Helmet Saved my Life by Trisha RauI am 26 and a fairly agile rider. I can stay on most things. I have mostly evented and ridden dressage. I consider myself lucky that I was taught early on a to ride with a helmet so I don't feel right without one. I have been knocked out several times with a helmet and can't imagine what would have happened had I not had one. My latest encounter with the ground was when I was riding a four year old stud horse. My friend was on my horse and we were going on a short trail ride to the arena, a ride we have made a million times. Going down an incline my horse got ahead of the stud I was on and he let loose bucking. I am rarely launched but he cuaght me so quick and we were going downhill so I soon hit the ground. I was knocked out cold and remember little else after that. I apparrently walked myself to the road and was driven by a passerby to the stable. I remeber bits and pieces of being driven home and the next week in general. I was not able to work or drive for the next week. Luckliy I suffered no long term damage. If I was that ill with a properly fitted ATSM rated helmet on my head I just can't imagine what would have happened had I left it at home on the sunny hot day, after all we were only going for a short ride. Trish