Hat or no hat? That is the question.....

B

bahumbug

Well-Known Member
Joined
12 May 2009
Messages
229
Visit site
I'd be really interested to hear others' view on this. I'm one of those who has taken a striking about turn since Courtney's accident (although I confess the subject's been nagging at me for a long time) and absolutely don't now get on a horse without a good helmet and chinstrap done up.

That's after years of not wearing more than a baseball cap and donning an old (antique almost) hunting cap when out on the road just really to shut the drivers up.

Having caught a dose of common sense after a lot of years, I am astounded at Pammy Hutton's no hat comments (this despite her running a BHS yard). Am I just like those evangelical reformed smokers or have others found it all a bit of a wake-up call?
 
I'm a mum. Going hatless doesn't even come into the equation. As far as I am concerned my kids and my husband don't want to end up looking after me due to my stupidity at the end of the day.
 
argh, hat! HAT HAT HAT!

You may be the best ever rider in the world; accidents can still happen. I really, for the life of me, never ever understand how people can ride without wearing one.
 
Have been very grateful for it in the past - I seem to have a tendency of smacking my head off the ground if I come off when hacking or schooling! I also try and replace my hat if its had a proper good crack on the ground :(
 
its called freedom of choice and being bought up in a different *culture*-i look at hats the way you probably look at body protectors, its for higher risk days only.

unless you have never drunk, smoked, been overweight, exceeded the speed limit and always ride in a body protector, and wear a hat for ALL activites round horses, i dont think you can preach-you make your risk assesment and i make mine. thus far my risk assesment has been accurate, iv never had an *oh***** moment and wished id put a hat on.and iv been riding hatless for over ten years, so either iv got hundreds of lives, or what im doing (flatwork, on a perfect surface, on a quiet yard) is not that high risk.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
its called freedom of choice and being bought up in a different *culture*-i look at hats the way you probably look at body protectors, its for higher risk days only.

unless you have never drunk, smoked, been overweight, exceeded the speed limit and always ride in a body protector, and wear a hat for ALL activites round horses, i dont think you can preach-you make your risk assesment and i make mine. thus far my risk assesment has been accurate, iv never had an *oh***** moment and wished id put a hat on.and iv been riding hatless for over ten years, so either iv got hundreds of lives, or what im doing (flatwork, on a perfect surface, on a quiet yard) is not that high risk.
Click to expand...

I drive most days, enjoy driving, and sometimes push the speed a little. I've never had an accident in 10 years of driving, but I still always wear my seatbelt because you just never know.
 
you push the speed limit a little, i ride well schooled,well balanced, none spooky horses on a rubber surface......risk is probably less to me, far more people die in RTA each year than falling off horses.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
you push the speed limit a little, i ride well schooled,well balanced, none spooky horses on a rubber surface......risk is probably less to me, far more people die in RTA each year than falling off horses.
Click to expand...

Well this is the interesting point, why I posed the question. I thought that although my riding life is a bit more varied, have to say, but now, I won't take the risk. Or, more to the point, wont take it on behalf of my nearest and dearest who'd have to bear the brunt. Freak accidents are what does it. No surface will protect you. And with driving, it's the other guy that causes the accident if you're driving safely, too frequently.

Still can't rule out the idea of taking up side-saddle hunting in full rig and veil at the age of 90 though!
 
I just think that with most sports,there is an element of risk. BUT most other sports will use whatever protective equipment that they need in order to remain the safest as possible. For riders this is a hat. A well schooled horse can freak out if say a low helicopter or balloon were to fly past or whatever, animals are unpredictable and you can never say never.

But each to their own, just hope it doesn't take a serious accident for them to realise.
 
I would love not to wear a hat on warm days and not have hat hair, but it's just not worth the risk. I have a family and I owe it to them to minimize the risk. I trust my horse and she is well behaved....mostly. it just takes one bit of bad luck to end up with a fractured skull.
 
spaniel said:
Hat always.

The only excuse is arrogance, vanity or stupidity...take your pick.
Click to expand...

Kittykins said:
argh, hat! HAT HAT HAT!

You may be the best ever rider in the world; accidents can still happen. I really, for the life of me, never ever understand how people can ride without wearing one
Click to expand...
.

bahumbug said:
...I won't take the risk. Or, more to the point, wont take it on behalf of my nearest and dearest who'd have to bear the brunt. Freak accidents are what does it. No surface will protect you. And with driving, it's the other guy that causes the accident if you're driving safely, too frequently.
Click to expand...
^^^These!

