Actually my neighbor respects the crash helmet, his wife came off her horse, landed on a rock and nearly died so she wears one now and he will not let her ride without it. Nobody around here pokes fun at folks who opt for safety equipment so their families don't get stuck caring for a crippled person.

"It's really quite amazing what a horse will do for you, if he only understands what you want. 
And it it's also quite amazing what a horse will do to you if he doesn't." ~ Bill Dorrance