People who don't wear hats while riding...?

dressagelove

dressagelove

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Just seen a couple of people riding lately in arenas, dressage mainly, without hats. I do a lot of dressage and love it, but can't see why anyone would even think about riding without a hat!

I know that dressage is very elegant and I love to see horses and riders working in harmony looking pristine, but why on earth do some people think that a mere hat ruins the image?!

In this day and age, it looks completely wrong when I see someone riding without a hat, and that they look a bit naked :P

Does anyone on here do it, and why?? Anybody else's thoughts on this?
 
Agree with Baggy Breeches. You are either going to get ignored after a few posts or innundated. For the record, I always wear a hat as I have no wish to become a drooling vegetable, or worse, after a hatless fall. I do NOT subscribe to the 'my head, my business' theory.
 
Haha sorry baggy breeches, I've not been on here overly long, so haven't really seen it...

It strikes me that people who think they are, or are, professional riders dont wear hats as often, maybe because they are excellent riders and they dont fall off very often, but things can still happen, and I just don't understand what people are thinking...
 
hayleyshep88 said:
Haha sorry baggy breeches, I've not been on here overly long, so haven't really seen it...

It strikes me that people who think they are, or are, professional riders dont wear hats as often, maybe because they are excellent riders and they dont fall off very often, but things can still happen, and I just don't understand what people are thinking...
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To quote someone else 'good riders don't fall off, they get launched!'

Usually because they are pushing the mental and physical boundaries of the horses they are riding. I tend not to fall off ambling around but if we are learning new things or training hard then unscheduled dismounts are par for the course.
 
here we go again :D
personally i always wear my hat but then i do fall off a lot- much more than normal people! i do think its up to the individual though- i know there are lots of arguments about if you fall off and smash your head your family will suffer and you'll cost the nhs loads- i understand this but then also people who smoke, drink too much, eat too much etc fit in this category as well...in fact anyone who gets on a horse is risking their life everytime they do it- its a dangerous sport full stop...so yes i think totally up to the individual :)
 
My thoughts on it are, I dont care who wears a hat or doesnt, really. I wouldnt get on a horse without one, but if someone else does I cant get worked up about it. Id not ride out with someone not wearing a hat as Im probably quite selfish and wouldnt want to be bothered with the hassle if they fell on their head and I had to deal with it all. I dont even watch hospital dramas as I dont like gore!
I might notice someone in a pic hasnt got a hat on, but doesnt bother me really, if some random stranger wants to ride without a hat its their risk and no skin off my nose :)
 
This question comes up time and time again and yet it basically boils down to personal choice. They arent doing any harm to you so leave them to make their choices you dont necessarily know the full story anyway- eg I schooled my mare hatless the other day as it was boiling and when my head gets really hot I get prone to dizzy spells and faint so for me this actually was the safest option. Yes I know this is rarely the reason people ride helmetless and I could have not ridden but its my choice which is the main point, and I know my horse inside out and was riding in the same manege we always do with no variable factors in distance of us so the risk was minimal. People can pick holes in this all day but its the way I look at things and as said it is personal choice.

I wouldnt criticise anyone for not wearing a hat, but similarily I wouldnt laugh at anyone wearing a BP to do a DR test despite it "ruining the image" each to their own :) and I cant stand it when other people try to stamp their beliefs on people about helmet use (not talking about you just seen it in the past! :p).

I flat school my two sensible beasties helmetless often partly because helmets often give me headaches from getting a warm head no matter what the weather, however my youngster gets a helmet and a BP as he is still prone to irrational behaviour. If an individual wants to tempt fate to the extreme by riding anything and everything helmetless, on roads, jumping etc then thats your choice I opt for a happy medium :).

PS I agree with diggerbez on the impact on family, NHS etc :)
 
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TheoryX1 said:
Agree with Baggy Breeches. You are either going to get ignored after a few posts or innundated. For the record, I always wear a hat as I have no wish to become a drooling vegetable, or worse, after a hatless fall. I do NOT subscribe to the 'my head, my business' theory.
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Ditto both.

I could bore everyone silly with a picture of my brain again (a bleed after a silly fall).
 
Okay then, its not so much that is peoples own choice, it totally is, i dont care if people want to put themself in risk or not, but i think i was wondering more why as to WHY people do it...

I understand sometimes people are too hot and all the rest of it, but for people that regularly ride without, just wondering what is their reasons behind it. I cant help but think its an image thing.

Very occasionally I might go hatless, but 99% of the time I wear it... I just wonder why....
 
Meh. I think people have to make their own choices so knock yourself out. ;)

I do think though, if you choose to do something that's "socially unacceptable", as going hatless is becoming, then you have to take your lumps, as it were. I could walk down the sidewalk in a clown wig and a tutu, that would be my choice, but I'd be naive to expect no one to stare or possibly comment. It used to be the other way - if you were not a child and chose to wear a helmet then that was seen as an admission you were scared or there was something wrong with your horse. Now it's changed, c'est la vie. People's reactions often have less to do with "caring" and more about identifying with a particular group. Although, not wearing a helmet as a way of setting yourself apart seems a bit biting off your nose to spite your face . . . ;)
 
Quote:
"I flat school my two sensible beasties helmetless often partly because helmets often give me headaches from getting a warm head no matter what the weather,"

Not as bad as the headache you will get from an injury. A well fitting hat should not give you a headache.

