SHB new Hat ruling :(

chrisritch said:
Well then you are a bloody idiot aren't you.

Not putting anyone else at risk? Maybe not but I'm pretty sure your close family wont be thrilled when they are spoon feeding you and wiping your arse for you owing to accident that could have been avoided had you not been so vain.

Hypothetically of course.
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Differing opinions are great, please keep insults to yourself.
 
The fact is that this isn't about choice and it isn't about elegance it is about insurance. SHB needs insurance and it needs affordable insurance otherwise the show can't go on.

So I guess the choice is wear a helmet to enable affordable insurance to be obtained or watch the sport become extinct.

If you love your sport surely you want to preserve it even if it means wearing an item of safety equipment that doesn't impact the sport significantly but looks a bit different.
 
Milly, I think it is fair enough to want choice. However, in this case, SHB is joining many other equestrian bodies in deciding that it wants to standardise a certain level of safety. Unfortunately, for a showing body to make this decision away from its traditions, in a sport that is very traditional, the likelihood of changing it back is not high - this will have been a very big and debated decision. So your options on choice are as follows: wear your beagler, and do not compete under their rules, or wear a hard hat when competing with them. Your choice is still their, it is just different. And ultimately, it is the same as when people complain about bit restrictions in dressage or colour restrictions on jackets in sj or whatever - you can object, and raise this to the body, but ultimately your choice is to compete with them or not. Competing is a luxury, not a right, and you have to obey the body's rules.

And in this case, the tide of public favour goes with hats, so the objections to this case are unlikely to get very far.
 
khalswitz said:
Milly, I think it is fair enough to want choice. However, in this case, SHB is joining many other equestrian bodies in deciding that it wants to standardise a certain level of safety. Unfortunately, for a showing body to make this decision away from its traditions, in a sport that is very traditional, the likelihood of changing it back is not high - this will have been a very big and debated decision. So your options on choice are as follows: wear your beagler, and do not compete under their rules, or wear a hard hat when competing with them. Your choice is still their, it is just different. And ultimately, it is the same as when people complain about bit restrictions in dressage or colour restrictions on jackets in sj or whatever - you can object, and raise this to the body, but ultimately your choice is to compete with them or not. Competing is a luxury, not a right, and you have to obey the body's rules.

And in this case, the tide of public favour goes with hats, so the objections to this case are unlikely to get very far.
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This exactly . . . rules is rules . . . you either compete under the rules laid down, or you don't . . . seemples.

I wish bitless bridles were dressage legal . . . ditto grackels and waterford snaffles . . . but they aren't, so I have to lump it. I don't understand why it's ok to carry a whip in an unaffiliated pure dressage test, but not in a low-level (also unaffiliated) BE test . . . ditto having tests called. It's all a bit baffling - and none of it is to do with personal safey - but because we event, we put up with it and obey the rules.

P
 
I find it very very sad that millie obviously doesnt have anyone whom they love enough to want to stay alive for!
Such a shame that s/he obviously doesnt give a damn about his/her parents or about his/her partner or any kids (if s/he has any).

I'm an adult. I ride with a helmet, not only because I value my ability to think but because I have people in my life whom I love enough not to put through the pain of seeing me as a vegetable or to put through the pain of having to decide whether or not to turn off a life support machine. Added to that my mother loves me enough that she would still read me the riot act if i ever thought about riding without a helmet! (doesnt matter that I'm now an adult, I'll always be her daughter)

Oh and for the record, I dont smoke, I always wear my seat belt, I have never drunk so much that I am incapable infact I can remember every night out i've ever had and i've never had any form of injury from drinking, I would also never drink and drive.
 
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Millymincepie said:
I personally think the tiny risk of severe head injury (to myself, not putting anyone else at risk) is a price worth paying if I wanted to wear my bowler hat in my hypothetical showing class.
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I'm guessing that you've never had a severe head injury?

ETS - I have. Even 5 years on, it's impacted on my whole life, beyond how you would imagine, and was very distressing for my family. I would do absolutely anything not to have to live with those repercussions.
 
