Professional dressage rider - no hat?!

[Cortez]

I wonder if it's because of the NHS, in part, as all of are expected to pay for anything that happens as the result of not wearing one? it is an interesting cultural phenomenon.

Dunno, but I do think you have a very prevalent nanny state/health-and-safety-overload/risk averse/Nervous Nelly thing going on over there

 

[Hannahgb]

I wonder if it's because of the NHS, in part, as all of are expected to pay for anything that happens as the result of not wearing one? it is an interesting cultural phenomenon.

I have to agree with this, I do feel if youve chosen not to, you shoudnt get free healthcare if something happens, same with motobikes/ not wearting leathers etc

 

[Cortez]

I have to agree with this, I do feel if youve chosen not to, you shoudnt get free healthcare if something happens, same with motobikes/ not wearting leathers etc

So.....does this also apply to smokers, the obese, alcoholics, etc.?

 

[PurBee]

Hats do seem to be a personal preference. People choose for themselves in everything through life how and if to protect themselves, even then there’s no guarantees.

Christopher Reeve was wearing both a hat and a body protector when he had his fateful accident.

Horse-riding can be dangerous. We know this.
So can driving a car.
So can eating fried foods regularly.
We’ll never wave a magic wand and dispel risk from this world....especially if we insist on mounting half tonne flight animals for our pleasure!

 

[Rowreach]

So.....does this also apply to smokers, the obese, alcoholics, etc.?

I suppose the argument is that people who smoke/eat/drink too much are paying a lot of tax, so they have it covered. There isn't a no-hat-wearing tax And the wearing of a helmet on a motorbike (if you are on the highway) is compulsory.

(and no, I don't think healthcare should be withdrawn from those who choose to do dangerous things).

 

[Littlebear]

I have to agree with this, I do feel if youve chosen not to, you shoudnt get free healthcare if something happens, same with motobikes/ not wearting leathers etc

That's a can of worms right there! And its not 'free' we all pay for it.

 

[Myloubylou]

I wear a hat as accidents happen even on most placid horses. Case in point is my mare tripped in the school in trot, she managed to recover us but I was headed to arena fence. It is yard rule we have to wear, for those who don’t it’s their business but can’t think of a reason not to unless you forgot your hat? Won’t save you in all circumstances but reduces the odds. Having said that rode in a cowboy hat one summer but was riding western.

 

[tallyho!]

Just seen that a well known professional dressage rider went for a lesson with this country's most famous and well respected rider/trainer, and wasn't wearing a riding hat.
The mind boggles. Are you less likely to have an accident if youre a professional rider? (I'm thinking big powerful fit competition horses) What sort of example is this? Did the trainer not insist on this person wearing a hat? Does the insurance not stipulate that hard hats are worn? Why oh why will some people not wear a hat?

Didn't you know? When you reach a certain level of riding, you develop wings which automatically flap out when a fall is detected. That's what those bony bits are on your back. No need for hat.

You get a letter from the Winged Rider Association when the time is right.

Still waiting.

 

[PurBee]

I have to agree with this, I do feel if youve chosen not to, you shoudnt get free healthcare if something happens, same with motobikes/ not wearting leathers etc

Even when all the gear is worn doesnt stop serious injuries/fatalities occurring.

It would be made law, like seatbelts being worn, if stats proved hat wearing prevented the majority of equestrian injuries/fatalities. Stats prove motorcyclists needs head protection, so its law for them for the speeds they travel/impact with other fast vehicles on hard tarmac roads.

Like many here over the years, ive had a grand number of falls from horses...all of them other parts of my body injured, never head/neck. I’m surprised by this even though its personal experience!

I do wear hats mostly, but if i popped on the horse and happened to have forgotten it, i still would ride.
Riding a strangers horse, i would. It depends if you know the horse too.
Sure, anything could happen, even on a safe horse. Risk assessment we all do...but shouldnt be paranoid and overly fearful about everything all the time. In my experience that generates more anxiety, which horses definitely sense from us, and can set us both up for a ‘risky ride’.

 

[tristar]

Hats do seem to be a personal preference. People choose for themselves in everything through life how and if to protect themselves, even then there’s no guarantees.

Christopher Reeve was wearing both a hat and a body protector when he had his fateful accident.

