That age old debate about hats

What exactely was the point in posting this?
This topic is posted so many times, its boring! It always ends up with the same argument, and people that dont wear a hat continue not too, and people that do, continue too!
Its your life do what you want, surely on a topic that obviously has strong differing opinions, discussing it every month will not change people's decisions!
 
Personally, i couldnt give two hoots whether people choose to wear a hat or not!
Its your head and if you dont choose to look after it thats up to you!
I wouldnt dream of getting on a horse without a hat- that might be becasue i learnt to ride at a riding school where thet were compulsory so by the time i had my own horse it was second nature!
I do feel though- that if the safety equipment is there you should use it! our sport is dangerous enough as it is!
 
I agree with Panda2007
If your profession is with horses or you ride for hours most days then the chances are you have enough hours in the saddle that should reduce the likeliness of you getting unstuck should they throw in an enormous buck etc.
I wear a hat for everything but might school on the flat without one if it was allowed on my yard.
I also think it is entirely up to people to make their own call on whether they wear a hat or not.
 
I am sort of from the group it is up to the rider, they know their capabilities and the horse - but then the other part of me says no horse is ever going to be 100%
I always wear a hat as I am no neat lander - even though I feel I know my mare very well.

However if you do come a cropper and smash your head in, I guess it is up to the NHS to pick you up and patch you back together ... something that a £100 blob of polystrene could prevent?!

Hb
 
but what is the point of posting a reply that says what is the point?
Strangely not everyone has been here forever and they might be interested in this debate, also such questions can wander off into other little topics.
Surely if a post bores you, especially if it says in the title that it is an age old debate, it might be sensible not to read it, much less contribute?
 
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no, if pony was to bolt you'd stand far less chance of falling off if tacked up.

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Think the point is you have better falls bare back as you have got nothing to hold on too, so you dont try to hold on/get stuck/dragged
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This 'debate' was posted about a fortnight ago, so the topic is still reasonaly fresh hence my question of why start it again?
Also perhaps re-read my post, i think you'l find i contributed with MY opinion, something that is allowed on HHO!!
 
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This 'debate' was posted about a fortnight ago, so the topic is still reasonaly fresh hence my question of why start it again?
Also perhaps re-read my post, i think you'l find i contributed with MY opinion, something that is allowed on HHO!!

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alright, alright keep your hair on. And your hat, or not depending on your personal opinion which of course you are at liberty to give.
 
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This 'debate' was posted about a fortnight ago, so the topic is still reasonaly fresh hence my question of why start it again?
Also perhaps re-read my post, i think you'l find i contributed with MY opinion, something that is allowed on HHO!!

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What is the point of replying if you are not interested, and can you copy and paste, as I missed that debate,
 
I nearly always ride with a hat no matter what I'm doing, just like I always drive with a seatbelt on, its just habit and probably sensible consdering how accident prone I am. Only ever ridden without a hat once, because I forgot to put it on
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It is of course up to each individual what they choose to do but I personally always wear a hat & anyone on my property must wear a hat & especially the kids and "now" that applies to bikes as well.

Last year my husband had a near fatal accident on his quad bike, it was totally his fault & luckily no-one else was involved and I have to say last year was the worst year I've ever had in my life. He never had a helmet on & he lost control of the bike, the bike hit a tree & hubby was thrown and 15ft up the road. He wasn't breathing when the first person arrived at the scene. 3 times his heart was restarted at the scene & he spent 2 months in hospital. Nobody knew at the beginning if he would make a full recovery but as they days wore there was suggestion there could be a high level of brain damage as he was in such a confused state for so long. I won't bore you all with such a long story but just over one year later my husband is fine now. I don't think he will ever be 100% his old self but I think we are very lucky to have him back to a near normal old self.

Whilst visiting everyday in hospital I saw a 16 year old girl's life support machine switched off & an elderly man's life support switched off, both from falls of a push bike & one young man, my husbands age who also fell of a push bike & is paralysed from the neck down, my heart went out to his wife & 2 young children because their lives will never be the same again. None of these people had helmets on.

I for one whenever you see a really bad accident assume death, if not such a bad accident possibly a few broken bones, but what I never thought about was brain injury and paralysis. I know now our bodies are hard to kill & will fight to live but our brain controls pretty much everything and my opinion is protect your head at all costs, I'm not gonna lecture anyone but personal experience tells me now to always wear a hat.

It doesn't matter what you fall off, how high you fall from, it's the way you're head hits the ground that counts. My husband has no memory of his accident or much of his time in hospital but it's everyone else that sufferred & lived the nightmare that was. I am grateful - it could have been so much worse.
 
I am all for freedom of choice. However please, please think of the impact on others if something happened to you, that could have been avoided had you warn a hat. Very sadly it happened at our yard and deeply affected all those in connection with the accident. If you don't do it for yourself, please do it for your family, friends and the person who may find you.
 
*Most* of the time I wear a hat while riding, but I must admit I hack home from shows (the local ones on the bridlepath NEVER roads) holding it, as my show hat is so tight it hurts my head after a while.

I would always wear a hat on a horse I didn't know.
 
I always wear one. Better to be safe than sorry!

But then, I would not be here to tell you that if I didn't wear one, after a nasty fall when I got thrown head first through the side of the barn as a child!

Saying that, I don't wear a cycle helmet when riding a bike, but then I don't go fast enough to do myelf any damage falling off that!

I think it is personal choice as an adult, but do find it a bit irresponsible of the 'famous professionals' to parade round without their hats on, as I think they are setting a bad example to the kids who like to copy them.
 
Totally agree with Skewbald about the merits of bareback riding - you're very unlikely to seriously injure yourself if you come off bareback - which is why I always ride my newly-backed horses bareback for the first however many months.
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Without a hat needless to say - I never ride in a hat.
 
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Ah, buc Christopher Reeve's neck injury was caused by his hat?

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No his injury was caused by falling off......
 
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There is no point in wearing a hat if you don't have anything worth protecting. Otherwise, it is probably a good idea.

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Oh, how true that is!!
 
I always wear a hat, I have fallen off and knocked myself out twice, and that was without a hat on, who knows what would have happened without one? I would also insist anyone riding my horse wears one.

I guess it is really up to other people what they do, but as others have said what about the impact on your family, and the cost to the NHS if you sustain an injury that could have been prevented?

Christopher Reeve's injury was caused because he landed on his head, not because he had a hat on, the docs said if he had put his hand out to save himself he probably would have broken his arm, but that would have been all.
 
I always where at hat, hi-viz for hacking, proper footwear and bent leg stirrup irons, mostly because I was taught to at PC but also because it would be the one time I didn't that I'd have an accident as I just seem to be that type of person
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Ah, buc Christopher Reeve's neck injury was caused by his hat?


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I've seen the video... he fell very heavily, straight down, onto his head. if he hadn't had a hat on, he'd have been at very least doolally, i imagine. he broke his neck, and i really don't believe his hat contributed to that.
 
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