Riding Hats

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IdoShowing

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Is it just me - or do you think that H&H etc should not publish people riding without hats on? Nor should they allow selling adverts showing people without riding hats?? Gives completely the wrong message. Personally, i would never even consider riding without a hat - anyone else agree?
 
I completely agree, in childrens magazines I think you see parelli adverts with them riding without hats sends a completely stupid message!
 
Totally disagree, it would just be another case of the 'nanny state' in the UK if they cut all pictures of people riding without a hat.
I would also say in my opinion cowboys not wearing hard hats is not the same as any old rider not wearing a hat, these guys are riding cow ponies with stock saddles and more experience that you can shake a (carrot) stick at
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I personally wouldn't ride without a hat either. I am a fan of Parelli but that said I agree about your views on adverts depicting riders hatless ( even parelli ones) as it does send out the wrong message.
You only get one head and one brain in life that is all.
Caz
 
but if you say basically some people are better than others, better people don't need hats. Then what about people with a complete warped opinion on their own riding standard!
 
So would you include all dressage reports, including the upcoming Olympics? What about western riders or vaulters? H&H usually print that they advocate the wearing of riding hats, I think that this should be sufficient.

Is there no such thing as personal responsibility, making your own decisions about your personal safety and accepting the consequences?

Children should not be riding unsupervised in any case and put in the position where they could make the choice to ride without a hat.
 
Yes but in the case of "children" pony magazine for example is aimed at kids and young teens. Teens at 13/14 are unlikely to be under constant supervision, kids that help out at my yard arnt!

So maybe in the case of adults it isnt as true! but in publications aimed at children it shouldnt happen!
 
But then what about the patey hats that everybody wears that are legal for dressage etc, and when it comes to comes safety must be totally useless?!!

Yet all the top riders wear them - I know its for dressage, but theres nothing to say that a horse can throw you just because you're trotting round inside some white barriers!!
 
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but if you say basically some people are better than others, better people don't need hats. Then what about people with a complete warped opinion on their own riding standard!

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No I'm saying they are cowboys and have probably been riding since they were kids and have saddles that hold them far more securely than our English saddles.
If a person has a warped opinion of their own riding skill then maybe a little bang to the head will do them some good
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I think riding with a hat is a personal choice that can be made by anyone over the age of 16.
It's like smoking, not showing people smoking in the media has in no way reduced the number of smokers in the UK, not showing people riding without a hat will not stop people from doing it!
 
I don't think they should show pics in Horse and Pony etc (they might not for all I know haven't read it in years
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) but in H&H etc where the main readers are adults I don't see the point. People will ride without hats on regardless. I wish they would change the law so you can't ride without a hat on until you're over 18 rather than 16...
 
Can I ask WHY kids who help out at a RS aren't supervised when riding? Surely that invalidates their insurance?
 
It may be in the rules at various events that riding hats are worn but it is not enforcible in law. If an adult does not wish to wear a hat then they have made an informed decision. I do however believe that that decision can only be made by an adult & children should always a hat..

Any claim made however regarding an injury to any insurance company, whilst not wearing an approved hat would either not be paid out or the payment would be greatly reduced.

I believe in the adult rider having the choice, however I also believe that any adult should have the sense to wear one.
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Yep I'm bad!!!! Think she rather like riding. - Look what happened when we ventured a walk!!!!

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That makes me feel really nauseous - didn't you get a fit of the "what ifs"?
 
Agree that people when at home have the right to choose whether or not they wear a riding hat, but when articles are published with pictures of people riding without hats or ads selling horses showing people riding the horse without a hat - thus leading people to think that that horse is 'safe' enough & its is acceptable to ride without a hat - no horse is ever that safe - all it needs to do is trip & you could be seriously hurt. I have no problem with people in the comfort of their own environments not wearing a hat because its their choice, but magazines and websites who publish photos of people not wearing hats can influence people into thinking it is 'normal' or acceptable to do so.
 
The perception of whether a horse is safe or not, based on a photograph, is laughable and most reasonable people would never make that kind of mental leap.

The kind of censorship that you are proposing, is effectively trying to legislate against the stupid actions of a small minority.
 
You'd have to ban all dressage, showing, western and vaulting pictures. Censorship is wrong, the disclaimer below is sufficient.

Whilst I always wear a hat, I think others should be free to choose. However I would ban riders (and cyclists) on roads without them

There is a difference between taking a schooled dressage horse in an arena to do a test and fooling around in a paddock on an unschooled horse. Likewise anyone who gets on a young horse without a hat, is cruising for a bruising no matter how experienced they are!
 
Societal norms are very heavily influenced and (re)produced by the media, so unfortunately, if we do see lots of adverts, photographs, videos, real life instances etc. of people riding hatless then we do become desensitized to it and if it proliferates enough, we can even accepting of it. After all, advertising is absolutely aimed at depicting a fantasy lifestyle (which said product or service or behaviour will make possible for you) and if in that 'desirable' fantasy world the rider is doing such-and-such or wearing such-and-such then others who aspire to that lifestyle can be very strongly influenced into replicating what they see.

I think it is totally absurd that dressage riding is done with inadequate headgear, and just as it is a legal requirement to wear a seatbelt whilst driving pretty much any car of any sized engine in (almost) any circumstance in England, I think it should be a legal requirement to wear a properly buckled up hat whilst riding any horse in any circumstance, effectively making adverts with 'models' not wearing hats illegal.
 
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