The importance of hats....

DragonSlayer

DragonSlayer

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Now, each to his own is what I always say. I don't ride in a hat when I'm riding western at my friend's place, but I DO wear a hat for every other eventuality....

Today I parted company from The Boy when he decided it was rather fun to catleap the last few trotting poles, and me, not expecting it, thought how long it seemed to take for me to kiss the dirt...

I landed on my head. That is, the back of my head hit the floor first, followed by the rest of me.

Hat will be replaced (I have more than one, so another will do whilst I get another everyday hat) but I saw stars for a few seconds, but got back on and rode again for a few more minutes as The Boy was looking a bit boot-faced..

If I didn't have my hat on, who knows what would have happened...?

I also got a wet arse and scratched tummy!

A thrilling end to a busy horsey weekend! :D
 
having a parent with brain damage from a fall whilst wearing a hat (hat broke in two ) I never ride or drive without and my kids just automatically wear one.
Brains just dont mend as easy as broken bones do they so why take the chance
 
Ouch! Hope you're not too sore in the morning!

I really just don't understand why anyone wouldn't wear a hat. I understand the 'its my choice' brigade, but, all the same, WHY NOT?!
 
Cedars said:
Ouch! Hope you're not too sore in the morning!

I really just don't understand why anyone wouldn't wear a hat. I understand the 'its my choice' brigade, but, all the same, WHY NOT?!
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...because it's freewill and I certainly don't chastise anyone who won't.

I just know I like to wear one when I'm riding generally, and this evening reminded me why! :D
 
I've only seen stars twice, actually ironically neither when I was riding - first was when Puz was a foal and knocked me over, fell backwards and cracked my head off the ground, that seriously hurt. And the other was when I was bent over, brought my head up and HenryHorse brought his head down, and I think we both saw stars!!!! :P

Heads are just too precious.
 
Ouchie!

I lost a tooth once due to being smacked 6ft through the air by a horse tossing his head, cracked jaw, thick lip and a busted tooth, pity those fancy hats that add extra face protection weren't invented then!
 
Unauthorised dismounts....never pleasant,rarely welcome and occasionally laughable:-/ Anyway,glad to hear u are ok and I just can't even comprehend getting on anything (not even the dobbiniest of dobbins,which mine most definitely isn't!) without a hat.
 
I think I must be due a fall on my head, despite having plenty of falls, especially when younger, I have yet to have one where my hat has needed replacing. Usually do it cos its outdated. So currently a bit obsessive about wearing one when mounted as my luck must be wearing thin! Apart from the fact it wouldn't be a good example for daughter.
 
A subject very close to my heart.

Glad that you are ok, it is pretty scary.

I fell off my boy recently, hit my head on a rock and was knocked unconsious. My horse ran off, my friend then fell off, her horse took off too. My friend was left to raise the alarm. I came around but dont remember about an hour of that day. I have ridden my horse once down to the field but will never ride without a hat again. Mine was wrecked and it saved my life.

A lot of folk on my yard ride without a hat, even after what happened to me and even some that helped me. I cringe when I think of what could happen.
 
Hope you're not too sore tomorrow Dragon Slayer.

As someone who has been knocked unconcious for at least several hours, and lost all memory of what happened after a fall, I ALWAYS wear a hat when I ride.

It was in 1985 and I had taken my first horse to a group lesson at a nearby riding centre. Our yard owner taught the Tuesday night classes. ALL I remember was loading her into the YO's lorry, everything else is a complete blank.
From what I've been told, we had finished the lesson and were walking round cooling off. My mare suddenly exploded into a bucking fit and I was thrown against the wall of the indoor school. Knocked out cold !
I have no recollection of getting carted off to hospital in an ambulance, anything about what happened in hospital, how long I was there for, or when I got back home.
It was daylight when I woke up at home, but I have no idea what day it was. The fall had happened on the Tuesday at around 8pm,(class was 7-8pm), my last memory of that day being loading her up at 6pm, and I drifted in and out of sleep (conciousness ?) for a few days after waking up at home. I ached like hell all over for several days :(
 
My sentiments exactly..it only takes a misplaced pebble/flint/anything to dive under you while you are impersonating a human catherine wheel mid unauthorised dismount. I also have a semi sheepish confession to make, but feel it worth while..the paths at my yard are viciously slippery and as I'd get eaten by badgers before anyone missed me/found me I have started wearing a hat for turning out/bringing in-we're at the top of a hill and when its a mild breeze everywhere else i do a great wind sock impression at the stables! My big mare I tend not to, but I don't do any leading of the youngsters without a lid..had a few wind induced close calls (weather wind not food related thank you!) and Mum had a head injury needing 10 stitches with no horse!..and yes we do jetwash & acid wash the paths..they just have invisible algead-banana skin gremlins at work!

