People riding without a riding hat....

[Cortez]

I don't wear a hat in the ordinary run of things, but will do so when required to at competitions, other people's arenas, hacking (I never hack), breaking a horse. Wearing a hat is sensible, not wearing one is a personal choice. Plenty of people are killed wearing hats; they are not a guarentee of safety. My work requires me to ride hatless and I have done so for more than 40 years. Am I stupid/selfish/vain/arrogant? Not particularly; I just don't think it is vital - and I have survived, annoyingly for some I'm sure.

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Been done to death.

1) If you think your brain isn't worth protecting, you're probably right.

2) The easiest of horses can stumble, spook, get into a tricky or weird situation you can't forsee.

3) Don't wear your helmet for you, wear it for those that love you.

4) And what I always say to close loved ones, don't think I'm spoon feeding you applesauce for the rest of your life because a helmet could have saved your brain.


It's that simple. I have a friend that will never be the same again because a horse stumbled at a walk and she fell on a rock. A large rock. Helmet would have meant a concussion at most. This was a very accomplished rider.

I personally don't care who does and doesn't wear a helmet. You ride one of mine, you will wear a helmet. It is that simple. My loved ones must wear helmets.

Terri

 

[monkeybum13]

Each to their own.

For me personally I can't see any benefits to not wearing one. I always wear one to ride

 

[Equilibrium Ireland]

Should add I don't mean to sound snarky. Everyone has choices and I don't preach to adults. Me personally, seen quite a few TBI. All without helmets. Actual friends. More TBI without than with so it's how I base my personal preferences.

Terri

 

[Venevidivici]

It's personal choice,yes. IMO an odd choice not to (I always do) but each to their own. I do not understand the 'wearing a helmet is not a guarantee of safety' argument..no but you're sure as hell a lot safer with one on:-/ There are some recent statistics on head injuries and survival rates for cyclists who were & weren't wearing helmets in accidents(rta's & mountain biking) the results of which were,pardon the pun,a no-brainer. There have been some sad posts on here-my sympathies to those with loved ones who've suffered brain injuries-extremely difficult,(especially for children of the injured.) I think Adorablealice did have a valid point earlier-we are lucky to have the NHS-if we thought we might have to pay out the ££hundreds of thousands to rehabilitate ourselves,we might think twice. I think rider insurance should be invalid if no kitemarked head protection was worn and a claim is made.

 

[Venevidivici]

To clarify ^^^ I mean if a claim is made in relation to head injuries (not to anywhere else on the body) as a hat is the minimum safety measure one should expect someone to take if insuring them? I could see the insurance industry attaching a proportional blame strategy whereby some liability is attributed to the rider if say,no hat (or unstrapped hat) and sustain head injury or no bp and sustain chest injury for eg. (Obviously,as with the rest of the industry,claims of mitigated liability would be subject to doctors' reports.)

 

[MrsMozart]

Re. the NHS point:

I thought it quite poignant that the ambulance crew and the A&E staff actually thanked me for wearing a hat, and the high viz vest I still had on (had just hacked back from a show before having a little canter across the top field). They said that the hat had made their day better, i.e. I didn't die on their shift (that's in it's bluntest form), and b) the air ambulance crew easily found me.

 

[paulineh]

If she was riding either on her own land / yard or out on a public road/ bridleway then that is up to her, she takes the risk, not a good one but it is up to her.

If she was riding on a yard where the rule was to wear a hat then she should have had one on.

Any insurance that the rider should have would be invalid as she was not taking due care and attention.

Any person that is prepared to take the risk of riding without a hat should see the results of the injuries caused by not wearing one.

 

[OWLIE185]

My work requires me to ride hatless and I have done so for more than 40 years.

If your work requires you to work hatless then I wonder if your employers (or those your work for)have carried out a 'Health and Safety Assesment' for this aspect of your work. My worry would be that any insurance cover would be invalidated and in the event of you being seriously injured you may have a major problem in getting any compensation.

 

[Stateside]

I havent worn a hat in years apart from compeating or hunting.My choice. I just hate people who think it is there bisiness to voice an opinion on what I do. I Never use a seatbelt either my choice again.I live my life for me .How long that depends on whatever, I enjoy today . and worry about tommorrow if I wake up to face another day but not before.

 

[MileAMinute]

I havent worn a hat in years apart from compeating or hunting.My choice. I just hate people who think it is there bisiness to voice an opinion on what I do. I Never use a seatbelt either my choice again.I live my life for me .How long that depends on whatever, I enjoy today . and worry about tommorrow if I wake up to face another day but not before.

