wearing or not wearing hats - let's discuss!

[katelarge]

OK, I know where I stand on this one, but I am genuinely interested in finding out why some people won't wear hats. Earlier threads mentioning some big name dressage riders got me thinking. Also, at my yard there are quite a few dressage riders and none of them will wear anything other than a baseball cap - some even when hacking!

I have boiled it down to the following possible reasons and I'd love to see what the rest of you think, and if you're a non hat-wearer I will NOT criticise, I just really want to understand it.

OK, here are my possible reasons:

1. wearing hats causes me actual pain
2. other dressage riders don't wear hats, so I don't wear one, as I aspire to be like them
3. hats are for people who think they are going to fall off. I'm too good a rider to fall off
4. I meant to put my hat on but forgot to
5 I don't own a hat

All thoughts welcome!

 

[Taz975]

or
Reason 6. Vanity!!

 

[katelarge]

Good one - vanity. So, wearing a hat looks ugly...good point.

 

[frannieuk]

I mostly wear my hat - always when hacking, jumping etc and I always wear it when I ride my difficult mare. However, I quite often don't wear it when I school my other horse - I know I should do and i know all the arguments (inc having had my life saved by a hat when falling off at the age of 9) but I hate the way it makes me all sweaty. As a responsible adult I feel that I will make my own decisions and risk assessment (aargh hate that phrase!) with regard to situations when I ride without a hat - right or wrong its my choice! Primarily it comes down to the fact it feels much nicer without, although I wouldn't dream of hacking out or jumping without one on, and I think children should always wear them.

 

[miamibear]

I dont think there is any excuse not to wear a hat, its far too dangerous not to!!

My friend cut her straps off one of her velvet hats because it looked better! And proceeded to ride her wappy horse at a show with it, i persuaded her to take her other hat with straps with her just in case but i doubt she used it.

Doesnt even cross my mind to get on without a hat.

Safety is much more important than how you look in my opinion!

 

[katelarge]

cheers for that - so it does actually feel nicer for you to ride without one. I don't know as I've never ridden without a hat!

 

[kildalton]

You have only got one head and one brain. I have seen some terrible head injuries, and would advocate always wearing a hat. Sweaty hat hair is a small price to pay.

 

[Gingernags]

I always wear one, If I get on I don't feel right without one!

Other than - and its probably a bad thing to admit... if I ride my mare bareback to the field I never bother...

I did have a phase at about 14/15 years old of either riding without or in my old velvet (bit like a beagler) as I was getting really bad headaches from my skull cap (boiled egg jobby - it was nasty!) but seeing as I had a mental pony, my parents bought me a lighweight skull cap instead and it was fine and I've ridden in one ever since...

 

[frannieuk]

Its MUCH nicer!! But I emphasise that I do wear it for most activities, and certainly always when I ride one particular horse! When I first started riding at the age of 4 (1981) there were many people who didn't wear hats, now nearly all leisure riders wear them, I wonder if in 5 years time it will be the same with body protecters? 10 years ago body armour was only worn by jockeys and eventers - now many people use one everytime they get on.

 

[_jetset_]

I would never dream of going on a hack without a hat, although I do sometimes school without one on my own horse. It is a combination of reasons: sometimes I forget to put it on, especially if I have a baseball cap on and when it is warm I get a really sweaty (nice!) head and then can feel a bit funny after getting so hot.

I even went and bought one of the GPA hats because they are lighter than the CO velvet one I have, but even with this I still get a hot head! I also found that I got a rash across my forehead, I suppose like a heat rash or something, when I got a hot head as I have sensitive skin.

Rebecca

 

[OWLIE185]

If those people that choose not to wear hard hats would have to pay for their own medical treatment, rehabilitation and after care following an accident then I suspect they might not be so vain..

 

[Weezy]

Echo Frannie - much nicer

I seldom wear a hat in Spain, tend to always wear one over here as it is more the done thing I suppose

 

[horsegirl]

Non hat wearers, are you nuts?

ANY horse could do something unpredictable and unseat even the best rider.

Having seen my daughter knocked out from a fall while wearing her hat and then read the posts on here from all the others who have also been knocked out I would never ever EVER ride anything without a hat.

 

[burtie]

I almost always wear a hat, but have been known to wear a beagler type hat when doing showing or Dressage on a horse I know and trust on rare occaisions.

My reasoning is at this stage elegance does come into it, Both sports are to a more or lesser degree about elegance and presentation and I'd hate to see the day when full harness hats are compulsory in Dressage and showing.

As for it being dangerous, do you always were a hat at all points when handling horses? If not then surely handling a new or unkown horse on the ground or even just in it's stable is just as dangerous as riding a trusted and well known stead in the showing or Dressage ring?

