A Message to My Fellow Equestrians

My dad just purchased a lovely western saddle. Well, with it being such a nice weekend and having shopped for all the western necessities at Congress, we drove to the barn to try things out with Nestle. My Arabian has been doing fairly well under saddle, so we thought this would be fine. He was tacked up and my brother rode him around the field. Dad got on him and that's when the trouble started. Nestle began acting up, and, not wanting to get hurt, Dad got off.
With swollen pride, I got on and reluctantly put on my helmet. My vanity wanted to keep that super cute ball cap on my painstakingly straightened hair. The stirrups were too long but I figured the strength in my legs would be enough. I was wrong.
We rode to the end of the pasture, turned around, and trotted back to the barn. I felt him switch gaits underneath me. Ok, I can handle a canter, but then it switched again. We were in a full out gallop, and I had no stirrups to provide me with an anchor. I tried to grasp the horn of the saddle but I felt my body steadily side to the left. A large metal box loomed ahead of where I was going to fall. By the grace of the Almighty God, I was able to hold on a little bit longer and dropped on the ground about 20 feet away from the metal monster. My left hip and side felt the most impact. My head hit the ground with the most force on my jaw.
Sure the hurt was something I had never felt before, but Nestle was fine and I was able to get back on him.
Moral of the story, ladies and gentlemen:
I don't care how long you have ridden (I have been riding for 10 years, now), how well you know your horse (Nestle and I go back five years), or how much of an inconvenience wearing a helmet is (helmet hair and sweat, people), ALWAYS wear a helmet while riding!
I am blessed to have leave the "scene" walking, with a concussion, and bruised. If I had not worn my lovely helmet, things would have been worse.
So wear a helmet and thank God for the many blessings you have!

PS. I love my horse, even if he is a goober! I think the saddle was pinching him somewhere. Next time, I am going to lunge him in the western saddle before I ride him!