Do you ever carry your helmet?.. Please help! (more design questions!)

F

Fouganza

New User
Joined
25 July 2008
Messages
8
Visit site
Hello again,

Incase you missed my previous post(s), I am a design student currently working for a company designing equestrian products...and I need your help (please)!

I am designing a range of saddle bags (and other equipment) at the moment, and would apreciate a few quick answers to the below questions...thank's in advance!

- Do you ever take your helmet off when hot? How do you carry it around whilst riding?

- Do you carry hi-vis stuff to put on when dark/on the roads, or do you just wear it at all times (in the countryside too)?...or not at all?

- What are your "must have" things you take with you on both long and short rides?

Any other thoughts... Feel free to jot them down too!

Thanks again in advance,

Ollie
 
If i'm riding with a hat, I wouldn't take it off whist riding. And if i wear HiViz I'll always start out with it on, rather than carrier it.

(Just a small thing, if you are designing saddle bags can you make them big enough to take dressage saddles too please!!!)
 
[ QUOTE ]


- Do you ever take your helmet off when hot? How do you carry it around whilst riding?


[/ QUOTE ]

a friends friend just died when doing this, took the hat off to ruffle her hair as hot and horse spooked, she fell off and died instantly - not a good idea
frown.gif
 
Riding Hats [helmets] should never be removed whilst riding and some people wear them all the time whilst they are around horses.
I wear Hi viz all the time whilst riding [hacking].
 
I assume you are aiming these saddle bags at people who are riding for long distance/many hours hacking. A saddle bag capable of taking all this equipment would be huge and if it hung off one side of the saddle, be very uncomfortable and heavy for the horse.

When I get on my horse, my hat stays firmly on my head - no point of having it otherwise. When I ride on the road, even in daylight - I wear the Hi Viz, again, no point in having it in a bag.

I carry the minimum. My keys if I have taken the trailer, and my phone.

I think most people are the same.
 
If i am riding i would never take my hat off and i always wear my hi viz stuff but i would like to have a coat that i could attach around my waist while riding if i get hot but it is still visible. My must haves are my phone, some money and a whip to stop cars from getting too close.
 
I never take my hat of whist riding, even for an itch.

I wear hi viz all the time even when off road so I am visible to helicopters and so I & my horse can be easily found should I fall off.

My must haves are a fold away hoof pick, a secure and dry place for my mobile phone, gloves, hi viz gear, hat.

I would love saddle bags which were easy to use, but I cant seem to understand them. These would be handy for carrying sandwiches, a map and water on a longer ride. I also take a lead rope attached to the saddle on a long ride and have a head collar under the bridle - if possible.
 
[ QUOTE ]
If i'm riding with a hat, I wouldn't take it off whist riding. And if i wear HiViz I'll always start out with it on, rather than carrier it.

[/ QUOTE ]

Echo this. Please can you make a decent waterproof phone carrier that you can attach to your arm?! The one I have is open so in the summer showers it gets wet and sometimes won't work!!!
crazy.gif
grin.gif
 
Thanks everyone,

I wholeheartedly agree with all of you. The question with high-vis came from speaking to riders that did not want to wear high-vis when hacking in v.rural spots. Quite a few people have said that they would not want to be seen by animals or cause "visual polution"

I suppose the real question is how do you balance this with safety?

Ollie
 
[ QUOTE ]
or cause "visual polution"
Ollie

[/ QUOTE ]

PMSL - seriously!!

a cup holder or decent bottle holder would be great - one that doesnt bounce around when the horse moves - all the saddlebags and bottle holders i have in the tack room are usless - all flap about like crazy and have had to be adapted with baler twine! and the velcro phone holders are ok but would be a lot more useful if they stayed put and covered the whole phone and maybe had pockets on for a bit of spare change for a pub stop
grin.gif
grin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I assume you are aiming these saddle bags at people who are riding for long distance/many hours hacking. A saddle bag capable of taking all this equipment would be huge and if it hung off one side of the saddle, be very uncomfortable and heavy for the horse.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm looking at a range of ideas at the moment, certainly one bag will be for long distance hacking. The design will most likely be in a pannier style, rather than single sided. The issue of comfort for the horse is one of the biggest challenges though, currently every saddlebag I know of flaps around and irritates the horse.

I am also looking at a smaller saddle bag for slightly shorter journeys.

All thoughts appreciated, and thanks to everyone that's posted so far!

Ollie
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
or cause "visual polution"
Ollie

[/ QUOTE ]

PMSL - seriously!!


