IRH Helmet Company - A Class Act

[ChocoMare]

I sent them an e-mail last week. Figured I'd get some sort of reply but this was not what I was expecting. It came from the President of IRH himself, so I wanted to share it with you and give an official Four Hooves Up to IRH:

WHAT I SENT:

I “was” the proud owner of an IRH skullcap. Fit beautifully, vented to keep my head cool and lightweight.

I say “was” because last Saturday, May 9th, I was on a lovely trail ride with friend, she on my Clyde-X and I on board my 17.3 full Percheron. We were moving out at a pretty good trot when my mare lost sight of my friend’s mare and wanted to quickly catch up. Not yet up to cantering on my big girl, I pulled her up. Instead she got mad and threw in a buck. Normally I can stick them but while she bucked, a cyclist whizzed right up on us and she spooked. I went airborne and hit the ground very hard. While I didn’t lose consciousness, I did lay there a while taking stock of my body and slowly got up. Not able to remount, I slowly walked back across the 18 acre hay field to our barn.

When I was finally able to stop and sit down, I slowly took off my helmet. There at the back right corner was a dent. I gingerly felt my scalp but there was no injury…just a bruise coming up. I sighed and said “Thank you IRH” as I placed that skullcap in the trash can (it was passed the date of return).

The next day, I ordered a new one…upgrading to your XR9. It arrived today and fits better than any helmet I’ve ever worn. I’m quite pleased and can’t wait to get back out on the trails tomorrow. Thank you for a fine product


THEIR REPLY:

All of us here at IRH are happy to hear that our Eventer Helmet did, indeed, offer the protection in your particular accident.

Over the many years that IRH has been involved with the development and continuous improvement in our products that all our had work and caring about rider safety does make a difference

I thank you for this information and please have many more safe and enjoyable rides in our great sport

Very sincerely yours,

Frank Plastino
President-IRH




***************

A class act company ;)

[RedTahoe]

Two thumbs up for them!

[jengersnap]

Awesome! I love IRHs. I'm on my 4th, loosing one to someone else falling in it, one to my falling in it, and hubby stole my 3rd because it was more comfortable and cooling then his caliente skull cap, so I just had to order a 4th :)

[KathyR]

Glad you're OK. Head falls can be bad and scary. I have 2 IRH's, love them. Happy the company was so nice. You don't often hear back from them.

[4Martini]

I am impressed with them as well. A few years ago when I called to ask about returning one for replacement after a fall the first thing the customer service rep asked was "Are you okay?" Just seems like they really do care!

[pintopiaffe]

OK, thanks, I've been dithering over XR9 vs. JR8. You just made up my mind. :yes:

GLAD the head is OK too!

[ChocoMare]

Oh, Pinto dahling...it's still on sale here: http://www.hptack.com/catalog_i8607754.html?catId=297130

ETA: It is very, very comfortable. I'd say the most comfy one I've ever put on my head. ;)

[pintopiaffe]

Choco--you ROCK!

How do you find the sizing runs? I measure *exactly* a 7 1/8, but have an oval big squash... so normally go up a size. 7 1/8 in the Charles Owen JR8 was *just* too snug...

??

[Ambrey]

So is the IRH more oval?

I'd love to have an ovaler helmet (yes, I know that's not a word, I like to break the rules when my 9 yo isn't here to correct me).

[pintopiaffe]

well, the JR8 was nicely oval for me... waiting for Choco to say how she thinks the XR9 fits?

I am SO torn... sale helmet doesn't come in lavender skunk. :cry: Is lavender skunk worth $20? I think not. :no: :sadsmile:

[Ambrey]

Oh, I don't know. I might pay $20 for lavender skunk if I didn't want to wear it for show also.

But then I think I should just get the vented one for every day and just use my LAS Vega for showing, round or not.

[4Martini]

IRH has Long Oval sizing. I love their long ovals! But, you need to make sure you order a long oval if that's what you need.