For riding I tend to prefer my polo hat for certain horses of mine,with and without face guard..depending on which/what we're doing & what the weather is doing and if the chinooks are playing rider snooker over the menage-serious sense of humour failure when that happens...so thats a def face guard moment!:-)other times/with my other horses I wear a standard every day hat...also the polo hat is better in vile rain..you stay a fraction dryer because of the wider peak;-) Looking at the forecast for the coming 6 weeks i am contemplating patenting one with a windscreen & wipers too!

I have recently also started wearing a hat for posting on some threads here..and have recently dug out my body protector for any involving mumsnet. I think for some threads i've even considered buying an air jacket!

In all seriousness tho, makes me feel very vulnerable even seeing hatless riders. Totally get freedom of choice, but I'd always rather have the choice to wear a hat, than not have a head left to be able to think/need protecting.

Hat hair could be the new beach hair..you never know!

ETA Epsom salts for you tomorrow Dragonslayer, I hope you feel ok in the morning xx
 
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Glad you are ok DS - could have been a lot worse. I came off recently jumping and landed under my horse who tried his best not to trod on me but still managed to kick my head on the way over me - I had a headache the whole of the day - image I had been hatless though? *shudder*

I personally feel we have a duty of care to ourselves to ensure that when we partake in any risk sport, that we do so as safely as possible -I also have a duty to my children to ensure I'm as safe as possible while I partake in my sport of choice. I also don't want anyone else to have to witness my brains all over the road/arena and to have to deal with it - so yes, while its a personal choice to not wear a hat - its not only the rider affected should the worst happen, and I speak from first hand experience.
 
DragonSlayer said:
...because it's freewill and I certainly don't chastise anyone who won't.
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I totally don't get the 'becasue I can' attitude???? It's no excuse. I COULD step in front of a car if I wanted. However, choosing to doesn't make sense?!

I genuinely don't understand WHY someone would choose not to wear a hat?? They're not uncomfortable now-a-days. They're not heavy. Surely noone would argue about their benefits?

Which leaves purely vanity: they don't look cool, possibly? It makes them feel like a proffesional rider?

Or they're digging their heels in and not wearing one because everyone else says they should and they're making a statment of some kind? Simply 'because I can'?:::
 
You should also replace your hat every 2 years as it stretches. I never ride without a hat, the girl next door to me would be dead without her hat. Her shire tripped and skidded on the road. She fall off on the road, spent 3 weeks in hospital.

It doesn't matter how good a rider you are or if your horse is bomb proof anything can happen at anytime.
 
Glad you are ok OP. Hope you aren't too sore.

I really don't get the no hat brigade. I think it is utterly selfish unless you have no family and friends who care about you and would be upset by you being brain damaged or worse and you have some sort of magical super duper health insurance that means the NHS won't be footed with the bill for trying to patch you up. There isn't enough money in the NHS to pay for potentially life saving treatment for some conditions so my message to the no hat brigade is "stop being so selfish you vain muppets" (sorry, rant over)
 
ghostie said:
Glad you are ok OP. Hope you aren't too sore.

I really don't get the no hat brigade. I think it is utterly selfish unless you have no family and friends who care about you and would be upset by you being brain damaged or worse and you have some sort of magical super duper health insurance that means the NHS won't be footed with the bill for trying to patch you up. There isn't enough money in the NHS to pay for potentially life saving treatment for some conditions so my message to the no hat brigade is "stop being so selfish you vain muppets" (sorry, rant over)
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My sentiments exactly.

P
 
Morning all!

A little stiff this morning and a slight headache but nothing drastic! Monday is a good day at work for me, lot's of time doing admin in the office. I'll have my headphones on listening to 'helpmechill.com' through the laptop!