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KristmasKat said:
The fact is that this isn't about choice and it isn't about elegance it is about insurance. SHB needs insurance and it needs affordable insurance otherwise the show can't go on.

So I guess the choice is wear a helmet to enable affordable insurance to be obtained or watch the sport become extinct.

If you love your sport surely you want to preserve it even if it means wearing an item of safety equipment that doesn't impact the sport significantly but looks a bit different.
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Point I was trying to make. It's all about insurance, get used to it.
 
Here we go again..........the hat Nazis in full hysterical force. If you want to wear a super dooper oh-so-safe hat then go right ahead. If I choose not to do so you can shake your head, tut, think I'm an idiot, worry about my future abilities to arse-wipe, whatever, but please, just let me get on with it. If wearing a hat is a requirement I can decide whether to enter that particular class or not, but it is MY CHOICE. I will not automatically become brain damaged, and a hat will not give you unlimited protection if you do land on your bonce - people still have injuries and even die when wearing a safety helmet. I'm glad some people realise that the driving force behind enforcing helmet wearing is the insurance industry; it has little to do with the probabilities of competitors actually falling off. I, like the Queen and probably the majority of riders worldwide, prefer not to wear a hat; most people in the UK prefer to wear one; good for you. Leave me alone.
 
That's the point though isn't it... wearing a hat is going to be a requirement so you can choose whether to enter or not and still do what you like in your own time when you aren't able to claim on another's event insurance etc.
 
Cortez said:
Here we go again..........the hat Nazis in full hysterical force. If you want to wear a super dooper oh-so-safe hat then go right ahead. If I choose not to do so you can shake your head, tut, think I'm an idiot, worry about my future abilities to arse-wipe, whatever, but please, just let me get on with it. If wearing a hat is a requirement I can decide whether to enter that particular class or not, but it is MY CHOICE. I will not automatically become brain damaged, and a hat will not give you unlimited protection if you do land on your bonce - people still have injuries and even die when wearing a safety helmet. I'm glad some people realise that the driving force behind enforcing helmet wearing is the insurance industry; it has little to do with the probabilities of competitors actually falling off. I, like the Queen and probably the majority of riders worldwide, prefer not to wear a hat; most people in the UK prefer to wear one; good for you. Leave me alone.
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I get that. I really do. However in showing if you leave it to the individual to decide on the hat you might get say 50% new hat, 50% traditional. When two horses are at the top of the field and the judge is hard pressed to chose between them, the judge (being of a certain age) will be drawn to the nice traditional picture of the competitor wearing the traditional hat. Thereby not putting all competitors on a level playing field. "New hats" would be penalised for trying to save their brains which for me is just not fair. I chose to wear a proper safety hat harness and all...... If you chose to go hatless outside the competitive world then that's your choice. The safety consious should not be penalised.
 
The wife said:
I'd be quite interested to see the statistics on serious head injuries whilst in the show ring. I can imagine the numbers will show one has more chance of mashing the head up falling down the stairs after one too many ports than taking a tumble in a ladies hunter class.
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You might have to rule out the sedalin factor! ;)

I also fully support this ruling!
 
OK then, the 'middle way' compromise:



lets allow strapped hats and traditional bowlers/top hats, whatever people choose to wear.........
and then let's adjust the entry fees to take account of the insurance requirements of each type of headgear


be interesting to see the headgear then.....;)
 
catkin said:
OK then, the 'middle way' compromise:



lets allow strapped hats and traditional bowlers/top hats, whatever people choose to wear.........
and then let's adjust the entry fees to take account of the insurance requirements of each type of headgear


be interesting to see the headgear then.....;)
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Interesting, but would need to take into account the potential NHS costs should the "unimaginable" occur . . . :)

P
 
catkin said:
OK then, the 'middle way' compromise:



lets allow strapped hats and traditional bowlers/top hats, whatever people choose to wear.........
and then let's adjust the entry fees to take account of the insurance requirements of each type of headgear


be interesting to see the headgear then.....;)
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And still the traditionalist would be shown favouritism by the judge.........:(

I love traditional show attire. I have grown up with it and I understand the love of it. But putting everyone on a level playing field is the only fair way. Like others have said - you can always choose not to compete.....
 
