Replacing hats after falls - Do you?

Do you replace your hat after a fall?

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muddygreymare

muddygreymare

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So yesterday I had a tumble off my mare which resulted in almost 7 hours in various hospitals, being totally immobilized and put in a neck brace and lots and lots of tests and x rays. I am very sore but have managed to come away with just a mashed up face and soft tissue damage to my neck although it will be a while before I am back to normal. I was wearing a hat, if I hadn't I probably wouldn't be here now or at best paralyzed, so I am very lucky as it could have been a lot worse.

Anyway enough of my rambling, I was wondering how many people actually replace their hats after a fall? I will definitely be getting a new one as mine took the full force of my fall as I landed head first, but I know a lot of people who wouldn't think to get a new one. So, my question is, have you or would you replace your hat after a fall and why, or if not why not? :)
 
Head first yes..... Hat took the fall, split into two. I walked away just bruised and a bit battered. Hat changed.
 
Definitely if I've fallen on my head. The last time I fell badly it was onto my elbow and head, the elbow broke and my head was really bruised from my hat as it was really a bit too old and had hardened! So going to be vigilant about the lining going and stuff now, I have since found out that the perfect hat for me is one of the champion ordinary skull caps so at under 50 quid I'll keep up replacing it regularly!

I wouldn't if it was just a fall onto my bum or side, but if it was a bad fall like yours I might be concerned I had not remembered hitting it and buy one anyway!

I hope you recooperate quickly, a sore neck is so unpleasant but I'm glad it was not worse!
 
If the hat has taken the impact then yes I replace it, if I land on my backside, which is usually the case, I just replace my pants. ;)
 
I said always but I have only fallen off my current horse once and happened to fall on my head.

With my previous horse, I would have been buying 3 hats a day at various points of our partnership :eek::o if I had replaced it after every fall.
 
Hope you're feeling better today Muddygreymare, that sounds ouchy.

I voted for sometimes. Like others have said, I only replace my hat if it takes the impact on a fall.
Usually, I seem to have missed hitting my head and ended up breaking fingers or toes and pulling tendons. Only once have I hurt any parts that could have been protected by a hat and never by a BP.

I could do with a hip and elbow/wrist guard if anyone's interested in making one.
 
Hope you are feeling better today Muddygreymare - sounds nasty.

I threw away my hat last Tuesday when I fell off and it cracked! Have thrown away 3 or 4 when they have taken an impact and yes one after dropping it! If I don't take an impact on the hat then I don't throw it away.
 
If my head touches the ground, then I replace it. If I'm lucky enough to have a hat for three years, without needing to replace it, I buy a new one.
 
I don't personally, no. But if it was a particularly bad fall then I would.

If you do replace your hat after a fall, would you also replace it if you dropped it on concrete from a reasonable height?
 
How on earth did you manage a fall like that N??

Hope you're ok!

I said sometimes, as I have come off a few times thanks to naughty noodles. Only replaced the hat once though because I landed on my head and did a roly-poly! Plus hat was very old so lucky it protected me really even if it did move and bruise above my eye.. Other falls thankfully have not been on head so haven't changed hat.
 
I often land on my feet, so then no, anywhere near my head, yes. I also replace it every couple of years regardless, as find they change shape and don't fit so well.
 
Yes, after every fall. I also get a new one every five years regardless.

(Check the label in a new hat so you know how old it it- the foam degrades so a five year old hat isn't as safe as a 5 month old hat.)
 
If it includes any chance that the hat took a knock then they are chucked and new ones ordered. My daughters recent fall which although it did nt seem to affect her head or hat , I did agree to the paramedics cuttingthe straps as I would be replacing it anyway. Never take a chance with the brain !!!
Up until recentley the kids have had new hats as they grew but am going to keep an eye on the age of them aswell. We have friend with a brain injury fro falling off a horse so I guess we are very aware of the damage.

I hope you are feeling a bit better
 
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If the hat took an impact - then yes certainly. I had a nasty fall in Feb and although the hat didnt 'look' damaged I had concussion - trip to a&e, brain scan etc. - so straps on the old hat cut and lobbed in a skip at the tip - good job I did as one of the guys there took it out and looked disappointed that they were cut - if I hadnt no doubt he would have tried to sell it on :(.

That hat was a sub £50 Champion skull - replaced with same x
 
RainbowDash said:
If the hat took an impact - then yes certainly. I had a nasty fall in Feb and although the hat didnt 'look' damaged I had concussion - trip to a&e, brain scan etc. - so straps on the old hat cut and lobbed in a skip at the tip - good job I did as one of the guys there took it out and looked disappointed that they were cut - if I hadnt no doubt he would have tried to sell it on :(.

That hat was a sub £50 Champion skull - replaced with same x
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Wow never thought of that, tho sad that you would have to :(
 
Ouch - poor you!
In answer to your question, it totally depends on the fall. If my hat takes the impact, or even so much as "just" bashes the ground, I will replace it - yes, it's annoying - but I wouldn't want to risk riding in a hat which wouldn't be as protective next time round.
If I fall without it touching the ground then I won't replace.
 
Not usually, as my head hasn't hit the ground for a while! The last fall however, I don't know if my head hit the ground or not, but I don't remember the fall, so I replaced it. No one was around to see it either, so I didn't want to take chances.
 
Yes if it's come I to contact with the ground.

OP, make sure you get your neck physio-ed! I had bad whiplash 15 years ago and I needed a lot of help afterwards to get back to normal. :)
 
My fall was due to my mare sticking her head down on the floor when we were galloping bareback, I just went straight over the top and landed on my face - apparently I sort of bounced across the ground on my head! I can't really remember what happened at all, but my friend was there and he saw it happen and then took me to hospital and stayed with me until 3am when they let me out.

I've only ever replaced my hat once and that was when I did similar and landed face first onto a big piece of slate and ended up in a neck brace and I have a ruined shoulder from that fall three years on. When I went to the tip to dump my old hat we cut the straps and got them to bury it deep down under loads of rubbish in the hope that it would make it harder to find and steal - it was truly ruined inside so wouldn't have offered any protection at all!

Physio is a good idea Foxford, I'll have a look into that :)
 
Hmmm.... I have had 2 falls in the last year where I've landed on my back and my head has dropped backwards and lightly hit the ground, one on grass, one on sand. This thread is making me think I should change my hat....
 
I don't change my hat if I land on my feet or my bum - tends to be favoured with me! However I do if my head touches the ground at all. I had a clear out the other week and have found I have 12 hats that I don't use as I'v fallen in them!!! Really should just throw them in the bin. Just seems really wasteful!
 
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