About time Olympia had some new rules...

I love it when they do the lap of honour with the hat held aloft in the air - I used to watch Olympia as a child and it never occurred to me to ride without a hat!

I have to say I am getting very tired of the constant whiney attitude society has about the so called responsibility everyone else has to set an example, whilst seemingly being totally devoid of any personal responsibility!
 
Most of the people I know who had serious injuries around horses have been handling them on the ground - a friend lost her eye after being kicked in the face, another friend shattered her jaw and punctured her trachea as a result of being kicked in the face - she talks with a whisper now. Recently a friend had her elbow badly fractured by being kicked.
Wearing a hat decreases the risk of serious injury but the risk although still there is minimal because its a good rider taking it off for a very short time on a horse they know.

We make risk based choices everyday and that is how it should be.
 
and no one has even mentioned that they're warming up without hats.......

(goes back to hide under her stone)

I'm all for personal responsibility and I really don't care whether someone chooses to wear a hat or not
 
Whether you agree with the post or not I really dont understand why some people have to post some really horrible replies. Everyone is entitled to their opionion and if you dont agree then dont post! I have to say I think this forum is getting worse and worse for being totally bitchy :confused:. It makes me too scared to start any threads incase Im ripped to shreds!
 
I agree with Rachel everyone is entitled to their own opinions on this forum. I have always enjoyed Olympia and Hoys and the traditions that go along with them.

A lot of traditions in this day and age would not seem to conform with health and safety. But then if that were the case would we have anything to do with riding/handling horses I think not.

I for one am a firm believer in correct headwear when riding/handling but understand it is personal choice. People should be aware of the risks involved, but it is up to them.
 
I think when it comes to young children it is up to their parents to ensure they always where a hat and teach them it is the responsible thing to do. As for young adults and everyone else I dont think they are naive enough to see a showjumper take his hat off and decide not to wear a hat when riding. Its obvious its a celebration thing.
 
I think the level of reply you might get from some fourmites comes down to how you word you original post. If it comes across pompus, not that I am saying this one does (but the exclamation marks and the angry face dont help) then you will get bad and bitchy replies.

If the OP had come on and worded her post something along the lines of -

"It really disappoints me when the riders take their hats off at Olympia on their laps of honour. To me it is dangerous and isnt setting a good example."

Rather than demanding that Olympia changes it rules.............
 
Or perhaps some other posters need to wind their necks in and stop trying to post bitchy remarks, but word it more politely to a perfectly reasonable opinion. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, it's a reflection on the poster if they can't make it come across in a dignified way.
 
I actually thought my post was quite tame compared to some of the other posts on here at the moment! But I certainly didnt want to cause any type of arguement or bitching.
 
Well I am 15 and tomorrow I will definetely be going for a hatless ride :D I plan to jump my turbo pony over a 1.20 course and will be doing full celebratory gallops for everytime I go clear, cause that's what Ellen does!

NOT.

And the reason for that is because I am not impressionable or naive or whatever you appear to think young people are. I realise that I am not as good a rider as anyone at Olympia and probably would never be able to sit to what they do, and so I choose to wear my hat whilst I ride.

However I think that it is tradition for winners to celebrate by riding a lap of honour, and if they want to do that hatless then it doesn't bother me.
 
MunchMincePies said:
Are you also suggesting we ban dressage top hats?
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I would, along with those strapless numbers they wear at the lower levels.

I am amazed that someone in a top hat has never had a serious head injury at a show and then turned around and sued BD for making them compulsory. Can you imagine the field day that personal injury lawyers would have with a governing body that mandated that unsafe headwear was used? If the rider died from a head injury the BD board members might even face corporate manslaughter charges.
 
mbequest said:
I think the level of reply you might get from some fourmites comes down to how you word you original post. If it comes across pompus, not that I am saying this one does (but the exclamation marks and the angry face dont help) then you will get bad and bitchy replies.

If the OP had come on and worded her post something along the lines of -

"It really disappoints me when the riders take their hats off at Olympia on their laps of honour. To me it is dangerous and isnt setting a good example."

Rather than demanding that Olympia changes it rules.............
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Agree completely. It seems a bit OTT to me to use so many angry smilies, but then some people have extremely strong views, apparently.

