>>>I suffered the worst fall I've ever taken on that ride (riding the quietest horse we've ever had, fell prey to a kid with a BB gun). I had a concussion and the dr's said I would have been a vegetable at best if I hadn't had my helmet on. PLEASE wear a helmet.
I remember one time when I came AWFULLY close to not wearing my helmet. It was very hot, and I started to the ring without it, but at the last minute turned back and got it. I was "only" going to ride in the ring, walk/trot/canter. I wasn't going to jump. And I was "only" going to ride Joe, whom we'd owned for 12 years and who had never dumped anyone, not under any circumstances - he "never" spooked. Well, Joe had never spooked before, but for some reason, he spooked BIG that day, as we were cooling down at the end of the ride. I don't know why. But, I ended up on the ground, unable to move until Cary found me when he came home from work - luckily only about 10 minutes later. I'd broken my L1 vertebra. I didn't hit my head at all in that particular fall, so I can't say the helmet saved me....but I think that was simply the circumstances of that particular incident. I could just as easily landed on my head instead of on my back, as I've done a few other times. So, even though I can't credit the helmet for saving me that day, I know now that an accident can happen on the best of horses, in the safest of situations. Even non-spooky horses like Joe CAN spook...or he could have stumbled and fallen. I've never since been tempted to ride without my helmet. BTW, I did put the helmet under my knees in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. Lifting my knees helped relieve the pain a little...so the helmet DID come in handy that day. :) Karen Thomas [EMAIL PROTECTED]
