People riding without a riding hat....

MrsMozartletoe said:
It's not personal choice unless you're a hermit.

Been there, had the stupid accident, thanks to my hat I lived to tell the tale, or as much as I could thanks to the bleed on my brain - its very grounding when one's fifteen year old daughter is calling 999 and discussing her Mum in front of one, and one's twelve year old daughter is fighting her way into the ambulance, add one overhearing two consultants discussing drilling a hole in one's head whilst one's husband and daughter are stood next to one, and for a final bit - the mood swings, the incredible sadness, the inability to get across a road and wanting to sit down on the island bit and just cry because you can't figure out the traffic and your OH having to come and get you, stepping out in front of a black cab (luckily he was more aware!) because one just can't register danger/traffic/speeds.

Hm. Personal choice?
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That's made me cry.
 
Agree with Auslander re pros not wearing hats. I used to work as a show jumping groom and it was considered (stupidly ;) ) 'cool' to ride without a hat. The only time many of them did was as they entered the ring to jump. Sure there must be 'elf n safety rules that prevent this from happening in practice areas now, but there certainly weren't then! We all did it. I used to ride one and lead two around Hickstead hatless.
These days I do wear a hat and at our local shows the organiser will interrupt classes over the tannoy if she spots anyone riding hatless, adult or child, and insist that they dismount and get a hat or leave the showground. And some people still get quite arsey about it! :D
 
Your head, your choice.

However, I learnt quite early on that unlike my arms and legs, I only have one head therefore couldn't replace it if I decided to smash it on concrete and spill my brains all over the road, plus it would make an awful mess and quite a headache.

Always ride with a hat, if I ever choose not to I will probably head out on the main road without a saddle and bridle as well. That way I can ensure everyone sees exactly how Much of a **** I will be.

I also don't want to waste the time of the emergency services through my own stupidity.
 
I personally always wear a hat and have never even thought about not putting one on. I've even been laughed at for wearing a hat when leading out in hand but it's my head and my responsibility.
If you don't feel the need to protect your head, maybe because the horse your riding never ever puts a foot wrong or because your a professional rider that has never ever fallen off or maybe you've just had your hair done at the hairdressers and wearing a hat would ruin your perfect doo...whatever the reason I'm sure it's a good one and people should be left to make that choice.
It's just a shame that the emergency services, doctors, nurses and your family don't have a choice not to look after you when your drooling, or pooping in to a bag because you bumped your noggin and you weren't wearing a hat...but your hair looked amazing before they had to shave it off to do surgery, that's ok then!

If people don't want to wear hats then let them, the less stupid people in the world the better.
 
It's not for me, I always where a hat!

What do I think if I see somebody riding without?
A little bit heart in mouth I guess and incredulous that they think they are that good they won't fall off. Do people really think that :confused:?

My sister has a head injury (not from riding) and when we went to see her in hospital she didn't know who we were :(. Her eldest son had to (and still does 17 yrs on) live with his grandparents as she couldn't remember him or accept him.

It was a very worrying and sad time that I wouldn't wish on anybody.

I appreciate a hat doesn't make me invincible but if it goes half way to protecting me, then it is good enough for me.
 
Interesting comments, all of which would be very different if we all lived in a different country.

British citizens are very fortunate to have instant access to the best FREE medical care possible. That comfortable knowlege leaves us able to take risks because the NHS will pick up the pieces, hopefully put us back together and it's all for free.

I have ridden without a hat when I was young, unbreakable and stupid. I splattered my head and my horses knees, sure enough the NHS patched me up for free, horse cost a fortune to mend. Maybe, if it cost us personally, a fortune each time we needed medical intervention for our stupidity we would think a bit more logically.

Another point worth thinking about is the age of our hats. I have just started riding a young horse and putting on my old faithful, extra comfy skull cap, I thought about the last time this hat climbed aboard a youngster.......
1995 and it has had a few crash landings between 1995 and 2012.

Time for a new one then, that shopping trip was an eye opener .....how much ? !! Things certainly have changed, I guess I will get used to the new one soon but I hate the chin strap affair, the old one had the chin harness, those are not made anymore much to my dismay.
 
I've spent alot of time in the last year working with people with varying degrees of brain damage, from a persistant vegative state, to locked in syndrome and to people who are awake but never the same again. The pain the family go through is awful.

Brains just do not mend like bones, I cannot for the life of me see why people don't take every reasonable measure to protect the one thing that truly makes you you.

I can't think of any adverse effects for not wearing a hat apart from maybe a headache or a hot head. I think anyone who chooses to ride without a hat is a complete idiot no exceptions. It goes for all risky supports - protect yourself to the best you can!!!
 
redriverrock said:
Hi, really hope you dont mind me asking was a community art project set up in her name...just sent some fabric (i own a fabric wholesalers) to a group who was set up in memory of a 17 year old girl who died in a very similar way.
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Yes, that would be her. In Leics.

The year before she was killed we bought her pony, so quite close to home for us.
 
I jut think its inconceivably stupid not to wear a hat. Utterly utterly stupid not to wear something that could save your life for the sake of pride or fashion or the belief 'it will never be me'. There are no disadvantages to wearing a hat, especially in a day and age where hats are light, comfy an stylish. If you fall and injure your head it will be your family having to pick up the pieces, maybe literally. Madness. It doesn't make me angry, more shake my head at people who can't understand that you only have head and it can't just be mended like a broken arm.
 
I used to hack my little mare out bare back with no hat in a head collar some days around the farm tracks. It was only ever when I go down the farm not planning to ride so minus my tack and would just think, sod it.

She was ace.

Would I do it now though? Probably not after having a freak accident where I ended up hitting the concrete...hard. Cracked my hat in the process amongst other things and it scared me silly.
 
