[Feliche]

Hey guys! Not starting a helmet debate here...just thought that this was really cool and wanted to share!!

Here's why I wear one...

Here's a helmet. An International Air-Lite Dura Soft-Touch helmet, to be exact (wow what a name!)

Well, I decided on monday that not only was the name too long, but that I didn't like the finish (too shiny!) so I arranged for Don to fall over on me so that I could sustain a level 2 concussion as an excuse to get a new one!! (my fault btw...Don is AWESOME). That picture is of the helmet AFTER the fall. Looks pretty innocent, hmm? No cracks, no crumplies, no huge cavernous dents...no anything really. Or so it would seem (muahaha). Let's take a closer look.

Here in the back, the shell has split from the foam from shock.


And hmm...this kinda looks like it could be a dent on the left side.

How can we be sure? Well...let's invert the colors!

Why, it IS a dent! Imagine that! (Btw I LOVE the inversion feature...makes me feel like I'm on CSI)

I cut the tape and gently pulled off the outer shell. Here is the non-crunchy side of the helmet:


Pretty, round, and smooth. Here is the crunchy side:


See the little wavy things? If not...here's the inverted version:



Ah, so that doesn't look so baddd....well...here's the kicker. Compare the top to the bottom.



Here's the good side from the bottom:


Original thickness VS crunchy thickness:








YIKES! Poor helmet! That could have been ME!! But hahahaha... isn't that just WILD?

So as you can see, Don complied...and carried his task out quite thoroughly and efficiently! I didn't know where I was for about a minute and a half. Oh and does anyone want to know what I was DOING when this happened? Nothing. I wasn't jumping, the horse was not being crazy. I backed up a couple of steps, he did a little levade, and fell over. Wasn't even that spectacular.

Oh but Don...Alas...we've failed in our task The helmet is warranteed. Of course they won't take this one, but see...this was the SECOND helmet of this brand that I've smashed. I'm sending in the first, which they are more likely to take anyway, because it's cracked.

The first helmet was cracked when Feliche shied and then bucked me off. I went spinning through the air and landed smack dab on my head, cracking the helmet. Right in the front, it is cracked. But do you know what? That fall wasn't even close to the severity of this one, despite the fact that the fall was from a greater height, greater speed, on a spookier horse. The helmet cracked for that one...but not this one!

Case in point,

1) Accidents can happen in the safest environments during the mundanest of tasks (mundanest...is that a word?)
2) Please please please, no matter HOW normal the helmet looks at first glance...if gravity hits you over the noggin, get rid of that helmet. It's worthless. Broken ribs heal...broken heads do not. Well they do if the shards of skull do not lodge in your brain. Not something you should mess around with.
3) If you don't like your helmet, make sure the warentee is up before smashing it

But no, all seriousness aside, this is the second time this helmet's saved my life...I'll take it next time too, however shiny the finish :P

Thanks for taking the time to read this
-Megan

[LuvMy2Horses]

I have heard so many horror stories and have had stuff like that happen but for the life of me I just can't remember to wear one!I need a beeper.I just got one by strict nagging of my instructor (lol) and I really don't know how I forget.I even put it on the horn once but I moved it to cinch my horse and forgot again!Thanks for the lesson!

[xiphias21034]

And if you were not wearing that helmet, you might not be here to day...great presentation....I never ride with out my noggin protector....Cathy

[idlewild]

Wow, that's pretty impressive.

Once a lady was out jumping her mare (under supervision, it was a lesson or whatever). The mare jumped big over a jump, got the lady off balance, then bucked and off came the rider. The lady landed flat out on her back and SMACKED the back of her head into the ground. It was loud! She was fine, got up right away, only had a headache. Then she took off her helmet. It was split CLEAN THROUGH from the bottom center all the way up to the top. We still have the helmet hanging up at the barn for all to see.

Hmmm... I think I ought to check out my helmet. I got bucked off a month ago, I landed on my side, I might have smacked the helmet too. I dunno, I got up so fast I didn't even think of it.

[HorseGurly143]

Thank you for posting this, I have done the same thing to my destroyed helmet. I know a girl who used her helmet because even though she fell, it only had a small dent. She ended up getting a nice trip to the hospital after a not so bad fall on that same part of the helmet. BTW, the same rule goes for falls on bike helmets!

[Aussiesnapps]

Thank you for posting the pictures I hope my kids will now see how important helmet are

[wyldterv]

If I would not have had a helmet on my hard skull last October when Dancer fell on me adn my head (IN a helmet) smacked into a rock, I might have had much more then a low grade concussion!!!!! As it was I did suffer a concussion (My first one, I have decided that being unable to remember what happened exactly is pretty much an ICKY feeling for a total control freak like myself )...

I bought a new helmet and then 6 ms later, Poor Emmerson lost his balance with me on about ride #12 and fell... I was fine, head bounced off the arena floor, I TOUGHT at first helmet was OK, until I looked at it more closely and saw a small crack running up the back... SO I got another new helmet

You are well served in wearing one, even for just hacking out on the trails, etc, as you just never know when something is going to happen.

[chester]

It is one of the reasons I regularly replace helmets. It only takes one little fall.

A mate of ours was jumping once and had a good crash. When they got to the hospital they discovered her safety vest was split from top to bottom. If she hadn't had it she wouldn't be walking now probably.

There is a good reason it is called SAFETY equipment.

[Feliche]

Ohhh Aussie, I'm so glad to think that this might help someone!!

Thanks everyone! I think it's really neat...I'm going to take it to the Forensic Science teacher at my school

[kellidahorsegirl]

Megan,,,awesome pics and love the CSI photos. Good on ya for putting these up. Comical commentary too
I think this is good for all to see. Not as a scare tactic, but just to see what happens to a hard shell with foam....think of that as your head instead...I shudder to think about it.

I for one am glad you had it on so you could tell me about it that day haha