If a riding hat has taken a knock...

[Malin100]

Can hats be checked thoroughly for damage?

I had a fall the other day in the school and whilst it was on sand, I did bash my head enough for it to hurt a fair bit so I was considering getting a new hat this weekend, or as soon as I can get to the shop. It was £120 and I only bought it fairly recently so I'm quite disappointed but on the other hand, it's my most important piece of kit and so obviously if I need to have a new one, I will.

The only thing that has got me wondering is that someone mentioned to me they had a similar (actually worse - proper concussion) fall and had their hat checked and didn't need a new one. I know the shop they went to so I was considering taking it there to check before buying a new one but I must admit I'm just not convinced...do shops 'check' hats and if so, what does it involve? I'm very surprised they would tell someone they don't need a new one. I thought they'd always recommend a new one. I think if somone checked my hat, I wouldn't be happy unless it was somehow scanned/x rayed in a way, because otherwise, how could they know about any invisible damage?

 

[henmother]

In short, no. I contacted Charles Owen after my fall, they could test it for research purposes and to improve future hats, but I had to sign the hat over to them, had only had it 9 month . They explained that the way modern hats protect is the guts of the had absorb the impact, so once it's took the impact once it's no good. Sorry, that's really basic,that's the way I understood it. Hopefully someone can explain in a more scientific way.
Buy new, protect your head.

 

[Malin100]

This is what I suspected. I feel I need to tell my friend she really does need to get one too, despite what the people at the shop may have told her!

 

[Sugar_and_Spice]

If a hat is totally wrecked inside, when you squeeze it firmly both from front/back and side/side, it will have excessive movement and may even squeek! But that doesnt mean a hat that feels solid is fine.

If you had a fall that hurt your head, surely that means the hats structure was insufficient to protect you? If the hat had absorbed all the impact you wouldn't have been hurt, so I guess the hat must be damaged to its maximum, on some part? I would think its why we're told to replace a hat after any fall, because theres no way of knowing how much damage has occurred.

 

[sarah23]

Be very careful when people or shops say they can test or repair hats. I work in a saddlers and no you can not test or repair hats apart from what henmother has already said.

I had someone come into the shop the other month with a hat that had deep scraps in it. She was wanting to buy a new one while that hat was being fixed. When I asked her what she meant she told me a friend knew somewhere that would fix it for her so she was going to get it fixed and just wanted a cheap hat while it was being fixed. I nearly died when she told me that and she nearly died when I told her that hats can not be fixed and the damage to her hat so very bad and she need to put it in the bin it was very dangerous and they would me messing with a safety item which is a big NO NO. She had no idea and was very grateful that I had prob saved her from a very serious accident.

Where I work we deal with Jockeys and we had a jockey come in to buy a new hat as he had a fall and had been galloped over. No marks on the outer shell at all. We where asked to send it off to the manufactures so they could look at it to help to see what happens to hats. Anyway they sent photos back to us to show the inside and the inners was so thin where it had taken all the impact. When you see the state of it you realise just how important they are and that hat has NO damage to the out side so you would have no idea how bad it was. I can tell you when I see that, I had a hat that had a few knock with, I bought a new one and will always buy a new one if I take a knock in it.

 

[Malin100]

Thanks everyone. Just as I had expected. New hat for me ASAP! (And hopefully for my friend, too.)

 

[Proud Wexford Hero]

I always used to worry about damage to my riding hats as I've taken a fair few knocks over the years. I now have a KEP hat, and even though they are very pricey they are worth every penny. The difference with these hats are that you can actually take the liners out of the hat so you can see the inside of the shell, and you will be able to see any damage, so you will know whether to discard or not. They also are stamped to british standard. Have a look and see what you think.

 

[maree t]

My daughter had a bad fall last march and although she didnt complain of head aches etc we bought her a new hat. December the pony she was riding reared up and smacked her in the head. She did have a headache and when you squeezed it it made a noise. So great another £100 on a new hat but the last two did their jobs and protected her head.
If I am in doubt they get a new hat. You cant fix brain damage can you

 

[BeckyCandy]

It is not really to do with what the hat may look like the inner shell of the hat has polystyrene in which has lots of tiny air bubbles. When you fall off and hit the hat all the air bubbles burst absorbing the impact saving your head. Once you've fallen off and hit it that's it new hat. The polystyrene may look completely fine it doesn't mean it is. I used to fit hats and neither Charles Owen or champion etc etc would tell you to see if it looks okay if it does it's fine. Please replace the hat for £100 you can get a decent hat with all the safety standards and stop you having a nasty outcome

 

[*hic*]

There's a reason I prefer to buy cheap unfashionable hats up to BS:EN1384 and PAS015, they may not look the mutts nutts but I have far less pain replacing a £50 hat than a £150 hat. There were tests done by, IIRC, MDIRF a few years ago that showed that more expensive was not necessarily any better in terms of safety. Once you've got an up to spec hat the biggest influence on safety is having the right fit.

 

[TrasaM]

I watched a program on horse and country and, I think it was Champion, showed criss sections of hats that had been damaged. As beckycandy says, they look ok on the outside but the polystyrene inner collapses. I recently replaced my after a fall. My head didn't too bad a bump but it seemed wiser to replace.

 

[trakehnersrock!]

I have a hat to throw away waiting for my OH to bash it first with a hammer. Why? you may ask. Well, because it looks ok, perfect in fact and I worry that someone may recycle it from the tip and then sell it at a boot sale as good to wear when it may not be . Well, from the above comments almost certainly it will not be!

 

[henmother]

It is not really to do with what the hat may look like the inner shell of the hat has polystyrene in which has lots of tiny air bubbles. When you fall off and hit the hat all the air bubbles burst absorbing the impact saving your head. Once you've fallen off and hit it that's it new hat. The polystyrene may look completely fine it doesn't mean it is. I used to fit hats and neither Charles Owen or champion etc etc would tell you to see if it looks okay if it does it's fine. Please replace the hat for £100 you can get a decent hat with all the safety standards and stop you having a nasty outcome

That's what I was trying to say but my meds couldn't get the words out. Just to add, if you have had a fall, you could send your hat off for research purposes. I filled in an accident form so they knew exactly what kind of impact the hat had absorbed and use the information and your hat for research. You do have to pay to send hat off, Charles Owen were great with me and sent a courier as I'm housebound in a wheelchair. It gave me some comfort when buying my new hat, that my old damaged hat may help the manufacturers develop better hats.

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I have a hat to throw away waiting for my OH to bash it first with a hammer. Why? you may ask. Well, because it looks ok, perfect in fact and I worry that someone may recycle it from the tip and then sell it at a boot sale as good to wear when it may not be . Well, from the above comments almost certainly it will not be!

Simples - cut the straps off!

I've said this before, but if you then shove the hat sideways into a deep hedge, you may find birds use them.
Last spring, I had 3 lots of blue-tits, 1 pair of blackbirds and a robin pair using 5 of the 6 old hats shoved into the holly hedge behind the stables

 

[trakehnersrock!]

Thanks for that Fuzzy Furry! I've done the straps, will do the hedge later.

 

[Goldenstar]

It's irritating having to throw away a hat but it's cheaper and better than damaging your head .
The one I am told saved my life I burned on my sitting fire and we toasted it as it burned it seemed a fitting end for it.

 

[moana]

In short - no. You would be advised to replace it as soon as possible. Sorry for the bad news, but at least you are OK.

 

[hnmisty]

Take a look at the pics of Oliver Townend's hat after the fall where he ended up with a horse's bum on his head. His hat looks fine, there's barely even a scratch on it.

Then they cracked it open, and internally it was totally and utterly *******ed.