If you want to do that, then that's fine, as you say it's your choice.

It's your friends/family that I would feel sorry for, having to pick up the pieces should something happen.

I can't see the logic into why you wouldn't wear one?

The only reasons I can muster is it gives you helmet hair and they can be a bit hot. I'd always be showering after riding anyway, basic personal hygiene so the hair issue is eliminated, and you can buy lovely vented cool riding hats now anyway.

ETA - Is insurance invalidated for not wearing a seatbelt when driving? Can't remember.

 

[Ginger_2002]

there is a guy near to where i am that rides without a hat - think he fancies himself as a bit of a new age cool dude western rider , he doesnt say much when you ride past him just does a nod - he looks like a tool

 

[zaminda]

I always reackon people who are riding without a hat deserve whatever happens to them. Yes we have all forgotten to put it on at one time or another, but I don't knowingly get on without one. People who say it is up to the individual forget it is the NHS who foots the bill for the damage they do themselves due to their own stupidity. There is something slightly darwinian about it for me.

 

[4leggedfurries]

Up until a couple of years back would ride the horse bareback and hatless across the field simply because I could't be bothered to walk through all the fields, but always wore a hat for everything else. However after headbutting tarmac after the tiniest of spooks from the horse, and spending the next two days not really having a clue about anything or being able to string a sentance together, I shall never ride without one again. Its all to easy for something to happen and frankly my parents have had enough suffering from me and my many accidents without them having to feed me and change me because I was too stupid to wear a hat...

 

[Spring Feather]

Ride with a hat if you want.

Ride without a hat if you want.

I don't care what anyone does on their own horses.

If you come and ride my horses you will be wearing a hat.

Some of the really stupid things I read posters doing on here tops not wearing a hat IMO. Darwinian theory stands for MANY more things than just whether you wear a riding hat or not. There's some seriously dumb people about lol!

 

[Pocket.Rocket]

I would never ride without a hat. I value my brain.

That said I couldn't care less what other people do on their own horses. My family and closest friends would never treat life (or their insurance claims!) so flippantly and they are all that matters to me.

I have refused to hack out with a girl who doesn't wear a hat, mostly because I don't want to have to deal with the repercussions of her insurance issues / picking up her brain from the concrete and well the snobbish side of me doesn't want associated with that sort of image!

 

[Venevidivici]

Isn't it illegal not to wear a seatbelt if there is one fitted in the vehicle?

 

[piebaldsparkle]

Isn't it illegal not to wear a seatbelt if there is one fitted in the vehicle?

Only if you are on a public highway

 

[ShadowFlame]

Nope, their choice. I've done it once, on my 17yo years ago. Climbed on from a fence, bareback, he took a step sideways, I slid off and cracked my head off a brick. Lesson learned!

 

[JoannaC]

I can't ride without a hat makes me feel really insecure, however as a child thought nothing of it. My dad used to walk the dogs in the evening near where we kept our ponies and I thought nothing of going with him hopping on my pony and cantering round the cross country jumps not only bareback and hatless but no headcollar either! Think we are far more clued up now on what could happen and as others have commented even if you have never fallen off it only takes something silly like a horse slipping over on the road which you simply couldn't prevent. Whereabouts are you op, was it a chestnut arab?

 

[benson21]

I havent worn a hat in years apart from compeating or hunting.My choice. I just hate people who think it is there bisiness to voice an opinion on what I do. I Never use a seatbelt either my choice again.I live my life for me .How long that depends on whatever, I enjoy today . and worry about tommorrow if I wake up to face another day but not before.

Thats all very well, you live your life for you. But what about the people that would have to look after you, to care and nurse you, if God forbid you had an accident. All for the sake of putting a hat on, or a seatbelt. Sorry, but I call that selfish.

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I hold my hands up and admit that I ride without a hat on at home in my field. I will never break in a horse or pony without one and I will never hack out without one on and I will always hae proper boots and chaps on. But when it comes to just hopping on and doing a bit of flatwork schooling I feel more at home in a baseball cap and trainers. This is purely a summer thing as I don't ride mine in winter.

It's kinda funny that I do this at home considering that in my job it is compulsory to wear a hat, boots - long or with chaps - and a body protector and it's second nature to don all of this gear before getting on but it would feel extremely weird to do this at home.

Two sides to every coin.