Top 10 Reasons To Wear a Helmet

 1. Safety helmets are 80 percent effective in preventing injury and death.

 2. Even a mild concussion can be a life-changing experience.

 3. There is no statistical correlation between skill level and injury likelihood.

 4. Even a fall from a standing horse can be catastrophic. Your injury risk depends on the height from which you fall, not the speed at which you’re traveling.

 5. The bulk of equestrian injuries occur in pleasure riders.

 6. The walk is the most common gait at which riders suffer injuries.

 7. Only 23 percent of mounted accidents occur when jumping.

 8. Head injuries are cumulative. An original head injury can be made much worse by ­additional concussions.

 9. Head injuries are expensive. Medical expenses for a minor concussion can amount to thousands of dollars. The most catastrophic head injuries average a cost of $4 million.

 10. Riding is more dangerous than downhill skiing and motorcycling.