From experience, I suffered a serious head injury from a fall from a horse that I was riding at walk down a quiet lane, he slipped and fell and I landed on my head.

A very dear friend of mine was schooling her own horse who she had had for many years and knew well, he stumbled somehow (no one quite knows how, although she had a very well known trainer with her but it happened very quickly) and she came off (BHSI so an accomplished and experienced rider), horse appeared to touch her with a foot and she died four days later never regaining consciousness.

So, in my opinion, why would you ever consider getting on a horse, no matter how well you know it, or whatever the circumstances and situation you are riding it in, without at least protecting your head?
 
"I understand sometimes people are too hot and all the rest of it, but for people that regularly ride without, just wondering what is their reasons behind it. I cant help but think its an image thing.

Very occasionally I might go hatless, but 99% of the time I wear it... I just wonder why.... "

Im unsure on the image front for me its just heat related (horses are kept at home with no-one to watch :p).


Im the same not quite 99% but it gets worn for hacking, jumping and every other horse except the twosome for flatwork and even then I usually wear it on them unless its really hot (fainting) or Im riding them one after the other - cue guaranteed stinking headache!

Ahh back to your question Why rather than right or wrong! -

I have no idea aside from headaches and being an epic failure with overheating when its hot why you wouldnt wear one really..maybe to prevent hat hair? ;) heheh LOL.

:)

Bert&maud its not the helmet its how hot my head gets in hats, helmets etc Im an expert overheating fainter! Yes really unlucky accidents do happen for me its about balancing the odds.
 
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Bert&Maud said:
Quote:
"I flat school my two sensible beasties helmetless often partly because helmets often give me headaches from getting a warm head no matter what the weather,"

Not as bad as the headache you will get from an injury. A well fitting hat should not give you a headache.

From experience, I suffered a serious head injury from a fall from a horse that I was riding at walk down a quiet lane, he slipped and fell and I landed on my head.

A very dear friend of mine was schooling her own horse who she had had for many years and knew well, he stumbled somehow (no one quite knows how, although she had a very well known trainer with her but it happened very quickly) and she came off (BHSI so an accomplished and experienced rider), horse appeared to touch her with a foot and she died four days later never regaining consciousness.

So, in my opinion, why would you ever consider getting on a horse, no matter how well you know it, or whatever the circumstances and situation you are riding it in, without at least protecting your head?
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very sorry to hear about your friend that is very sad :(

My horse is a bit...erm...sharp- so much so that if i ride in the school at home he will spook and spin VERY violently and he will often come close to unseating me- and he does unseat me regularly.... now am i not irresponsible for getting on him in the first place? hatless or not?
 
Am I too late?
popcorn.gif
 
If they don't wanna wear them, then leave 'em to it, bugger all to do with anyone else. Look after yourself and don't stress, life is FAAAAAAR too short to be worrying over such things....

I wear a hat, my choice, but I don't sit in judgment over any adult who prefers not to...
 
Better alive with a hot head than cool and dead!

I too have had a serious head injury from a riding accident where my hat was not fastened. My memory is pernamently affected!
If you want to drive you belt up prehaps the same should apply to riding!
 
DragonSlayer said:
If they don't wanna wear them, then leave 'em to it, bugger all to do with anyone else. Look after yourself and don't stress, life is FAAAAAAR too short to be worrying over such things....

I wear a hat, my choice, but I don't sit in judgment over any adult who prefers not to...
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I am only making for a good discussion!! I am not stressing over it believe me, I do not lose any sleep over it. If people want to do it then fine, I am just wondering why they do it.

I fyou dont want to participate with a particular point then never mind ;)
 
hayleyshep88 said:
I am only making for a good discussion!! I am not stressing over it believe me, I do not lose any sleep over it. If people want to do it then fine, I am just wondering why they do it.

I fyou dont want to participate with a particular point then never mind ;)
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...but I don't understand....you asked if anyone else does it, surely that then....invites debate from people who might not care to wear a hat, and those who don't give a damn either way?
 
DragonSlayer said:
...but I don't understand....you asked if anyone else does it, surely that then....invites debate from people who might not care to wear a hat, and those who don't give a damn either way?
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I don't particularly care either way either though lol, I am just interested as to why people don't, ie. I was asking people who don't, WHY they don't. It did possibly sound like in my OP that I was starting a debate, but I was merely asking why people why they think people do it....
 
I always wear a hat just because I think its important to set a good example, even when I'm riding 'The Sofa'.
Times have changed, when I was young, it was common not to wear one for leisure riding or riding at home and I never gave it a second thought. We didn't wear seat belts in cars either in those days.
 
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