Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE
True Helmet Stories from HORSE-SENSE Readers


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Ex-Racehorse Turns Back to Racehorse by Keela

A bunch of gals and I headed out on a trailride from our barn. I was riding my ex racehorse, now Dressage horse, Bob. He does OK on the trails, but occasionally has some good spooks. I am always ready for this, so it hasn't been too much of a problem. This day however, he was being a bit of a jerk on the way back.. jigging about. I turned him around and headed back to one of the gals who was trailing behind. When we got to her, she started cantering. I started to turn my horse, and off we went. Every muscle in his body was rock hard and we were going at a dead gallop, out of control. He had never done anyhing like this before! I tried everything to stop him, but it didn't even slow him down. We were now coming up on a road, and I thought we would be hit by a car. When we hit the road, he lost his traction and slid. I remember him falling, and I thought he was going to land on me. The next thing I remember, I was walking down the road back to the barn. I was wondering where everyone else was. Later on, I was told that I was knocked unconscious when I hit the road. I was told that several passing motorists stopped to help me. When I regained consciousness, I tried to stand up, but fell back down again. They tried to give me a ride back to the barn, but I refused. One man followed me in his vehicle to make sure I made it back OK. My friends all had to get of their horses, because they went nuts when mine went running back. I went to the hospital and they found I had a concussion. The next day when my husband took me back to the barn, he got my helmet and showed it to me. It had a dent and was cracked all the way through. That would have been my head! There is no way that I would be alive if I hadn't worn my helmet.

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