[pintopiaffe]

But 4Martini--are their regulars more oval than round? More oval than Troxel?

ALL the ads say 'indistinguishable' from CO. REALLY???

:lol:

[Ambrey]

ALL the ads say 'indistinguishable' from CO. REALLY???

:lol:

Not if you order with lavender skunk, I think :winkgrin:

[4Martini]

Well when they sent me a replacement the first time it was not a long oval and it did not fit my malformed noggin at all. The troxels also do not fit me at all either, so it's hard to compare. Seemed pretty round to me, but my head is seriously extreme in it's oval shape. Only helmets that fit me are the tipperary sportage and the IRH long ovals that I've tried. Maybe someone who didn't get dropped on both sides of their head as a small child could give you a less biased opinion?

[pintopiaffe]

Just found it for about $8 more than the sale (free shipping--though that sale's shipping is SUPER too--$6.95 flat) in long oval... and in lavender. :winkgrin:

[SBT]

I loff IRH too! They are the only helmets that fit me. I have had an IRH of some kind on my head since the age of 12. Two of them have quite literally saved my brain as well, one from a HARD side impact resulting in a concussion, another from a rear impact hard enough to clear my sinuses...which is saying something! :lol:

And as the person who saw Tank go whizzing by, and turned around to see Chocomare flat on the ground not moving, I can attest to her fall being a doozy. :eek:

All I can say is, thank God for helmets. :yes:

[Ambrey]

And as the person who saw Tank go whizzing by, and turned around to see Chocomare flat on the ground not moving, I can attest to her fall being a doozy. :eek:

All I can say is, thank God for helmets. :yes:

That must have been terrifying!

[BoysNightOut]

Glad to hear you're ok! IRH sounds like a great company!

I got the IRH XR9 for Christmas last year, because I loved the look of the GR8, but could never justify spending over $150 on a helmet. I love the XR9 and have been very happy with it so far!

[ChocoMare]

And thank God that SBT was with me that day, cuz who knows how far ol' Tank would have wandered off. What a goober that mare is. :winkgrin:

As far as sizing, they run pretty true to measurements. The 7 1/8 is just snug enough that it doesn't move with a hard head nod, but not so snug that I get a headache. But then, I don't have a very oval head.

Finally got to actually ride out in it last night. Twas such a cool evening and I'd been going stir crazy since every time I've wanted to ride, it would rain!

[Melelio]

Nice to see this! The IRH helmets (cheap ones) are the only ones that fit my head correctly. Troxel may be cornering the market on cheaper helmets, but they're too round for my and my son's heads.

[SBT]

That must have been terrifying!

I'm always really calm in emergencies for some reason! I get the "OMGs" later. ;) The hard part initially was deciding whether to catch Tank or go back to Chocomare, but I saw that although she was lying flat, Chocomare had her knees bent/feet on the ground, so I knew she wasn't unconscious. I also knew that if the situation were reversed, I would want someone to catch my horse first, and see if I needed CPR later. :lol: So I dismounted and grabbed Tank (who had listened to my "whoa"s and decided to come back to Penny), then led both girls back to Chocomare. By then, the cyclist who spooked Tank had turned around and was checking on Chocomare. All this happened in the space of about 2 minutes, though of course it felt like 20!

I was fortunate that Penny didn't come unglued when Tank bolted past her, else I would have been on the ground too. Anyone who thinks draft crosses are "easy" to ride has never tried to sit a big buck on one! :eek: :yes:

[stryder]

Nice to see this! The IRH helmets (cheap ones) are the only ones that fit my head correctly. Troxel may be cornering the market on cheaper helmets, but they're too round for my and my son's heads.

My situation exactly. The Durasoft helmets fit my head the best, and they're getting harder to find.

[Ambrey]

Anyone who thinks draft crosses are "easy" to ride has never tried to sit a big buck on one! :eek: :yes:

The "gentle giant" easy draft cross is one of the big lies, along with "the check is in the mail" and "trust me, I'm with the government."