Personally I'd be rather more concerned about riders not wearing hats while warming up. You see, I don't like people being injured in falls even if it is their free choice to ride in less than the safest way. I expect there are show rules about that though.

At least there is a reason (to do with tradition and etiquette) for doffing the hat while doing a "lap of honour". However, I really think young riders and parents of very young riders have more sense than to emulate or encourage this action at home or at shows.
 
Come on chaps, lets give young people some credit.

There is one person on our yard who is in her twenties and popular with the kids, and she never rides with a hat (well, baseball caps don't count I suppose), even hacking out on a particularly forward going exciteable mare. And guess what? ALL the children on our yard ride WITH hats.

Most people who have anything to do with horses exercise COMMON SENSE so give people some credit that they can make their OWN judgement. Regardless of age, if you wanna ride with no hat all day or for thirty seconds in an arena with emergency services by the gate, you fill your wellies.



BTW - don't forget to tell all those cowboys worldwide that they should wear proper headgear, especially riding all day arounding up herds and in the winter in the SNOW (GASP)!!!
 
Cobrastyle said:
Let's be honest here - if kids/younger people are naive/stupid/impressionable enough to not wear a hat for the rest of their ridden career because a SJer has their's off for 30 seconds during a lap of honour......then they are clearly too naive/stupid/impressionable to ride/own a horse.

Darwinism at it's best!
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:D:D:D Love it...couldn't agree more
 
Whoopit said:
There is one person on our yard who is in her twenties and popular with the kids, and she never rides with a hat (well, baseball caps don't count I suppose), even hacking out on a particularly forward going exciteable mare. And guess what? ALL the children on our yard ride WITH hats.

Most people who have anything to do with horses exercise COMMON SENSE
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With a few exceptions, such as the baseball-capped rider at your yard. ;)

so give people some credit that they can make their OWN judgement. Regardless of age, if you wanna ride with no hat all day or for thirty seconds in an arena with emergency services by the gate, you fill your wellies.
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I am all for people taking responsibility for their own behaviour. Of course this includes considering how it may affect other people, like those who end up having to cope with a brain-damaged family member. Riding without a hat is potentially a profoundly selfish act.
 
benson21 said:
to insist that riders keep their bl00dy hats on whilst riding!!!!:mad::mad::mad:

It makes me soooo angry to see these proffesional riders on some fantastic horses who have sped round these classes, some of them having some bucks after been pushed on, whipping their hats off to the crowd of (some novicy) people who can be very impressionable, getting them thinking its ok to ride with out a hat.

Not wanting to start the great hat debate here, I just think the professionals should set a much better example.







And breathe....
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Oh please !!!! they are adults and yes horse riding is dangerous so they should set a good example and come out dressed in cotton wool and sit on a well padded chair and play tiddleywinks instead of getting on a powerfull animal:D
 
10 yrs ago in my 20s, I sometimes sat on my horse whilst he was grazing with a headcollar on (no hat). He is not entirely a laid back plod.
I am ashamed and scared for myself when I look back at these images in my mind.
I regularly see people riding without hats - People sitting their kids on ponies to ride 100yds from field to stable (no hat), people trotting novice horses bareback along field with headcollar and rope, leading another with headcollar and rope. People riding in the school in baseball hats. And, on the TV today, I saw a rider zip around behind Clare Balding in the warmup with no hat on. I didn't even know that 'no hat' in a warm up was permitted at such a show??
OK, OK, it can be said that people can go too far with the 'nanny state' thing. But wearing a hat seems to me, to be an appropriate action when on a horse, as well as a good example to set others, esp young people.
At the end of the day, people will do as they wish, and they have the right to do that. I guess I have to try not to get too heated about it! I think since breaking my back I have become more safety aware.
 
perfect11s said:
Oh please !!!! they are adults and yes horse riding is dangerous so they should set a good example and come out dressed in cotton wool and sit on a well padded chair and play tiddleywinks instead of getting on a powerfull animal:D
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No, just take sensible precautions that don't incur huge inconvenience or cost.
 
benson21 said:
You're not wearing a hat in the photo in your sig... but you're with a horse. Does that make it your fault if, God forbid, a forum member is kicked in the head and killed because they weren't wearing a hat whilst handling their horse? Or would you say that was their risk to take, and a tragic accident?



