In September of 2006 my Quarter Horse GHOST & I were schooling training level jumps at Big Bear Farm in Georgia. We had ridden the course several times in the past. During our course of schooling, he and I came to the training level ditch. We began the approach at an even canter and as GHOST’s legs lifted the ground he took the ditch with precision and grace. Something happened, I cannot remember what, but I was slung in the air and landed head first into the crosstie at the ditch. I was knocked unconscious for several seconds. When I woke, I was blind. I could not see anything but darkness and my head was pounding. My trainer helped me up and I began to see shadows and light in an hourglass effect. I was rushed to South Georgia Medical Center where an MRI was preformed. My skull was intact, no bleeding to the brain, a simple concussion and I was sent home.
Later the next day, I got up and began going through my tack. To my surprise I got to my helmet. My helmet was busted open like a watermelon. To this day, if I had not had my helmet on, I would not have survived to ever ride GHOST again.
-Denise Garlinghouse
