Keeping Safe

Renewing my travel insurance last week, I was reminded of the nasty fall I had in China at the beginning of the ride in 2009 when I broke my collarbone, six ribs and punctured a lung, which delayed me for three months
 My travel insurance company Sportscover Direct are one of the few companies to provide cover for more adventurous pursuits, and they have just asked if they could use my claim as a case study on their blog.  So here is the link with description of the commendable service they provided after my accident.
Here is the last photo of me on the culprit Zorbee in Chicheng about two days earlier, muffled up against a cold dusty wind from the north... 

 While on the subject of health and safety I must draw attention once again to my amazing riding hat.  The brim is an indispensable addition courtesy of Cutana hat brims, but the golden helmet is a Pro II made by Welsh-based firm Charles Owen, who are the absolute leaders in the field of riding helmets.
I have stated many times that my accident would have been far more serious if not fatal had I not been wearing my Charles Owen helmet.  Considering the damage my upper body received it is a miracle I did not receive any trauma to my head .
Charles Owen helmets may be on the more pricey side, but they are the best in the world, and the choice of top riders world-wide. The moral is that where one's life is concerned, it is a false economy to go for cheap and cheerful, and idiotic not to wear a helmet at all!
STOP PRESS -  the result of not wearing a Charles Owen helmet  
I must also recommend the company Kanteq. I wore one of their state of the art body protectors in the days when I was first back in the saddle and feeling fragile, and although body protectors are not always convenient for continuous long days of trekking, I still use it in potentially risky situations such as trying out a new horse.  They are brilliant for use in equine sports or training young horses.