Equestrian world welcomes improvements to riding helmet testing system

A helmet ratings system designed to give buyers additional information on concussion prevention has been updated, following recommendations by an FEI-led group of experts.

Virginia Tech Helmet Lab released its original equestrian helmet STAR (Summation of Tests for the Analysis of Risk) ratings in December 2022, focusing on which best reduces concussion risk. These were cautiously welcomed – and questioned – at the time (news, 22 2022), as experts noted there was room for improvement with the system.

The FEI helmet working group, which includes doctors, engineers and manufacturers, produced a set of proposals to strengthen testing standards for equestrian helmets in 2023. Many of these are already being incorporated into, and are complementary to, current safety standards.

Researchers at Virginia Tech were “motivated” by the FEI recommendations to update its testing protocols and connected ratings.

Its testing now also includes scenarios where horse and rider are moving with horizontal velocity, for example, in racing and cross-country. In addition to various fall scenarios, the lab also performed a large computational modeling analysis of the head impacts to identify the best method for quantifying injury risk to the rider.

“FEI suggested a new testing standard where the head is dropped on an angled surface, which is very similar to how we already test bicycle helmets in the lab,” said Steve Rowson, Virginia Tech Helmet Lab director and associate professor in biomechanics, who co-authored the study.

“This test does a great job of simulating high-speed falls, so we worked to include tests similar to the FEI specification to have a more comprehensive test protocol.”

Virginia Tech’s research was published on 28 April in the Annals of Biomedical Engineering. The findings indicate that head impacts during falls at high speed generate unique head rotation, which directly affects helmet behaviour.

“Rotational motion of the head is very important,” said Dr Rowson. “While our [previous] testing already incorporated rotational head motion, falling off a horse at high speed can put a large force across the helmet and generate rotation in a different way than our previous testing. This means that the helmets behave a little differently during low-speed and high-speed impact scenarios.”

An FEI spokesperson told H&H the federation is “pleased to see” independent testing initiatives such as this are taking into account the FEI helmet working group’s findings and recommendations.

“This alignment is particularly important to us, as our goal is to ensure that helmets and other personal protective equipment used in equestrian sport are designed to offer the highest level of protection, specifically addressing the inherent types of impacts riders may face,” said the spokesperson.

“Equestrian sport presents distinct risks, and recognising these differences in testing protocols brings us one step closer to better protecting our athletes.

“We want our athletes to be able to enjoy equestrian sport safely and for many years, and this means prioritising science-based progress in the development of safety equipment.

“It is encouraging to see real advancements being made, grounded in robust research and collaborative input, and we remain committed to supporting initiatives that enhance rider safety across the sport.”

Mips, the multi-directional impact protection system included in certain helmets to help reduce harmful rotational motion, said in 2022 that “aspects of the test and rating methods leave room for improvement”.

On the updated system for 2025, a Mips spokesperson told H&H: ”Mips welcomes the updates that Virginia Tech has made to its equestrian STAR test. They have included two oblique impacts and reduced the weight of low-velocity impacts on the end result, which we believe is a better representation of actual accident scenarios”.

British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) chief executive Claire Williams told H&H: “Anything that is going to advance safety is good. Test results are important, but the fit of the hat and suitability for purpose is also key.”

She added that it is great to see developments of both testing methods and safety, but noted that this “doesn’t cover all hats and all tests”.

BETA has a hat standards comparison chart on its website, which shows the range of different tests riding helmets must already undergo in order to meet certain standards.

• To stay up to date with all the breaking news from major shows throughout 2025, subscribe to the Horse & Hound website

You may also be interested in: