Horse insurance: Queen photo prompts helmets reminder
A safety group has urged horse insurance policyholders to wear protective riding hats while on their mounts, after the Queen was pictured without a helmet on a leisurely ride.
BBC News reported that Buckingham Palace released an image of the monarch on horseback with her two youngest grandchildren, six-year-old Viscount Severn and seven-year-old Lady Louise Windsor – who both had safety headwear on – while she covered her head with a scarf.
The palace refused to commented on the Queen's "individual choices", but the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) said that it was important that both adults and children wore protective gear when riding.
"Obviously there isn't a law that makes it necessary, but we encourage all riders to do so because it reduces the severity of head injuries if their horse was to have a fall," a spokesperson explained.
However, director of the British Equestrian Health and Safety Association Jane Butt dismissed the comments, saying: "It's a well known fact that the Queen doesn't wear a hat, she's from the old school."
This week marks the start of the Royal Windsor Horse Show.
May 11th 2011
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