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes seriously - I know! I personally would never ride without high-vis, these riders were adament that they would rather ride without it when off the roads in v.rural areas. Seems cra\y to me but..
 
I would like a neat belt for me, that doesn't look like a bum bag, and could take keys, mobile and a leatherman or equivalent.

This must not bounce when riding and should be attractive

For true endurance, i'm sure some people would like a camelbak with small bladder in addition to the above.
 
Hat stays on. Hi Viz stays on. Those remote places are just where you'd want the air ambulance to find you quickly. We did a rider specific first aid course with a search and rescue team and they strongly recommended riders riding in remote areas should wear bright hi viz clothing. If the horse has bolted and the rider has come off, they may not be near a bridleway or anywhere they may be expected to be and there could be many 1000s of acres of land to search in possibly inclement weather conditions.

Re saddlebags - we can get everything we'd need into a couple of pommel bags one down each shoulder, a bum bag and a 'banana' cantle bag. They don't budge or flap and are surprisingly tardis-like. Anything else (packamac etc) gets tied to a spare D ring.
 
Hi...thoguht I would answer your questions:

1) Yes I will take my hat off if I am hot but only when already dismounted.

2) Hi-Viz stuff I would generally put on before I left for a hack...can't be arse to carry stuff around with me when hacking.

3) Must have things I take with me...I have my hat on my head, my gloves on my hands, whip in hand and phone in pocket...thats all I need!

Sorry if thats not been very helpful...but generally don't carry things round when we are riding...its uncomfortable to have too much in your pockets and need both hands for steering!! lol!!
 
Yes I sometimes take off my hat, after a schooling session while cooling down. Not really out hacking though.

Don't think there would be much of a market for a hat holder unfortunately.

I wear hi viz most of the time out hacking, don't wait till it's dark etc.

Must haves, mobile, whip and lead rope.
 
Gosh, a useful size saddlebag for short-ish (2-3 hour hacks would be great.
My preference would be for something to go behind my legs, big enough to hold a 500ml water bottle (or 1 each side), phone, keys, money, lip balm, insect sting pen, a couple of snacks and a packet of polos, main priority being that it doesn't bounce up and down, reflective piping & hi-vis panels would be a bonus. If they are connected across the top perhaps some straps off the back for a cag to be attached to.
I would never take off my hat or carry hi vis (always wear it).
 
Remember that whatever you attach to the horse could be seen galloping over the horizon if you part company. You need the phone and money and emergency stuff attached to you.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Remember that whatever you attach to the horse could be seen galloping over the horizon if you part company. You need the phone and money and emergency stuff attached to you.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm sure this was pointed out several times in the last thread, correctly so IMHO.
I don't think including provision for hat/hi-viz is a good idea as it would be seen as suggesting removal of these items is an acceptable or even good idea, when clearly that would be the wrong message.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Hat stays on. Hi Viz stays on. Those remote places are just where you'd want the air ambulance to find you quickly. We did a rider specific first aid course with a search and rescue team and they strongly recommended riders riding in remote areas should wear bright hi viz clothing. If the horse has bolted and the rider has come off, they may not be near a bridleway or anywhere they may be expected to be and there could be many 1000s of acres of land to search in possibly inclement weather conditions.

[/ QUOTE ]

Always wear HiViz even when hacking around the farm just in case the chaps shooting pigeons (and invisible in their hides) don't see me
shocked.gif
 
Remove my hat while riding? Don't be daft!
And if I wear high viz, it stays on. If it's warm when I set out I only have a lightweight high viz tabard. No need to take it off.

I carry water in a camelbak-type system in a bag (not designed for equestrian use, but adapted ) attached to the horse. I found carrying water in the camelbak on my back was 1) too hot and 2) unbalancing.
Now the horse carries it, behind my leg. It doesn't bounce.
Shoof boot, knife, bandage and hoofpick go in a similar sized bag on the opposite side.
Phone, first aid and nibbles go in a standard bumbag.
GPS and watch on wrist.

Now what I really need is a map-case that doesn't scratch the cantle of my saddle...
 
hats should be on all the time when on the horse, my must haves are small first aid kit on the saddle, an emergency hoof boot (never know when may loose a shoe!) phone holder on leg, for longer rides i take my camelbak (bum bag style rather than rucksack style so doesnt bounce!) holds just over a litre from america.
 
[ QUOTE ]
and a whip to stop cars from getting too close.

[/ QUOTE ]

Slightly off topic, But seeming as your a deisgner, Would a whip that extends be handy? One where, you can use it short, for general riding, or a longer one for schooling/keeping cars away?

Just an idea?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top