I always wear a helmet and almost cringe when people don't. I know someone who says that she doesn't wear a helmet because she "trusts" her horse, but what if her horse trips while cantering?
i use to ride without wearing a helmet, but not anymore. after having a bad accident, 2 yrs ago, that caused my horse his life, i was fortunate enough to not get hurt very bad, i realized just how quick "anything" can happen and how precious every minute is. i rode him for 10 yrs and completly trusted him, and never wore a helmet when riding him. i only wore one on occasion when on a strange horse. i wear one now on every horse every ride i take on my own or my friends horses, whether it's 15 min or 5 hrs it doesnt matter. it should be mandatory for every rider in every event, no matter the discipline, to wear a helmet. people should be fined if they are caught riding without a helmet. it's the law in my state to wear a seatbelt, why not make it a law to wear a helmet? nation wide for that matter. helmets save lives too.
I think it's awful what Courtney had to go through but I'm so glad to see that she is bringing awareness of helmets to the forefront. Our heads are very precious! Why not protect them? Don't we do everything to ensure our horses' health? So, why not our own?