Everyday Riding Hat

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Carlosmum

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After my fall and concussion, I need a new hat. Have been using a Champion Junior for many years, its like a comfy pair of slippers!
I have quite a small head, looking at adjustable hats, are they competition legal? Only low level dressage etc I have a skull cap and a showing velvet hat. Obviously trying to keep the cost down but my safety is not worth a 'cheap' hat. Thanks all! At my age, the accidents and falls in the last couple of years are really concentrating my mind. I don't bounce so well anymore
 
It's probably worth going to your local tack shop and asking them to fit you for a couple of hats so that you can see how they feel. They should also be able to tell you which ones are legal but my understanding is that most properly certified hats are legal for dressage.

Possibly taking your post too literally but if you had a hat for many years, they wear out/ degrade after a couple of years so it's worth making sure they're replaced regularly, especially if you've just had a nasty fall (just in case your skull cap and velvet hat are also many years old).
 
You need to fit the hat to your head. Both size and shape. But you also need to be aware of new developments in safety helmets, some of them based on cycle safety helmets. I replaced my HS1 (last in a succession of HS1 helmets) with a Charles Owen with MIPs. This is supposed to protect agaonst rotational injury to the brain inside the skull.
I havent yet fallen off in it. It goes on from the front of one's head and doesnt press on the back of ones neck. I find it more comfortable to wear than my old hat and barely think about it.
The back of my neck was often bruised by the back of old helmets in previous falls and my neck is the part of my body that aches from time to time,
The outer shell of the MIPs helmet and the liner come apart, and our local tack shop have a trained fitter who set up the new hat for me.

Due to family history, I wear a hard hat when inside the stables as well as when riding. I am not sure that a modern top of the head helmet offers as much protection from the hooves of a horse as the old ones used to.
 
Ditto trying g a few to find the best fit.

I love my Uvex, which has MIPS, as it fits so well.

Personally after hitting my head in a fall on the road in January I wouldn't buy a hat without MIPS now. It made such a difference and IMHO is worth the extra pennies.
 
charles owen mips here for day to day, afraid i also replace my show hat every 3 years even if i havent fallen off in it. I value my head too much not to.
 
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