Three years ago me and about 8 others were trail riding. We had been riding for about 3+ hours and I was tired so my reins were loose and I had dropped my stirrups. One of my friends trotted by on her pony and my horse decided he wanted to race and he took off after her. I started to slip off the side and I grabbed my horses neck. For a few seconds I stayed on but my grip loosened and I fell on my back. My head hit the ground so hard it knocked me out. I was out for 2-3 minutes and my head hurt the rest of the day. I didn't realize until a few months later that I might have had a concussion. I just replaced my Troxel Spirit (the helmet that I had that day) with a Troxel Liberty. I took several hard hits with that helmet and it never even had a scratch on it. I love your helmets because they're so well made and durable. I will always own a Troxel helmet!
NOTE: While we're extremely grateful to this courageous rider for sharing her story, we want to caution other riders to never reuse a helmet involved in an accident. Once any certified equestrian helmet has been in an accident, its materials may be compromised. Even if a visual inspection shows no damage, damage may be hidden in the EPS underneath the shell. As such, the helmet may not absorb additional impacts/energies in the same manner a non-impacted helmet would. If you are ever involved in an accident, please replace your helmet immediately before getting back in the saddle. Also, be sure to check out our FAQs and Online Resources for more information about helmet safety.