The job you want your helmet to do is to help absorb impact force when your have a fall, or when you are unlucky enough to be kicked by a horse. If your helmet does not help absorb this “energy”, then this extra energy can be transmitted through to your head, which means a greater chance of serious injury. To do its job then, a helmet should stay firmly in place on your head in an impact. To stay firmly in place a helmet needs to:
>Fit well
>Have the straps correctly adjusted to minimize movement
If either of these things are not right, the helmet may even come off in a fall – and a helmet can’t help protect your head unless it is actually on your head at the time of the impact . Even if the helmet does not come off, a poorly fitting helmet may move or shift on the head in an impact. If the helmet does move, the inner shell may not be able to crush or compress. And if the inner shell does not crush or compress, it is not helping to absorb the force of the impact – which means more force is being transferred through to your head— and that’s not good for you!