Meant to be riding tonight after work so hopefully I'll loosen up as the day goes on. The bruises are quite pretty in colour...! :D
 
Did you know the Dutch have super thick skulls? :p
The number of riders I see over here without hats is staggering, even children. :eek:
We got really funny looks when we first started riding over here as we wore bodyprotectors as well as hats. Funny how things catch on after people witness nasty falls. Body protectors are more common but hats remain a problem.
 
DragonSlayer said:
...because it's freewill and I certainly don't chastise anyone who won't.
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In that case, I'll apply my free will, and tell the NHS not to use any of my hard earned taxes to treat anyone suffering a head injury through not wearing a hat when riding........;)

Obviously if you have private health insurance it's not so much of an issue - but your first point of assessment will be at A&E (so will still cost me), before you get to your private ward.

I just know I like to wear one when I'm riding generally, and this evening reminded me why! :D
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Long may it continue:)
 
Germany is very similar to Holland in few wearing hats. I always remember as a youngster being the only one wearing a hat and the weird status quo that everyone carried a whip and wore spurs. Bizarre.

I sadly lost my young German penpal to head injuries - he simply slipped from his horse during a bareback lesson and his horse accidently stood on his head. Poor lad was only 13 years old :(

Let's not forget that hats are invaluable in handling lively horses on the ground too. I didn't have one on yesterday, but I shall in future. I for the first time in 10 months took my WB with a friend into the roundpen to start him after rehab/turnaway as he is so ready. He demonstrated how keen and ready he is with 2 playful full rears a foot away from us - he's 17hh so pretty scary :eek: I don't believe he would deliberately make contact, but a hat is definatley an easy safe precaution :)
 
DragonSlayer said:
Morning all!

A little stiff this morning and a slight headache but nothing drastic! Monday is a good day at work for me, lot's of time doing admin in the office. I'll have my headphones on listening to 'helpmechill.com' through the laptop!

Meant to be riding tonight after work so hopefully I'll loosen up as the day goes on. The bruises are quite pretty in colour...! :D
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Glad you're relatively okay :)

YasandCrystal, YES ! definitely while handling lively horse on the ground too.
2003, I had my then 4yo coloured native traditional gelding at the Royal Highland. It was his first show, he was being an angel, but in MY excitement I mistakenly went into the wrong class. We should have been in the second class, and I wandered into the first by mistake. After walking round with the others, it finally dawned on me that it wasn't our class :o. I walked over to the steward and explained, apologised, then started making my way to the exit :o. My cob, Garfield (don't laugh - that was his name when I bought him at 6 months old :D), hesitated as we approached the gate out of the main ring. I asked him to walk on, and he reared up. He managed to strike me on the front of my head while he was waving his front legs in the air :eek: I am SO glad I had my hat on to show him in hand. He had never reared at home either, so was a complete surprise.
 
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YasandCrystal said:
I sadly lost my young German penpal to head injuries - he simply slipped from his horse during a bareback lesson and his horse accidently stood on his head. Poor lad was only 13 years old :(

)
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ugh that is awful :( not good mental images there.
I would never ride w/o a hat, theres no reason not to tbh.
 
Not wearing a hat is like not wearing a seatbelt in a car. I've never even considered letting my conk go bare.
That said I've seen a girl nearly break her neck because of her hat. It had was a velvet one with a peak and the peak caught on the floor, held her head face down and her body kept travelling over her. That said her face/head/back would have been damaged had she not been wearing it.
 
midi said:
ugh that is awful :( not good mental images there.
I would never ride w/o a hat, theres no reason not to tbh.
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I agree and I am always astounded by Western riders not wearing one, especially when you watch some of the disciplines they partake in like barrel racing, which is fast and furious and like everyone has said 'accidents happen' and are inevitable however good a rider you are or well schooled your horse is. It would be interesting to know the statistics for injuries where a hat was not worn.
You get used to wearing a hat and I would feel too insecure without one.
 
I wonder if people not wearing hats have ever been knocked out. I mean that awful moment when your head smashes to the ground, that noise in your ears and the head splitting pain before you lose consciousness, I blimmin well hate it and that is wearing a hat - I really wouldn't want to try it without one.

Having said all this, I had was leading a horse that slipped on the road. She knocked me over and fell on top of me (exceptionally clumsy horse :p) then kicked me in the head trying to get up. I have also had a few hooves whistle past my ear lunging. Previously I hadn't considered a hat for lunging (bad I know).

Horses are out to get us, I am sure.

ETS - take care DS, you need to keep an eye out for delayed shock.
 
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