Fair comment, I do think its different standing next to a horse and being on board. But, I do see what you are saying.
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Yes far more dangerous ... if there is a place for wearing hats its handeling horses on foot ... sat on one your more likely to suffer a neck or spinal injury if you come off and a hat wont help with that!!!
 
riding without a hat weather it be for a lap of honour, hack, schooling, for 30 seconds or 30 minutes is the most stupid thing to do. You take your life in your hands every time we go near a horse but throwing safety to the wind is apsolutly disgusting. It only takes a second for a horse to throw you and that could be it dead or worse left a cabbage.
I have no respect for people who think riding without a hat is acceptable or cool.
A friend of mine was thrown out of a cart and landed on her head, luckily she had a riding hat on and the hat actually split in to two pieces. That hat saved her life it could have been her head in to two pieces.

Also parents cant be blamed, they can tell there kids until they are blue in the face to wear a hat but a small minority will think its cool to be like these showjumpers and ride with no hat.

Just like young girls want to be a size zero as all these celeb mags or full of skinny models. Parents can tell them they are the perfect size and there is nothing wrong with them but they wont listen and will still go anorexic just to be cool like these celebs

Adults should set good examples for the next generation
 
I have been sitting on my hands all day, I have removed my backside from them now. What a lot of lemony mouthed health and safety bints are on this forum. There is nothing more tear jerking to than see a jockey, show jumper, dressage rider, eventer show emotion, be it saluting the audience with their hat or standing up in their stirrups or however they want to show their jubulation. They have just achieved a huge endurance of courage, talent and no doubt years of practice. So all of you mealy mouthed forum members that worry about how the younger generation are going to cope with a proffessional taking their hat off for 2 minutes of exultation, they might learn more from them than you health and safety bores on this thread.!!!!
 
Ok, how stupid do people think kids and teenagers are, seriously? I'm 16 and I would never dream of going off and riding my horse without a hat just because someone who won at Olympia did! At the end of the day it is the parents responsibility to ensure that their child is correctly educated in the safety aspects of riding and if their child is stupid enough not wear a hat then they'll soon learn!
Before you start complaining about SJers who have their hats off for a very short period of time you should force all dressage riders to wear proper safety standard hats rather than beaglers and top hats when they can be on a horse for up to and over an hour and a half at a time! Dressage riders of all levels don't have to wear hat so alot less experienced riders than these SJers are not wearing hats for longer periods of time so more susceptible to injury so tell them first!
Sheesh...if health and safety have it their way we will have to wear hats, BPs, steel top caps, hi-vis and any other safety clothing to come within a mile perimeter of a horse :rolleyes: Personal choice at the end of the day...
ETA As others have already stated it's tradition and to me it shows how much appreciation they have for the crowds support, the amount of work and effort that goes into these horses to be rewarded like that must be indescribable and if this is how they want to show their joy then so be it. With younger children parents are usually around when the kids are riding anyway so will be there to tell them!
 
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pastie2 said:
I have been sitting on my hands all day, I have removed my backside from them now. What a lot of lemony mouthed health and safety bints are on this forum. There is nothing more tear jerking to than see a jockey, show jumper, dressage rider, eventer show emotion, be it saluting the audience with their hat or standing up in their stirrups or however they want to show their jubulation. They have just achieved a huge endurance of courage, talent and no doubt years of practice. So all of you mealy mouthed forum members that worry about how the younger generation are going to cope with a proffessional taking their hat off for 2 minutes of exultation, they might learn more from them than you health and safety bores on this thread.!!!!
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H&H Letter Of The Week! ;)
 
until they come off in one of these celebrations and end up splitting there heads in two due to there ignorance of their own safety. They are professionals at the end of the day and should be setting professional standards not stupid ones.They are being watched by thousands of people at the end of the day. And like i say they are some novice children watching who will think its cool to be like these showjumpers. Hats were produced for a reason, just like hard hats on building sites. Its nothing to do with health and safety babble its about common sense and your own safety
 
Yes, but 'novicey children' are usually at riding schools and if they have their own pony then surely their loving parents wouldn't be so dumb to leave them and their pony to it :rolleyes: I've been riding for years but when I got my horse aged 15 my mum wouldn't leave my one my own with him for at least a month after I first got him! Professionals or not it's still personal choice and if they know their horse well enough to jump 1.60m+ then I think they can survive for a few minutes without a hat!
Sorry but this subject really riles me.
 
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