Hats are for EVERY ride, EVERY time. For me there is NO question.
 
It used to be lovely to canter across a field, hair blowing in the wind, the feeling of freedom was fantastic and there's no sweaty head at the end of a ride.

Then I grew up.

Now I'm a neuroscientist - not only do I see pictures of brains damaged in any manner of different ways by relatively minor bumps on the head but I see the heartbreak and upset it causes family/relations/loved ones. A sweaty head is a small price to pay for protecting what is your most vital organ. No brain, no you.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant - just a bit passionate about this one
x
 
spike123 said:
I'm a mum. Going hatless doesn't even come into the equation. As far as I am concerned my kids and my husband don't want to end up looking after me due to my stupidity at the end of the day.
Click to expand...

This.
I am "happy to admit to being less strict about it when younger,but the mere thougth of my OH having to explain to our son why mummy is not there *shudder*

Hats are not that expensive,hat hair is not that bad,if you get headaches the fit is wrong and your life is far too precious to take risks you don't need to.
 
Prince33Sp4rkle said:
you push the speed limit a little, i ride well schooled,well balanced, none spooky horses on a rubber surface......risk is probably less to me, far more people die in RTA each year than falling off horses.
Click to expand...

my point was actually that wearing a seatbelt minimises the inherent risk in driving, just as wearing a hat minimises the inherent risk in riding.

More people die in traffic accidents each year than falling off horses because more people drive than ride.
 
I always ride with a hat, but my friend never did...until her boyfriend changed her mind with a brutal little speech..

He said: "It's your choice whether you wear one or not. If you fall off and kill yourself then so be it, but I won't be the one wiping drool off your chin or sh!te off your legs if you fall off and end up a vegetable"

She hasn't gone without one since (even though the boyfriend is long gone).
 
timefort said:
It used to be lovely to canter across a field, hair blowing in the wind, the feeling of freedom was fantastic and there's no sweaty head at the end of a ride.

Then I grew up.

Now I'm a neuroscientist - not only do I see pictures of brains damaged in any manner of different ways by relatively minor bumps on the head but I see the heartbreak and upset it causes family/relations/loved ones. A sweaty head is a small price to pay for protecting what is your most vital organ. No brain, no you.

Sorry, didn't mean to rant - just a bit passionate about this one
x
Click to expand...

I think you've just captured my admittedly non-scientific view in a trice! I was really impressed that the Us/Canadian riders began to don helmets at dressage shows after Courtney's accident. She's making progress slowly but wow, if only. I agree the freedom of the wind blowing in your hair is a small price to pay. Speaking to freinds a few of us get comments but heh, as you say......
 
Part of being a human being is having free will and the freedom to make life decisions.

I school wearing a crash hat, chinstrap done up, on some horses
I school, with a baseball cap on, on some horses.
I hunt in my Patey

I have ridden all types of horses - from showjumpers & polo ponies to bull fighting horses - in many countries all over the world.

My OH has ridden pointers and hunters in a flat cap for most of his life.
While we both hack on the roads in crash hats, he hunts in either a Patey or a silk hat.

I make my own judgement and it is MY judgement.

I WILL NOT BE PREACHED TO - it is my choice.

I hear and understand everything that the pro-hat wearers say - that's their choice.



PS you would have to pay me to wear hi-viz too
 
I am a complete convert to always hat and body protector each time i get on a horse, and if on the roads hi-viz as well
Yes i miss the wind and my hair and no sweaty itchy scalp but ho hum i also would like to live longer and if a hat and body protector go some way to helping that happen so be it
 
If I'm on the mare then yes without a question as she is unpredictable!
I usually wear one 95% of the time on the cobblet but if I am just giving him 20 mins exercise and it's baking hot then I won't. I always wear it for jumping/hacking (I wear Hi-Viz too, but then I used to ride down a very busy main road! :O
 
As much as everyone argues the fact of you wear a hat.. has anyone ever weighed up the facts and virtues of not wearing a hat?
I personally am one who never wears a riding hat unless i have to. I will agree with the majority saying its stupidity, ignorance etc, but i am a natural risk taker. i am one to chance. there's many saying's i could back this up with, including i would rather live regretting i didn't wear one than regretting not trying without. I have fallen off without one many times. Chance, luck, and fate is all you need. i always say if you say you're gonna break your neck, you're gonna. if you say to yourself out loud, i'll be perfectly fine, then you will be perfectly fine.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top