Helmets and headaches!!

["Spencer" <spencer@inu.net>]

The old black traditional ones are not great but usable for a those short classes in the show rings.  The new low weight, hi tech ones are pretty nice.. I don't think they cover the brain stem enough though.  BUT what is all this about headaches.. Just some excuse?????????????   I have a congenital deformity in the first 2 vertebra of my neck..  I know about headaches originating from the neck, but my helmets have NEVER given me a headache.  Used to get them every 10 to 14 days... they lasted for 3 days.. took forever to get it diagnosed.   Only treatment is fusion when the pain is too bad....NOT my option..  (they do that thru the front part of your neck and what if there were problems..)  Anyway, when I ride regularly,, not the rodeo kind, I have the fewest headaches.  When I go to Chiropractor, they are then also less severe.. also helps my sciatica...   Seems to me the headaches are an excuse.  We need to be showing an example to the youngsters and others.  There are TONS of research supporting the helmet protection as well as the seatbelt protection and the airbag.    There are always some lucky exceptions...  but that is more like playing roulet..  personally I prefer to have the odds in my favor... That goes for lots of risky behaviors... (cigarettes, overeating, illegal drugs, alcohol abuse...........)  If you look at risk factors, common sense should tell you that the more risk factors you have the higher the chance you have of having significant problems.. ie smoking heavy, drinking heavy and driving anything.. even a horse.. increases your chances of accidents.  The alcoholic has higher chance of brain hemmorages when the head is hit... ie even a fall at home.  Then the smoking makes it harder for the body to head....  then add if you have poor health besides all that.. get the picture..   Also, if you are riding a green horse vs an experienced one.  but still not a guarantee..   You just have your 'chances' put in a different level.. ie greener the horse the higher the chance of injury.   The more tired you are the higher the chance of accidents.. ie long drive to ride, long ride on horse after getting there and not sleeping well.....    Common sense, perhaps.

Mary Ann