyalty to the sponsors who've been with her ALL YEAR and to her fellow competitors who have been labeled and pressured bc of her choice.
Edited by iloveequine40 2014-12-13 11:04 AM
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Veteran
Posts: 170
| iloveequine40 - 2014-12-13 11:01 AM
As a marketing professional I completely understand the platform and all the exposure doing this at the NFR will gain however, on the flip side is all the sponsors that helped her get there all year round. The helmet company has taken center stage and all the talk is about them! They're benefiting it seems greatly. My marketing director would be ticked if we sponsored her all year long and she got a new sponsor AT THE NFR and was taking center stage. I'd be surprised if there wasn't some back lash from her current sponsors. It's this type of "winning at all costs" attitude that I don't like. Rise to the top no matter who you offend and step on. Will she lose some sponsors, maybe? But if she wins the world she'll have more. I think success is important but for me this lacks integrity, honesty and loyalty to the sponsors who've been with her ALL YEAR and to her fellow competitors who have been labeled and pressured bc of her choice.
I know her main sponsors are professionals choice, glam and grit, and pro vision.. All of whom she has spoken about on social media practically every night. Her own label ranch dressn is where she is selling her helmets.. I think some people just do not like her, and will pick apart everything she does.. and thats ok. She has to have pretty thick skin at this point becasue she sure doesnt give a **** what anyone thinks about her... She is a breath of fresh air in barrel racing... IMO. Along the lines of the helmets taking center stage... i don't think any of the sponsors were expecting such awful ground at the NFR, and i do honestly believe a large part of why Fallon donned a helmet was...
A. Because she had a traumatic almost paralyzing injury, and baby flo had lots of ground trouble the first 2 rounds...
B. To make a statement about the safety of the ground.
I dont see the "winning at all costs" side of her I guess. I see someone who hustles her ASS off while staying true to who she is. Again that is just my opinion as someone who is a fan of hers. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 618
| I will keep my personal feelings and real life experience with her to myself. As I said before she is an awesome jockey and babyflo is a badass and she has obviously worked hard. However, unlike most careers where you go to work from 8-5 and come home, being a professional barrel racer, athlete whatever is your entire life. Separating business mo from personal mo is near impossible. Having said that, you can bet certain character traits are present all the time. I do think, and this is my marketing opinion, that taking on a new sponsor and endorsing it at the nfr was disloyal, and lacked integrity to her current sponsors. Mentioning them on social media isn't the same in comparison bc the helmets are on there as well as being talked about every night at the nfr! | |
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 I Prefer to Live in Fantasy Land
Posts: 64864
Location: In the Hills of Texas | iloveequine40 - 2014-12-13 11:01 AM As a marketing professional I completely understand the platform and all the exposure doing this at the NFR will gain however, on the flip side is all the sponsors that helped her get there all year round. The helmet company has taken center stage and all the talk is about them! They're benefiting it seems greatly. My marketing director would be ticked if we sponsored her all year long and she got a new sponsor AT THE NFR and was taking center stage. I'd be surprised if there wasn't some back lash from her current sponsors. It's this type of "winning at all costs" attitude that I don't like. Rise to the top no matter who you offend and step on. Will she lose some sponsors, maybe? But if she wins the world she'll have more. I think success is important but for me this lacks integrity, honesty and loyalty to the sponsors who've been with her ALL YEAR and to her fellow competitors who have been labeled and pressured bc of her choice.
You nailed it.  | |
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Nut Case Expert
Posts: 9305
Location: Tulsa, Ok | rodeomom13 - 2014-12-13 11:00 AM To avoid offending someone, because someone will be offended if I type what I'm thinking, and avoid being called a "couch jockey that can't get out of the 4D". I will keep my thoughts to myself about Fallon Taylor.
Ditto -- hence the fingernail marks in my palms!! | |
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