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

I wear mines when schooling, hacking, jumping you name it.

I have been guilty of jumping on the old man BB to walk him down to the field (grass track) with no hat on and not thought about it till afterwards :o

I came off on the road a few weeks ago and had to throw out a much loved hat as I landed right on my head from a horse I have came off of once since I have owned her and it was a cracker both me and her hit the neck and she partially rolled over me.

Without my hat I wouldnt have been getting up and running after her with sore ribs, a mild concussion and blurred vision, I would be in a box in the ground.
 
I would always wear a hat, and I would hope my sister would do the same. However, I don't really think it's anyone else's business beyond that of the person and their family.

For the NHS argument, I think morbidly obese people, smokers, heavy drinkers, silly teenagers and RTAs cost the NHS far more than the people who smash their heads in riding. So as long as the person is paying tax and the likes (and lets face it, to own a horse you generally are in a higher tax bracket or have people backing you who are...) then that argument isn't really as strong as it is thought.

For the example setting, that annoys me! If you haven't raised your child well enough for them to make a clear and educated decision about their own safety based off what they know about themselves and the horse then surely you need to rethink?

FWIW, I never wear a BP unless I really need to. I jumped for the first time in 20 months, and didn't wear one despite it being a strange horse. But I'd never ever ever ride in anything other than proper riding boots. Even Dubarry types make me cringe! Your idea of safety is all relative I think...
 
lannerch said:
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!
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i wonder how many people wouldn't though if it wasn't illegal to not have your seatbelt on. i personally would always have mine on but i know quite a few people who STILL don't wear them all of the time and they obviously risk getting points on their licence.....
 
Many now including my oh! I remember when you did not have to belt up and even more didn't !

I remember when I was in hospital ( Atkinson Mawley ) the consultant for head injuries said he saw more serious head injuries for riding accidents than motor cycle accidents!
Food for thought
 
Super_Kat said:
Since winning the Europeans I've decided that hats are beneath me, I'm far too good be be seen in one of those things..... :D
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~Snorts!~:D

Lolo said:
I would always wear a hat, and I would hope my sister would do the same. However, I don't really think it's anyone else's business beyond that of the person and their family.

For the NHS argument, I think morbidly obese people, smokers, heavy drinkers, silly teenagers and RTAs cost the NHS far more than the people who smash their heads in riding. So as long as the person is paying tax and the likes (and lets face it, to own a horse you generally are in a higher tax bracket or have people backing you who are...) then that argument isn't really as strong as it is thought.

For the example setting, that annoys me! If you haven't raised your child well enough for them to make a clear and educated decision about their own safety based off what they know about themselves and the horse then surely you need to rethink?

FWIW, I never wear a BP unless I really need to. I jumped for the first time in 20 months, and didn't wear one despite it being a strange horse. But I'd never ever ever ride in anything other than proper riding boots. Even Dubarry types make me cringe! Your idea of safety is all relative I think...
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Very good post. :D
 
Im definately one of the hats-on brigade. I think its selfish for people to choose not to wear one when at the end of the day, if you end up with a bad head injury - its your family and friends who end up suffering too having to look aftery you.
 
To answer the OP question, I rode hatless yesterday :eek:
Why?
I was teaching my one and only pupil (good friend) and I needed to sit on the horse (very rare). I've ridden this horse since it was backed (4 years ago) and know it inside out. I was in an enclosed areana and only needed to walk /trot to demo the point.
Reason I rode without hat was I didn't have one with me. Also in jeans, T shirt and short jod boots as wasn't expecting to ride.
No one else around as private yard so not being a bad influence on younger riders or breaking any yard rules.
Not something i do normally and certainly wouldn't have jumped, hacked out etc without hat. Just needed 5 mins on the horse in a situation where risk was very very low.
 
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 this absolutely. A friend of a friend is brain damaged and she wore a hat, so without one you stand little chance of escaping inury with a head impact!
I also subscribe to wearing a body protector when jumping. It is wrong imo to say it's nobody else's business, unless the rider is willing to carry a card saying 'in case of head injury -my head, my choice, my fault - do not waste taxpayer's money medicating'. Similarly motorcyclists in t-shirts and shorts!!
 
MagicMelon said:
Im definately one of the hats-on brigade. I think its selfish for people to choose not to wear one when at the end of the day, if you end up with a bad head injury - its your family and friends who end up suffering too having to look aftery you.
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I wasnt going to bother revisiting this thread, but am having a crap morning and can see its ended up as it always does on the hat debate. Now I for one dont lose sleep over people not wearing hats, but dont subscribe to the 'its my business' side either. Its all of our business when all is said and done, as apart from the teenagers on here, I suspect we are all tax payers. Our tax and NI payments go to fund the NHS, which is where you are most likely to be treated if you fall off and have a an accident while hatless. Without getting into a political argument, as we all know the NHS is vastly over-used and abused, do we really want to add to that?
 
