eeyore

Every summer it happens. People get hot and wear less than a suggested amount of clothes and then even less for "candid" shots of them and their horses. If I see another shot of kids in shorts and tank tops with flip-flops on and no helmets I might just scream. It takes a couple seconds to get injured in a major way. Why chance it for a pretty picture?

bitsandbridles

I haven't been on a horse a whole lot but where I'm from no one wear's helmets. But I have to agree, it is quite uncomfortable to ride with shorts and flip flops on. I've got to have on a good pair of jeans and my boots.

Sheraton

I can't tell you how many times I've seen my niece (and her mom lets her do this) do this. Wearing the appropriate riding attire is important no matter what. Without any moment's notice, you could find yourself on the ground, and that's just something I would not ever risk.

purplefdu

Have you ever read the Fugly Horse of the Day Blog? She has tons of pictures of awful parenting examples. Kids laying down on horses or near their feet or a couple piled on a 2yr old stallion. It makes you want to give up on humanity.

SaddleSore

This is no different than the idiotic change of law in PA that allows motor cycle riders to choose whether or not to wear a helmet. Deaths and serious head injuries of course have increased.

jimmi

I don't see the reason either for taking safety and switching things up for vanity. It really bothers me just when I see a kid w/o a helmet on riding a bike, if I saw that with a horse involved I would probably ground them (being my own kid) or have a serious talk with their parents.