Horse-riding can be dangerous. We know this.
So can driving a car.
So can eating fried foods regularly.
We’ll never wave a magic wand and dispel risk from this world....especially if we insist on mounting half tonne flight animals for our pleasure!

its the christopher reeve thing for me, it was so sad it was his neck and not his head or body, then it would not have happened very likely, as he would have been protected and still here today BECAUSE he wore a hat and /or body protector

i dont see it as guarantees, i see it as reducing the odds, that one moment when one lands on ones head, {unexpectedly} perhaps once in a lifetime, or trips and falls on something

 

[tristar]

So.....does this also apply to smokers, the obese, alcoholics, etc.?

i know what you mean, but, those are long term projects, in some cases reversible, suddenly landing on your head does not give much opportunity for thought or studying the options

 

[Cortez]

A very good friend of mine died because she was wearing a hat; landed face down and the peak caused her head to snap back and break her neck. Riding helmets will help to prevent specific head injury. I've fallen off, of course, and had horses fall. The worst head injury I've had was caused by slipping over on a pavement (I wasn't wearing a helmet).

 

[SEL]

Personal choice IMO.

I think on roads and in public areas we can insist on certain safety gear (I think cycling on the roads around here is as dangerous as riding a horse), but on private property its up to the individual &/or owner of the property.

I wear a hat these days because I'm pretty risk averse after falls, health issues, age etc. There are, however, plenty of photos of me riding without one in various countries on various horses over the years and the hay I had as a child didn't even have a chinstrap so was pretty pointless!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

A very good friend of mine died because she was wearing a hat; landed face down and the peak caused her head to snap back and break her neck. Riding helmets will help to prevent specific head injury. I've fallen off, of course, and had horses fall.

Which is why I never wear a peaked helmet, skull every time and I ring the changes of cover on it, depending on activity

 

[ycbm]

I wonder if it's because of the NHS, in part, as all of are expected to pay for anything that happens as the result of not wearing one? it is an interesting cultural phenomenon.

I'm not sure this argument stacks up. How many motorcyclists and sports people are there taking huge resources from the NHS because their hat stopped them being killed but left them disabled, I wonder?

If Michael Schumaker was a British person his care costs would cover a huge number of more minor head injuries caused by not wearing a hat.

I wear a hat even though I have a medical condition that often makes it unpleasant to ride with one due to the sweat. If I hadn't, I would almost certainly have died when my horse did one day on a hack.

But I think it should be entirely up to the adult who owns the head whether one goes on it or not.
.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Only flexible peaks will pass current safety standards. Sadly it took accidents like the one that killed Cortez’s friend to show how dangerous using a fixed peak with a safety harness was .

I still prefer a crash hat and silk though.

 

[Muddywellies]

So.....does this also apply to smokers, the obese, alcoholics, etc.?

These people that you mention often don't choose as such to be obese, smokers, alcoholics etc. There are often many other factors leading to it. Indeed some have the choice, but these are in many cases addictions beyond control. A whole different kettle of fish.
We all own hats, so why not simply pop it on before riding? It takes 2 seconds, and really is no hardship. We owe it to ourselves, loved ones, peers etc, to take whatever reasonable steps we can to be as safe as we can.
I was surprised on two counts. That the pupil wasn't wearing a hat in the first place, but secondly, the trainer allowed the clip to be shown on FB. Maybe it just shouldn't have been made public on FB - what goes on behind closed doors.....

 

[maya2008]

I have had reliable, sweet horses slip under me and go down - one out hacking because she threw a shoulder to get a different canter lead and slipped on an unexpected patch of mud; one completely unexpectedly on a turn out SJ. Neither fell before or after, in 16 odd years. There was that pro dressage rider in Canada who did a lot for the ‘wear a hat’ campaign, she came off schooling at home! So not necessarily about stickability.

I wear one because any horse can slip, or do something unexpected. I have family and pets who rely on my income and care, my choices would impact them. I guess if you have good insurance for health issues and your animals are provided for if you are gone, it truly is your choice.

Although the ‘impressionable children’ argument is moot here. My kids have fallen off enough to know they need their hats!

 

[Cortez]

Goodness, I do think you're rather overreacting (closed doors.....it's not it's illegal, or dogging). And I don't own a hat, not a riding helmet anyway.

 

[Mule]

I won't ever do much without a hat, but I will ride to and from field bareback with a headcollar without a hat occasionally. I'd only ever do that with mine though as I trust them with my life (Evidently).