I should add to this argument, I had a freak accident on the road last night whilst out going for a pootle round the block. Horse is always a little spooky, never a problem. Last night, something (no idea what, maybe a noisy leaf) spooked Jay (16.2hh large boned wb) she jumped up in the air, tried to bolt but her back end went straight underneath her and we both hit the deck at speed on concrete and skidded a good couple of feet down the road.

I was really lucky not to have been more hurt, Jay was lucky we were on a relatively quiet lane close to home and there were no cars about when she galloped home.

I am not a bad rider by any stretch, i'm not scared or unbalanced and Jay spooks like this most times we hack and occasionally in the arena and we have no problems!

It could happen to anyone, regardless of how good they are but if i wasn't wearing my hat then i don't think i'd be sat here typing this.

Yeah some people think they'll never fall off, i haven't fallen off for years and i've got a pretty sticky backside and deal with most spooks, jumps, spins whatever, but that doesn't mean the horse won't fall or trip underneath me.

It's foolish not to wear protective headgear. i feel a bloomin idiot for not wearing a long sleeved top as i have no skin left on my elbow - but to not wear a hat is a foolish risk that nobody need take imo.
 
Lolo said:
For the NHS argument, I think morbidly obese people, smokers, heavy drinkers, silly teenagers and RTAs cost the NHS far more than the people who smash their heads in riding. So as long as the person is paying tax and the likes (and lets face it, to own a horse you generally are in a higher tax bracket or have people backing you who are...) then that argument isn't really as strong as it is thought.
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I agree with this. If we take the argument that its selfish to expect the NHS and family to pay the price for a hatless rider having an accident, then, by the same token, being overweight costs the NHS far more. Those who have a stroke, heart attack, diabetes, breathing difficulties because they are morbidly obese are, according to this argument, far more selfish.
As are bungee jumpers, mountaineers, sky divers, scramblers, rally drivers and anyone riding a sharp horse.

If you get kicked in the stomach and split your spleen bringing a horse in, are you selfish for having a hobby that is a 'risk' ?

Personally, I get far more annoyed at riders on roads with no hi viz and not in control of their horses, as they are putting other peoples lives directly at risk.
Not wearing a hat only injures the rider who takes that decision.
 
lannerch said:
I remember when I was in hospital ( Atkinson Mawley ) the consultant for head injuries said he saw more serious head injuries for riding accidents than motor cycle accidents!
Food for thought
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Not really - if you think about the mechanics of a serious riding accident vs a motorcycle accident :confused:

Lolo's point about relativity of risks, and horserider's about taking risks which directly endanger others (e.g. no hi vis / daft horses on roads) are sensible in my humble opinion.
 
Theres this twit who rides around Chertsey on his horse and never wears a hat just his sun glasses. People who are non horsey who I work with have commented on his stupidity! He looks like a total goon - not wearing it in the school in one thing (I always wear mine) but out of the roads is completely nuts and its usually in morning rush hour.. I see him on my way in in the morning!
 
I always wear a hat, accidents happen... I used to be at a yard with a girl who never ever wore a hat! Used to frighten me to death! She used to hack out youngsters without a hat, used to school all her horses without a hat, she even used to jump her stallion without a hat, i saw her go around a good 1.30 course with no hat!! the only time she would wear a hat was out competing, becuase she had to!!! :eek:
 
lannerch said:
Many now including my oh! I remember when you did not have to belt up and even more didn't !

I remember when I was in hospital ( Atkinson Mawley ) the consultant for head injuries said he saw more serious head injuries for riding accidents than motor cycle accidents!
Food for thought
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I wonder if a lot of the motorbike accidents get to resus. and never make it out?
 
Lolo said:
I wonder if a lot of the motorbike accidents get to resus. and never make it out?
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A lot of motorbike accidents don't make it to resus :( . I was a lucky one & thanks to my skid lid all the damage to my head area I had was a black eye & a knocked out false tooth.

This is the outside damage to hitting the floor at ~30mph :
IMG_0750-1.jpg


I would never ride without a hat on the horse the same as I wouldn't ride without a helmet on my motorbike. I know my horse isn't 100% bombproof.. something might spook her when I'm not paying attention & I don't like the thought of my head falling 16hh to the floor! :-/
 
YasandCrystal said:
Ditto this absolutely. A friend of a friend is brain damaged and she wore a hat, so without one you stand little chance of escaping inury with a head impact!
I also subscribe to wearing a body protector when jumping. It is wrong imo to say it's nobody else's business, unless the rider is willing to carry a card saying 'in case of head injury -my head, my choice, my fault - do not waste taxpayer's money medicating'. Similarly motorcyclists in t-shirts and shorts!!
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What if your horse injured you in some other way? This is an 'at risk' sport, so therefore, that would be taking away taxpayers money....yes?
 
