Dear Back on Track Customers and the Broader Equestrian and Non-Equestrian Community

Today, March 3rd, an article was published in the New York Times about helmet safety and the difficulty for certain ethnicities to find properly fitting helmets.  I was asked to comment towards this article on several occasions with the objective to provide helpful and factual information that would be shared with the New York Time readership.

The article misrepresented and misquoted me for which this writing is intended to correct. 

My comment was as follows:  "Back on Track provides helmets for all shapes of heads; hair is an extension of the head and must be taken into consideration for proper fit to ensure proper safety.  Our helmets fit those with Afros and dreadlocks that are quite common."  I went on to say; "My daughter, who was forced to wear a bun on top of her head for dance, or someone that has a Mohawk cut where all the hair is down the middle of the scalp, or some other odd or weird hairstyle; that person might have to make a choice between hairstyle and helmet fit and safety."  I also went on to talk about our complete helmet line designed for round, oblong, or head shapes somewhere in the middle as well as the variable size liners available to help a helmet fit properly.  None of this helpful information was printed.  

I have spoken to the New York Times editor and expressed my disappointment in the whole article and in particular, the out of context, and misrepresentation of my comments.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

With appreciation.

James Ruder

CEO/Managing Director

Back on Track USA