Helmet or no Helmet? Helmet of course. As a kid I never rode in one unless in a lesson. I never had a fall when I needed one (except for my Pasha rearing incident and of course I was in a saddle seat then so the bowler hat was NO help at all), but as I got older I realized I needed to always wear one.
Every barn I have boarded at since getting Remus required us to wear a helmet when on the horse so it just got to be a habit just like the seatbelt. I can’t even put the truck in drive without having my seatbelt on. Same thing with the helmet.
It helps how comfy the helmets are now. My One K is truly the most comfortable helmet I have ever worn, I wore it for 3 hours or more on Sunday (I forgot to take it off as I was untacking and getting Remus ready to load to go home!). And it doesn’t hurt on bright sunny days that my helmet actually has sunglasses attached. LOVE.
I think most of us now wear helmets and wouldn’t even think about getting on without one. And I think that is a good thing.
Celebrate NaBloPoMo 2017 by writing every day in November, following the prompts given!
Fat Buckskin in a Little Suit 
This 100%!!! When I came back to riding in 2010, it was at a multi-discipline barn and most of the riders didn’t wear helmets, and while I mostly did, there were some times that I didn’t. And everytime I see a picture of one those instances, I want to kick myself.
The OneK is SUPER comfy, one of my most favorite purchases ever!
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Haha same for me! I can’t drive without my seatbelt. Such a habit lol. Most places I boarded at only required you to wear a helmet if you were under 18, but now even on our own place I can’t ride without it. It’s become a habit!
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i love my one k too – legit the best fitting helmet i’ve ever put on my head lol. true story: when i went on that trail ride at fair hill on that horse Freebee i had forgotten to grab my normal helmet from the barn first. so i ended up wearing my old velvet “show helmet” from my college days that’s just been chillin in the trunk of my car for the last few years bc…. ya know. sometimes it’s nice to have on hand (as it proved to be that weekend). and i was shocked at just how uncomfortable and …. not very protective it felt in comparison to my normal helmet. they’ve come a long way in the last few years!
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see, you know you are an equestrian when you have an extra helmet in your car LOLLOL 🙂 Too funny! yes the old helmets were atrocious to wear and not much protection!
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I can’t believe helmets weren’t a thing not so very long ago. I didn’t even own a helmet until I go back into horses after college, and even then I remember my friend were like “”?!? is your horse not safe?”.
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100%. I also grew up riding quite a bit without one- never again! Helmets ALWAYS.
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