I also only wear a body protecter if jumping as that is what I feel comfortable with.

 

[_jetset_]

Forgot to add... it's nothing to do with vanity with me, more comfort. I actually quite like the look of hats!

 

[tashyisaudrey]

I personally think people should always wear hats - safety is so important, and even if you are on the most bombproof horse in the world who you've owned forever you never know what might make a horse suddenly react etc. Also you can never tell with other people driving etc - or other dangerous situations that might occur out riding or even inside a school. It doesn't matter if your a child or Pippa Funnell. Horses and people can be unpredictable in different situations, and its not worth tempting fate. A friend of mine was riding her mare out and it was normally cool and bombproof, but something jumped out of the hedge and she reared up over backwards on her and crushed her pelvis. she was lucky she was wearing a hat she might not be here otherwise. I agree with kildalton - sweaty hair small price to pay.

 

[jacks_mum]

riding without a hat is a bit like going out in your slippers - just feels wrong to me, I wouldn't even consider not wearing mine.

 

[Kelly1982]

Occasionally i wouldn't wear a hat in the summer when i was schooling my old horse coz it mad me sweat 10 times more and i felt uncomfortable. I felt totally safe on him though and i knew even if a bomb went off he wouldn't spook, this is not to say that accidents dont happen though and i was still aware of the risks.

As for my other 2 i ALWAYS wear a hat as they are not so predicatable and i would rather sweat buckets!!!

 

[horsegirl]

Hardly just as dangerous, yes dangerous to an extent but less chance of falling 6 feet onto concrete when you are already on the ground!

 

[tashyisaudrey]

I even wear a hat if I'm lunging or handling an unknown horse - guess I'm just careful

 

[katelarge]

I think part of the problem is the bulky appearance of modern hats. Lets face it, they are not as pretty as the nice velvet hats we grew up with.

But it's a VERY good point to mention body protectors. Because as much as I rant on about wearing hats, if I saw someone wearing a body protector for schooling, I'd assume they were a bit of a scaredy-cat. Which is a mean and horrible thing to assume. But this thread is all bout telling the truth about our attitudes!

 

[burtie]

Oh and whilst on the subject or risk, since discovering I'm pregnant the first thing everyone asks is "are you still riding". Well for various reasons I'm not, mostly because 1 horse has gone on loan and the other is an unbacked 3 year old.

But no-one has said "are you still doing Herbie?" To me handling a well behaved but still sometimes unpredictable 3 year old is surely more dangerous than riding a steady trusted horse?

 

[Gingernags]

I have to say, I'm going to be doing some dressage on my mare - admittedly only unaffilliated, but even if she went well, and we started doing affilliated - I'd still rather wear a harnessed hat - and that goes for showing.

I wouldn't wear a beagler or patey just to fit in, I'd stick to a velvet hat with flesh coloured harness.

 

[Lopod]

Kidalton says it all. You can always wash your hair!

 

[katelarge]

Burtie is bang on the money here. I've never had a problem handling my horse but I remember loading him once, I had got him on and tied him up, I bent down to do something and had a real icy moment of realising my head was basically a soft boiled egg about a foot away from his hooves! I don't know why but it really came home to me.

So I guess we should ALL wear hats ALL THE TIME, if we are going to take the safety argument to its logical conclusion!

 

[burtie]

[ QUOTE ]
Hardly just as dangerous, yes dangerous to an extent but less chance of falling 6 feet onto concrete when you are already on the ground!



[/ QUOTE ]

Believe me a rearing, barging or bucking horse on the ground can be far more dangerous than riding a safe and known horse! At least riding your only likely to fall 6 feet, Ok so it could then kick you too, but that's just plain unlucky!

 

[horsegirl]

I always wear a hat when lunging and if the horse is being a pain my daughter ears her hat when handling him - you can't be too careful.

 

[Gingernags]

Never lunge or do groundwork in a hat though. And there will never be a day you see me in a body protector. Ever.

Hate them - I'm far too claustrophobic and I'd look like the mitchelin man!

 

[Baggybreeches]

Same with my old mare, even when schooling in november/december in a tshirt she could raise a glow to heat the whole of britain! Always wear a hat now though as I have 2 sharpies and I also like to be warm.

 

[_jetset_]

Seriously though, does anyone have any suggestions how to stop the irritation I get? I have tried putting a cotton headband (one of the thick ones) where the rash comes up when I wear a riding hat and that did seem to work but was a little uncomfortable. I also washed the inside of the hat with hat cleaner and that just made the rash ten times worse!

Before anyone suggests it, i am not wearing a stocking on my head like some of the black rappers do!

I even tried taking some baby wipes to the yard to wipe my face straight after I had ridden, and these did make some difference but the rash was unfortunately still there just not as itchy!