catkin said:
Can you just imagine how that would push all showing up the use classes in insurance policies!!
Would end up be the horsey equivalent of having an 18yo driver in a Porshe.
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Also how would you enforce it?
Also those with insurance better check thiers as most of the time it is void if you do not take reasonable precautions. A helmet falls under reasonable precautions.
 
catkin said:
Can you just imagine how that would push all showing up the use classes in insurance policies!!
Would end up be the horsey equivalent of having an 18yo driver in a Porshe.
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Lol, yes! Just making a point to the Traditionalists who put Tradition before safety. :)
 
Cortez said:
Here we go again..........the hat Nazis in full hysterical force. If you want to wear a super dooper oh-so-safe hat then go right ahead. If I choose not to do so you can shake your head, tut, think I'm an idiot, worry about my future abilities to arse-wipe, whatever, but please, just let me get on with it. If wearing a hat is a requirement I can decide whether to enter that particular class or not, but it is MY CHOICE. I will not automatically become brain damaged, and a hat will not give you unlimited protection if you do land on your bonce - people still have injuries and even die when wearing a safety helmet. I'm glad some people realise that the driving force behind enforcing helmet wearing is the insurance industry; it has little to do with the probabilities of competitors actually falling off. I, like the Queen and probably the majority of riders worldwide, prefer not to wear a hat; most people in the UK prefer to wear one; good for you. Leave me alone.
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Tbf, though, no one is taking away that right. Have at it. People can think whatever they want to think.

An ORGANISATION, responsible to its members yes, but with other concerns as well, has decided to change an equipment rule to fall in line with other disciplines and more modern thinking.

Even leaving aside insurance, what is the huge deal? Rules change all the time and there are always going to be people who are happy about it and people who are not. This one has NO effect on riding or training or what kinds of horses are suitable or anything else important to the actual point of the exercise. As I said earlier, there is NO downside other than to a collective vanity. I'm assuming none of you wear seatbelts either?

I get that people don't like to be told what to do but we get told what to do all the time and we survive. It's one of the trade offs of having organised activities. Everyone is perfectly welcome do their own thing (providing it's legal, of course. . .oh wait, those are also arbitrary rules based on the greater good . . .), on their own land, in their own time.
 
Now that it has become 'ruled upon' surely some enterprising hat company will come up with some traditional-looking designs. In a few years everyone will have forgotten what the fuss was all about!
 
Hetsmum said:
I get that. I really do. However in showing if you leave it to the individual to decide on the hat you might get say 50% new hat, 50% traditional. When two horses are at the top of the field and the judge is hard pressed to chose between them, the judge (being of a certain age) will be drawn to the nice traditional picture of the competitor wearing the traditional hat. Thereby not putting all competitors on a level playing field. "New hats" would be penalised for trying to save their brains which for me is just not fair. I chose to wear a proper safety hat harness and all...... If you chose to go hatless outside the competitive world then that's your choice. The safety consious should not be penalised.
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agree with this
 
This thread is really interesting to see the debate between the traditionalists and those pro-hat. I am pro hat, even more so following my accident 3 weeks ago. I fell off after my horse spooked while schooling on the flat. I fell on to my head and my hat saved me from a coma if not worse. Luckily, I just bruised my brain, but I also fractured my neck and I spent over 24 hours strapped to a bed.

What makes me really sad is those who think 'it won't happen to me' or the 'if it does so be it' attitude. There were 2 things that I've taken away from my accident, (apart from how lucky I was to be able to walk away), I was petrified of calling my parents to tell them I was in A&E with a serious injury, and the 4 days where I was totally dependent on the nurses and my family. It was completely undignified and it gave me a shock view into what it's like to be completely dependent on everyone else. My poor boyfriend was completely devastated at the thought that when he had to feed me my lunch, that could have been it for the rest of my life. On a practical note, I've been out of work since and I will be out for nearly 3 months, plus I can't drive due to this and can't get to the yard even if I physically could look after my horse. Luckily, he's well looked after for me.

It only takes one small moment to change your life, why waste it over the sake of wearing a pretty hat?
 
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