helmets

[KarenBrat1@aol.com]

I never wore a helmet before this year, always meant to someday get one but
the $55 & up price tag always seemed so high.  A "D & B Farm and Home Store"
moved into town this summer and has Troxel helmets for only $40 so I bought
one... another retailer said that's a super price because wholesale cost is
$36 on them.  A couple of weeks later during my two week Oregon riding trip it
saved me from *at least* a concussion when I ate the trail at full gallop from
a startled, green horse.  Lots of scraped skin and walloping bruises on
assorted body parts, including a glorious black eye a couple days later from
a) smooshing my face into the ground while simultaneously  b) smooshing my
glasses into my cheek, but no skull injuries because of the helmet.  By the
way if you wear glasses, for gosh sakes get one of those neoprene "Croakie" or
other brand thingummies to hold them on your head, they work great! 

Also while riding alone on a broke-to-death mare before I got the helmet, she
slipped on slimy rocks while walking across a shallow stream and fell to her
knees.  There I was just riding along and in a split second I was on my back
in the water looking up at her wondering what the heck happened?  Came out of
it with a whopper of a bruise on my butt cheek from one of the rocks... but it
could just as easily have been my head or spine that landed on that rock.
Accidents happen - helmets are cheap insurance.

Being in North Idaho I've gotten plenty of funny looks and razzing about my
helmet.  I tell the razzers I've been tossed off on my head several times
(true), and I will no longer take the chance of injuring the only brain I'll
ever have.  Now if I can just get my two best riding buddies to buy them...

"Ready" aka Karen Bratcher and Bender  ("There's a big scary monster BOOGER in
the woods back there, RUN!... hey mom, where are you going???"   ...thud,
flip, roll...)