The troll in me also likes to ride through the yard to my stable block/tie up from the field with no hat to see what looks I get from some of the others up there.

My head, my decision. I'm big enough and sure as hell ugly enough to make my own mistakes.

I have a similar troll in me

 

[NinjaPony]

For me, I just can’t see what you gain by not wearing one. What is the benefit? Some safety measures have significant drawbacks, but now with the huge range of hats on offer, I just don’t get why you wouldn’t wear one. Obviously riding is a dangerous sport, and you can’t legislate for all accidents. You take a risk just getting on the horse. But I don’t see why that means you wouldn’t want to take a simple measure to reduce that risk just a little bit? It’s been totally ingrained in me that getting in the saddle requires a hat, I’d feel totally vulnerable without it.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Didn't you know? When you reach a certain level of riding, you develop wings which automatically flap out when a fall is detected. That's what those bony bits are on your back. No need for hat.

You get a letter from the Winged Rider Association when the time is right.

Still waiting.

Got mine.

Riding a horse I know in a controlled environment on a blisteringly hot day is way down on the list of dangerous stuff I do.

 

[milliepops]

For me, I just can’t see what you gain by not wearing one. What is the benefit? Some safety measures have significant drawbacks, but now with the huge range of hats on offer, I just don’t get why you wouldn’t wear one. Obviously riding is a dangerous sport, and you can’t legislate for all accidents. You take a risk just getting on the horse. But I don’t see why that means you wouldn’t want to take a simple measure to reduce that risk just a little bit? It’s been totally ingrained in me that getting in the saddle requires a hat, I’d feel totally vulnerable without it.

I have ridden without a hat, I used to do so quite often for comfort reasons: wearing a woolly hat in windy cold winter weather is more comfortable to me and when it's boiling hot there is nothing more lovely than feeling the breeze in your hair.

I don't do it these days, my silly horses are not trustworthy in general, and I have reasonably comfortable hats now. though while it is still permitted I will occasionally choose my top hat over my safety hat at a show.

 

[Rowreach]

I broke my back falling off a horse I'd owned for two years, in a "controlled environment" indoor school on a good surface, in walk, after the best schooling session he'd ever done. My head was fine though.

I have no problem with people making their own choices, it's your head, but please don't be thinking you are safe just because you are not team chasing or batting round Badminton ...

 

[PaddyMonty]

I have no problem with people making their own choices, it's your head, but please don't be thinking you are safe just because you are not team chasing or batting round Badminton ...

If I wanted to be safe I wouldn't get on a horse in the first place . I evaluate the risk based on my experiences to date and make a choice. Wouldn't jump without a hat, wouldn't hack without one either. Wouldn't ride a horse I didn't know well without one. I didn't say I was safe, just that I do a lot more dangerous things than that.

 

[tallyho!]

Got mine.

Riding a horse I know in a controlled environment on a blisteringly hot day is way down on the list of dangerous stuff I do.

Hmmmmmm. ok yeah I can see your wings. Is there any reason why you give that horse no room at all to extend and lift himself. He is really trying to but you wont let him. He could have wings too if only you let him fly... just a little.

 

[PaddyMonty]

Hmmmmmm. ok yeah I can see your wings. Is there any reason why you give that horse no room at all to extend and lift himself. He is really trying to but you wont let him. He could have wings too if only you let him fly... just a little.

Did you watch the vid (with sound) to the end? Gareth Hughes explains why he has me riding that way.

 

[tallyho!]

Did you watch the vid (with sound) to the end? Gareth Hughes explains why he has me riding that way.

Yes but maybe my response is for somewhere else.

 

[tristar]

A very good friend of mine died because she was wearing a hat; landed face down and the peak caused her head to snap back and break her neck. Riding helmets will help to prevent specific head injury. I've fallen off, of course, and had horses fall. The worst head injury I've had was caused by slipping over on a pavement (I wasn't wearing a helmet).

i have only ever worn jockey skull caps

 

[maya2008]

i have only ever worn jockey skull caps

A friend of mine had a nasty injury recently caused by a newish peaked cap. I won’t wear one now. Jockey skulls all the way! Don’t know how anyone justifies manufacturing a piece of safety equipment that can actually cause injury even when used correctly.