The helmet you buy should be the one that fits you best. Going to a tack shop and trying them on is a great way to find the best one for you. I really like the Ovation Deluxe Schooler. It’s not anything fancy, but it’s very reasonably priced and comfortable, and is a good fit for an oval shaped head. I rode in Troxels for years before that, but those are better for more round head shapes, so they didn’t fit me as well. Definitely replace it if it takes a fall (why I like going for a cheaper helmet for schooling; they all have to meet the same standards so none are any less safe than the rest, and I’ve taken a fall in a helmet literally one or two days into owning it and had to replace it before). Helmets also expire generally every 5 or so years, as the materials inside disintegrate over time. Helmets have a date of manufacture on the inside that you should go by rather than purchase date, and I would try to make sure to get a newer one, as sometimes they sit in the tack shop for a year or so. Make sure never to leave it in extreme heat or cold, especially in a hot car, and try not to drop it.
As for learning to jump, I second the advice saying to listen to your instructor and try to get as much time in the saddle as possible! I’ve pretty much started from scratch after nearly a decade away from hunter/jumper and just following my trainer’s advice and trying to ride as much as possible has helped a lot.
I definitely agree with the advice to stick with lesson horses for awhile, too, and then maybe move onto a lease before eventually buying. Your trainer should have some pretty good advice on when the appropriate time to lease or buy would be. Scribbler said it best, also about the free horses as well. Take this from someone who is pretty much stuck paying for a horse I inherited from a deceased loved one who is not trustworthy under saddle, is older, and is too high risk to sell without the likelihood of ending up somewhere bad (and I’d never forgive myself if I let that happen; I love the horse, but it’s a very frustrating situation). It’s expensive, can really be a headache, and sometimes it’s not easy to get out of if it doesn’t work out. I wish I could use that money for extra lessons or to do a partial or full lease on a schoolmaster!