DragonSlayer said:
What if your horse injured you in some other way? This is an 'at risk' sport, so therefore, that would be taking away taxpayers money....yes?
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Exactly. I wear and body protector for xc and race riding but since I injured my ankle I still cost 'taxpayer's' money, but isn't that what national insurance is for?
I hate wearing a BP though, and wouldn't wear one for SJ.

BTW Doing most drugs is safer than horse riding so if you wanted to save taxpayer's money you shouldn't ride, you would be better of doing E's!
 
Surely though, if you suffer a head injury, while riding and not wearing a hat....however it happened, you would null and void any insurance claim?? Ok the NHS would hopefully stick you back together, but it doesn't mean that you would get any pay out via personal injury insurance, loss of earnings etc. I bet that the insurance company would refuse on the basis that wearing a hat 'could' have reduced the injury or even prevented it.

Dizzy
 
I guess maybe if you had personal injury insurance some freelance groom on here would likely know :) and then it would be silly to void it if they paid specially for it!. Unsure about others but I know my standard horse insurance only covers for loss of eyes, limbs, or death I believe so it wouldnt be relevant, and the compensation amounts ranging up to just £8000 wouldnt be much use anyway.
 
I always wear a hat.
The only time I dont is if I just get on BB in the field and/or I'm riding my Shetland, biscuit. He's a fat monster and I'd put any novice on him. I'm jumped him with no hat. But I usually wear one :)
 
i always wear a hat.

If its too hot to wear a hat..... dont ride.... simples.

(then again i also wear a BP as when i fall i generally slam rather than fall gracefully to my feet :D )

where theres no brain theres no feeling for some :D
 
irony being the fields probably one of the most dangerous places to do it- hard ground, more chances of something random causing them to bolt, likely to just be wearing a headcollar, you are bareback, and hard ground! Im not criticising as an occasional non-hat wearer myself I just find it interesting the situations that people find themselves feeling safest ie you are just walking (well hopefully!), but wouldnt ride "properly" in one and yet a manege- soft surface, full tack, more concentration on controlling the horse, is probably safer :p :D.

I think this thread has got a little off track poor OP just wanted to know reasons why you wouldnt wear a hat lol though I too interpreted it wrong upon first reading :)
 
Anyone who doesn't wear a helmet is a SELFISH IDIOT - who gives a stuff what you look like in a helmet or how well you ride - just consider the family and friends you leave behind or enslave into caring for you for the rest of your natural brain damaged life.

Sorry if I am coming across harsh it really angers me that people can be so selfish - I feel the same about people who don't wear seat belts and who drive recklessly endangering others - I have a 10cm scar across my face from going through a windscreen as a teenager as the result of a reckless driver.
 
i do understand why the hat/no hat debate provokes such strong feelings...but i honestly think that unless we all do everything around horses wearing full safety gear at all times then can we really criticise the people who don't wear hats so badly- i wouldn't dream of riding without my hat but equally wouldn't dream of going to catch my horse from field/turn out wearing a hat - and i've had a few near misses in the field with other ponies and my old horse. i also wouldn't wear a hat for loading/lungeing etc and i only wear a BP for XC... yet i could get booted in the head loading my horse and that would be ok and not selfish but if i rode without hat then that would be selfish?
i really do think that some people are very hypocritical. i still come back to my original point (that i think Lolo mentioned as well and maybe a few others?) that fat people and people who live unhealthy lifestyles (drinking, smoking etc) put FAR more strain on the NHS in terms of money per year than hatless horse riders who have had their head bashed in- i am 100% convinced of this- yet do people run up to obese people in the street and shout at them for being selfish and a drain on taxes etc- no they probably don't because (i would hope!) they will respect that person's feelings and choice to live their life as they want to???
some of the opinions on HHO generally about the hat/not hat debate make me really mad! yes there are always sad stories of hatless people killing themselves/getting brain damage and this IS very sad- but it is THEIR choice at the end of the day.,.for whatever reason they take the decision that they don't wish to wear a hat. i take a decision not to wear a BP to showjump and i might have a horrific fall and break my back- but it is MY decision and mine alone..... argh! rant over.
sorry OP- not sure why people ride without hats. i suspect that for a lot of pros its the whole faff of having to wear one- i guess they feel that the chances of a fall are minimal...my trainer only wears a hat to compete unless its a new/sharp horse she is riding....
 
The first time I was walking to my horse with my safety helmet on, he looked at me, shaked his head and didn't want me to get on. The same happened the second, third and fourth time. You know what he said to me ? . "Heeeeh since when don't you trust me anymore"

So from that day on, I ride with my baseball cap on my head again, like I did for the last fourteen years with my big black breeding stallion (1.87 Mtrs) and his four sons and two daughters.


Ohhhhhhh, I did forget to tell you that I have two youngsters who I always ride with my helmet on, at least for now.
 
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