I grew up in an era of no helmets. Unless you were jumping. Even back in the "no one wears a helmet" days almost everyone that jumped wore a helmet for it. I still don't wear a helmet. Unless I am going to be jumping things. Because if you come a off a horse when you are jumping, there is a high probability you are coming off into the jump, head first; because that is the common fall while jumping. I've never had a fall off a horse doing anything else where a helmet would have made any difference. Maybe I've just been lucky, or maybe other people have been unlucky when they suffered head injuries coming off a horse doing routine riding. I don't know. I don't wear a helmet, and I don't think it's necessary all the time, or even most of the time. But I think it is necessary when you are jumping.

If you're told about vampires, it's a good thing to be told about stakes at the same time.- Terry Pratchett