Do you wear a hat hacking?

Inthesticks

Inthesticks

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For me, its a stupid question and I would answer it with.. I wear a hat when I am riding my horse full stop...

However, for the second time in 3 days I have seen riders hacking out with no hat, so I am wondering, is wearing a hat a dying safety precaution or are the people I see out hacking without one...incredibly dim..??.:confused:
 
I think maybe they assume that as it's hot they won't fall off :rolleyes: Someone I used to ride with used the heat as an excuse not to wear one every-time we had a hot day. It's madness IMO but each to their own.

I ALWAYS wear a hot, wouldn't even consider not doing so but I have less of a problem with people not wearing a hat in a school (although still think it's not a great idea at all!) then I do with people not wearing a hat to hack. There are so many more outside, uncontrollable factors to consider when hacking, not least of all the rock hard road!
 
Out hacking almost always....head and concrete or cars I'd rather not try mixing! I am guilty of not putting on at home.however if not doing anything other than plodding round field.
 
No matter how "bombproof" people think their horses are, accidents happen and they are very silly not to wear a hat! It was bloody boiling here today and I still strapped on my body protector and hat and went for a hack. It means I am VERY hot and sweaty by the time I get back but I would rather that than risk an injury. Obviously a body protector will not protect me from everything possible but a recent fall made me very thankful for it!!
 
Well considering your head is the most important part of your body and that fact that it weighs around 5kg with a riding hat on, attached to a weaker part of your body, the chances are your head is going to hit the ground like a sack of spuds, I've smacked the back of my head many a time, why anyone would choose to hack out without on is beyond me.

I've also sat at the bedside of someone in hospital with a fractured scull from a fall that DID have a riding hat on, she wouldn't be here today unless she was wearing one.

I'd say ...incredibly dim!
 
Yes defo, maybe you could post them a list of exciting new air cooled hats, available to sensible highway code abiding folk for as much as they think avoiding a cracked skull is worth :-)
 
I'm a nurse who works with people with acquired brain injuries, my husband is a paramedic. We see enough people everyday who thought their skulls were indestructible or that it could never happen to them that I wouldn't dream of riding anything anywhere without a hat on. A yard near us often ride out without hats. The man who leads them out will wear a flat cap!!!!! I have no words
 
I've never ever sat on a horse without a hat on!
Would definitely not hack without a hat... Tarmac/stones/branches... All could be fatal!
 
Why the hell wouldn't you?! It doesn't make you big, clever, fashionable and any less likely to fall off your horse. If I am on a horse, then the hat goes on.
 
I wear a hat but don't get too excited about other riders' choices.

Its the norm in the Uk for riders to wear hats nowadays, but in many countries, to wear a hat would be unusual.
 
My horse is the safest most bombproof horse you could ever come across, you could probably drive into him with a tractor and he wouldnt bat an eyelid.

Anyway a month ago we were out hacking, horse tripped or tumbled over somethiing causing me to fly over his head and him to come crashing own on top of me, I was knocked unconscience, luckily escaped with no broken bones or serious head injury only muscle damage.

I was wearing my hat, which I always do. I have no doubt that Id be dead or have severe head injuries without one.

So no matter how bombproof your horse is, he can still fall and trust me there isnt anything much worse than lying on the ground seeing half a ton of horse about to fall on you.
 
Fatal accidents happen more often with 'bombproof' horses due to people being too complacent!! When I was growing up one of the senior pony club riders was killed hacking her top horse.....so always a helmet. And as I get older and take longer to heal I now always wear a body protector and have fitted cages to my stirrups......People with a brain protect it!!
'
 
Personally I always wear a hat when I'm mounted as it was drilled in from an early age that I should always wear a hat when riding. Tbh I'm not sure I'd feel right/comfortable if I were to get on without one.
 
i always wear a hat whenever i ride. i dont care too much about people who are too stupid to wear one. i do care about the people who have to scrape them up off the road because they were too stupid or vain to put a hat on
 
I always do. I just can't understand someone not doing it, but equally, I wouldn't beast someone for not doing it. Their (foolish ) choice IMO.
Re seeing people not wearing then, a couple of years ago, I was on my way to the yard and saw my YO hacking out with a friend. Something wasn't right, but it took me a minute to figure out what it was...no hat on YO. She ALWAYS wears one.
When I got to the yard, there was her hat, hanging outside stable in its bag.
I asked her what had happened, and she had basically forgotten to put it on!
It was a warm day, and she just plum forgot. It wasn't until they got about halfway round and there was a breeze and her hair blew in her face that she realised!
What I couldn't work out was why the friend (not a regular hacking buddy) didn't say anything.
 
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