Businesses endorsing hatless riding?

MileAMinute

MileAMinute

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Obviously not naming any names but on a social media site a company have a sponsored rider, who is pretty popular amongst young teenage girls for riding tackless.
They released a competition for best 'tackless' picture and the winner would receive a product of theirs.
The winner was of a young girl galloping with no saddle, bridle or hat.

What are your opinions on this?
 
Irresponsible. If this is a UK based company might BETA have some involvement? I know not all retailers are BETA registered - but if they are it might be worth reporting them.
 
Not the most responsible thing in the world.. However, people will ride hatless if they wish to do so whether or not this had happened. It's their head.
 
The hatless photo winner might be politically unwise, but I don't see the issue with the sponsored rider riding tackless...
 
Eh? To whom would you be "reporting" a business? And what for? As far as I know it is not compulsory to ride with a helmet (or tack, unless it is a competition run under a society's rules).
 
I don't see a problem with what you've told us of OP. Some will I'm sure.

As to businesses "endorsing" hatless riding, well I'm sorry but we are not here to police our liveries, they're adults and as such, capable of making their own choice. Children under 18 must wear a hat on my property, adults can do what they like.
 
It's not against the law? Much like cycling helmets. Personally I wear a hat but have nothing against people who don't and know that a photo of a girl without a hat would not make me change my ways.
 
I feel funny without a hat. I've only ever got on once without one, and that was my first time on a horse (pony!) After ten years away and I just couldn't wait!

If this person is a role model and acts as such, working with and advertising to young people, I think there should be a disclaimer at the least to say 'kids! Wear your hat for the safety of your young person brain, you don't want to have to do your exams with an avoidable plummet in your iq' or something equally as punchy. Even my jinny book had jinny in a hat on the front!
 
SadKen said:
If this person is a role model and acts as such, working with and advertising to young people, I think there should be a disclaimer at the least to say 'kids! Wear your hat for the safety of your young person brain, you don't want to have to do your exams with an avoidable plummet in your iq' or something equally as punchy. Even my jinny book had jinny in a hat on the front!
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If it's Alycia that OP is talking about then I think you'll find that she usually does wear a riding hat. The only times I've seen her without a hat is when she's in the ocean with the horses or doing western-type trick shots.
 
Very irresponsible imho it can be something as simple as the horse slipping that can cause you to fall off and land on your head and personally I wouldnt want to do that without a hat on - although some might say it would do me some good :p
 
MileAMinute said:
It is - it's rider wear.
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Ahhh, I do have a problem with adverts for breeches where the model is wearing stilettos or is photographed in a soft porn pose. Equestrian clothing is sports wear and I'd rather not be associated with products to titilate Fetishists. Yuk.

I'm still traumatised after googling a search for jodphurs and long riding boots ages ago. :o
 
I am at a complete loss to understand why anyone gets worked up about total strangers riding without a hat. It happens regularly on this and other forums and completely baffles me.
It's their head, their business.
 
ribbons said:
I am at a complete loss to understand why anyone gets worked up about total strangers riding without a hat. It happens regularly on this and other forums and completely baffles me.
It's their head, their business.
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I can understand it when it's meant to be a reputable company or rider who young people look up to and admire. I wouldn't want my child to be influenced not to wear a hat when riding.

If it's Joe Bloggs down the road who isn't wearing one then that's their business and I couldn't care less though.
 
I would be using it as a good opportunity to show my child that its not a good idea to believe and accept as ok everything they see from those they admire or those in a position of influence.
They will come across all sorts of poor influence from people they like and admire as they go through life.
I consider it MY job as a parent, to teach them to think for themselves, not follow like sheep some drug taking idiot who happens to look good and sing popular songs. This sort of incident is an excellent place to start that process before the teenage angst kicks in and we parents know nothing :)
But then I believe parents these days leave their child's development and formative years far to much to outside standards and opinions.
It's my job, and mine alone to educate my child to the ways of the world, particularly the ability to resist the influence of others without considering the subject themselves.
 
ribbons said:
I would be using it as a good opportunity to show my child that its not a good idea to believe and accept as ok everything they see from those they admire or those in a position of influence.
They will come across all sorts of poor influence from people they like and admire as they go through life.
I consider it MY job as a parent, to teach them to think for themselves, not follow like sheep some drug taking idiot who happens to look good and sing popular songs. This sort of incident is an excellent place to start that process before the teenage angst kicks in and we parents know nothing :)
But then I believe parents these days leave their child's development and formative years far to much to outside standards and opinions.
It's my job, and mine alone to educate my child to the ways of the world, particularly the ability to resist the influence of others without considering the subject themselves.
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Then I think you may end up disappointed lol!! Teenagers don't tend to want to listen to their parents - they particularly want to listen to those they admire though. That doesn't have any reflection on how well, or badly they were brought up, it's just the way the cookie crumbles.

I wouldn't want my child's riding instructor to shoot up a bit of heroin infront of my child, therefore I wouldn't want them to ride without a hat infront of them either, and promote it. Doesn't of course mean that my child wouldn't end up doing either if they don't do it infront of them, but at least every effort has been made to try and encourage safe practice.

Like I say, what they do in their private spare time is fine, but I do think using it to promote things is a step too far.
 
Much in the same way I wouldn't drive without a seatbelt on, I also would never get on a horse without my hat on as it's been drummed into me from an early age that you just don't ride without a hat on (I'm also wear a helmet when I ski!). That said, I don't force my opinion on others, the only exceptions being if you're a passenger in my car or wanting to ride my horse in which case I expect you to do as I ask.

When it comes to children I do think it's down to the parents to drum in right from wrong. I had friends growing up who thought nothing of galloping their horses bareback with no hat on but I'd still always wear mine as I just didn't feel "right" without it. I can't imagine anything on social media would have influenced me to ditch the hat.
 
PaddyMonty said:
By the time my kids reached 14 they both knew the rules and the consequences of ignoring them.
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That's good then. All I am saying is I don't agree with businesses/companies/people who should be setting a good example in life promoting unsafe habits.

You wouldn't expect a children's tv presenter to sit shooting up heroin on CBeebies would you....

For all the will in the world, not EVERY kid will follow their parents' rule. Like I say, sometimes they will do this without any external influence anyway, but peer pressure to 'look cool' is a very real issue and occurrence so it will undoubtedly have a negative effect on some young people when they see a celebrity/person who is admired by young kids doing stuff like that.

Why potentially influence any young people to do that, when you could just simply put a hat on for good measure? Doesn't make sense to me at all.
 
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Moomin1 said:
You wouldn't expect a children's tv presenter to sit shooting up heroin on CBeebies would you....
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Have you ever watched the freaks on cbeebies and how they get on? I'm pretty sure they ARE on drugs! :p

I get what you are saying though. I'm on the side of always wear a hat, even a cowboy hat will provide some protection.
 
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