I have only ever bought Troxel helmets and thank god for my Gold Duratec Troxel Helmet or I may have been seriously hurt.
It was this past summer of 2011, I was leasing a 5 yr old Appendix Gelding with the option to buy him at the end of the summer. I was hoping his potential would make him a great eventing horse. Since I have only been riding for 2 years and my 13 yr old Quarter Horse is unridable due to Navicular Disease the owner of the barn thought her 5 year old would be perfect for me. A healthy sound baby who is broke w/t/c just needs some miles and finishing.
Well for the majority of the summer I was taking lessons with the owner to get use to his strides and how he moves and to teach him to give to the bit. One day the owner and I were riding together and she asked me if I wanted to take the 5 year old out around the pasture at a slow gallop/canter. I said sure why not. I did not know my 2 point position or how to jump. She told me I should get in 2 point in case he jumps a ditch, well I didn't know it so I couldn't.
All was good though I was following her horse, the 5 year old was just cantering over the small ditches. Well the owner slowed down cause we were falling behind and our horses got next to each other and got into a racing match. Since the owner's horse is OTTB and does eventing he leaped over this one ditch and the 5 yr old leaped over this one ditch.
All I remember is trying to pull back on the reins but I had lost them. I was trying to hold on to the side of a horse running full gallop. I ended up falling off and smashing my head into the ground. I didn't even realize what really happened until the owner asked if I was okay and I said yes I was but I had scrapes and bruises on my shoulders. I did get back on the horse it wasn't his fault it happened. But after we were done riding I realized that my helmet actually got cracked during the fall. The visor got broke and the inside ear pieces were broke. The next day I had really bad whiplash which lasted a few days. I don't even want to imagine what could have happened if I wasn't wearing my helmet.