I think they're idiots.

I was riding a lovely, very calm horse a couple of weeks out hacking. Normally fine in all days. A tractor came past incredibly fast and spooked him, he slipped and fell over on top of me.

I escaped with a broken nose, a bit of concussion and nasty bruises (and a funny lump has appeared on my hip which we landed on but whatever). My hat had a a lovely crack in it.

Not one bit the horses fault, nothing I could of done but I have no doubt I'd of had at least a fractured skull, at best, without the hat.

Obviously could of all been prevented if the tractor man had half a brain, but he evidently didn't as just drove off, left me with blood all over my face ect without saying a word. Police are on the case but thats another story.

Anyway, it just reneforced, at the end of the day, no matter how sane the horse you're on, accidents happen. And its just not worth the risk.
 
I used to ski - I wore a helmet
I cycle - I use a helmet
I ride - I wear a helmet

For those who are comparing it to wearing protective gloves/body protectors, wearing a hat is nothing remotely similar. Broken bones can (usually) be fixed, but a head injury can be catastrophic as Mrs M has pointed out.

Risk your arms, risk your legs, but don't risk your head. It's really not worth it.

I used to ride without a hat when I was younger and thought "it would never happen to me", but when you grow up and see people who have had catastrophic head injuries unable to do anything for themselves, can't walk, can't feed themselves, can't talk etc you change your mind.

Even if you don't wear a hat for yourself, wear it for those you love, as they will be the ones who will have to give up the rest of their lives to care for you.
 
If I see someone without a hat I ask them as nicely as possible if they realise they haven't got their hat on. Mainly because I have had a couple of senile moments and forgotten for some weird reason to put mine on. Was riding in the woods jumping ditches and logs when my hair snagged on a branch, oops. Walked sedately home :o

I have also been bucked off a horse, knocked out for a few mins, the horse didn't touch me but my hat was badly cracked, so glad it wasn't my head!

Agree with most of the other posters, we know it's a risk sport so protect yourself!!
 
Would never ride without a hat, I had a brain infection which led to short term memory loss and poor eyesight/wobbily pupil (not horse related) and couldn't remember why I was in hospital, what had happened and i dont remember a good 2 months of my life around that time! I have never felt more vulnerable than I did then. Would never put myself at risk of something like that happening out of pure stupidity, I was lucky my memory came back and I can get on with my life, might not be the same if it's a hard whack to your head.
 
This is why you should wear a hat:

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Not my hat but someone I know. She escaped with a bad concussion. Driver came past too close and fast and scared her pony, she ended up on the road. I'm sure her family are very pleased she wears a hat!
 
Ignorant idiots. And of course if they suffer a brain injury from coming off without a hat everyone else will have to pick up the pieces and look after them. Of course they are too selfish to think about that though. Like I said, ignorant idiots...
 
So your flimsy skull is how many feet from solid concrete or tarmac ?, and if you come off at speed and are projected from the horse, why would you possibly need a hat.........NOA
 
AdorableAlice said:
Interesting comments, all of which would be very different if we all lived in a different country.

British citizens are very fortunate to have instant access to the best FREE medical care possible. That comfortable knowlege leaves us able to take risks because the NHS will pick up the pieces, hopefully put us back together and it's all for free.
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Hmm this argument is totally flawed.............Ever been to America? Not seen many cowboys in skull caps and they sure don't have a NHS. :p

I for one would not be climbing aboard a bronco without a hat (infact I would be getting on a bronco full stop). ;)
 
in summer i often climb on fox and ride him across the field to the gate without thinking twice, but i wouldnt ever go out a hack without one!

i rode in the school for literally 5 mins the other day to get him moving as he was being lazy for my new sharer, but apart from that i always wear mine.

i dont judge others if they choose not to wear them, i trust my horse with my life so fair play to them if they feel the same.
 
I am the daughter of a brain injured person. it was many years ago now and although my mum was wearing a hat she suffered a brain injury after falling from a safe riding school horse. Her hat was broken in half and the consultant said if she hadnt had a hat on she would be dead.
I never ride without a hat and my kids would never even sit on a horse without but they ride out in the same area as Guy Williams who I have never seen with a hat on when hacking out .
We have a local girl with a horse related brain injury that has had her life destroyed . We are friends of the family and see the pain that they are all suffering and will do for the rest of her life. Two years later this bright young women with her life ahead of her is still struggling to relearn how to stand .

what does it cost to wear a hat in real terms .

I will never forget the trauma of having a mother who didnt recognise me and kept saying the same thing over and over for weeks. The affects of the injury have left her with no sense of taste or smell and a problem with concentration
 
Have ridden down the field with no hat, but would never go near a road without one. Have to confess that last week I hopped on my mare bareback for a quick hack on the woods, got half an hour into my ride and relised my head felt cold- I had totally forgotten my hat. Carried on my ride as 60 years ago riders didnt wear hats, but wouldnt intentionally not wear my hat when I ride out.
 
I had a head injury many years ago..not horse related. I can still remember the terror I felt when I could not remember ordinary things about my life and how sick I felt.
I always wear a hat when riding but also if handling horses.
Recently I added a BP after a fall which resulted in a broken collarbone. Both my hat and BP are correctly fitted and I'm not aware of having them on.
Last week someone I know was leading a horse and He knocked her over and she banged her head and lost consciousness. She was lucky that the ground was soft and that it was not concrete or stone.
 
I have only not worn a hat twice, purely for selfish reasons. I made everything as safe as I possibly could. Both times it was a photoshoot and I was just sitting there. I put it back on between takes and was ready to hop off if something went wrong.
I knew very well something could go wrong and I would never 'properly' ride without one!
 
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