What riding hat do you have?

Celestica

Celestica

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For the past while I've been thinking about the dangers of peak hats and during the week when this article came up on the homepage it really got me thinking http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/397/311409.html .

Do you wear a peak hat or skull? And why do you wear the one said?

I personally wear a Harry Hall peak ventair just because I could never stand the look of the skulls although in recent months I've started become fond of them. I don't do cross country so it didn't effect me not having a skull hat but I might buy one when I need a new hat instead of a peak. In the past when I've fallen I have noticed how landing on my head and the peak has effected my falls but I'd just be a bit wary, would skull hats not make it easier to break your nose in a fall?
 
I have a few:

a KEP (with a peak)
a Charles Owen skull cap
a GPA titanium (peaked) and
a toggi velvet one (peaked) - at least I think it's toggi.

I fell wearing the toggi hat on Tuesday and I'm pretty certain that the peak hit my nose. the hat was fitted in the shop I bought it in.
my nose isn't broken although I've had a splitting headache for the last two days. I'm pretty sure I landed on my right shoulder and rolled onto my back so I have no idea how I've managed to hurt my nose.

I, personally, if I was going to break it, would rather have my nose broken by the peak of my hat than concrete although I imagine they're equally as painful.
 
I have two hats.

Peaked - Charles Owen Ayr8 - use it just for shows/events, dressage and SJ only.
Skull - Did have a Charles Owen Adventura but just today bought a Charles Owen J3. I use my skull for everyday riding, lessons, cross country, hacking etc. Anything that isn't a show it what my skull hat is for.

I'm pretty sure the peak on my Ayr8 is the type that will hit the ground, sustain some of the impact and then give way?? Also think it is a hat that BE approve to be worn XC, although I may be wrong about that. Saying that though, I have seen people going XC at competitions in that hat I have, so must be ok..
 
I used to ride out in a hat with a peck. My horse fell over and the peak snapped back and broke my nose! I looked like a masked ferret for a couple of weeks. I now use a skull cap with a cover. I change it every two years and if I drop it or fall in it, unless i am completely sure I did not hit it. In fact in a month or so it will be time for me to change it again. I do not think they are that expensive and I am thick enough without killing off a few more brain cells!! I also ride in a body protector, whatever i am doing, as my horse Ffin trips! I have had some strange looks at dressage I can tell you. Those body protectors are fab for holding your boobs in place!!!
I think you can get hats with safety pecks as well!!
 
Sukistokes2 said:
I used to ride out in a hat with a peck. My horse fell over and the peak snapped back and broke my nose! I looked like a masked ferret for a couple of weeks. I now use a skull cap with a cover. I change it every two years and if I drop it or fall in it, unless i am completely sure I did not hit it. In fact in a month or so it will be time for me to change it again. I do not think they are that expensive and I am thick enough without killing off a few more brain cells!! I also ride in a body protector, whatever i am doing, as my horse Ffin trips! I have had some strange looks at dressage I can tell you. Those body protectors are fab for holding your boobs in place!!!
I think you can get hats with safety pecks as well!!
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Agree with you there, bp are great for holding boobs in place that I never feel the need for a sports bra even though I should still wear one though! Only had two dressage comps didn't wear my bp as I trust the two horses with my life and I find my bp very restrictive, I'm in dire need of a racesafe!
 
I have a velvet one with leather straps, think its Just Togs? I have it because I like the style and it was the cheapest in the shop :D

I used to wear a Champion skull cap, I used to ride out racers - no peaks allowed.

And when I was at equestrian college I had one of both as we weren't allowed to XC with a peak.
 
I use the Gatehouse Skull simply because mum bought it for me :D I used to wear a Toggi peak hat and when me and Monkey crashed into the fence the peak snapped (thankfully didn't break my nose), and the whole hat was crushed so mum decided to buy a really good quality one. It was strange at first because its quite heavy but I love it now and use it for everything :)
 
I have a Harry Hall Legend black peaked cap. I've never known anybody else to have this hat though.. not sure if I should be worried!! I like my hat, its comfortable to wear for a long time, although it doesn't have as much ventilation as I would like
 
CatStew said:
I have a Harry Hall Legend black peaked cap. I've never known anybody else to have this hat though.. not sure if I should be worried!! I like my hat, its comfortable to wear for a long time, although it doesn't have as much ventilation as I would like
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I and majority of the other girlies in the yard have Harry Hall Legend! I don't think it covers the back of my head enough though!
 
I have a champion junior jockey skull that I wear for everything with an appropriate cover (has to be a lycra one, the ones that don't stretch don't come big enough for my humungahead).

I think that unless you are showing or dressaging to a decent level you may as well just wear the safest hat you can afford/get to fit so when I bought my hat I didn't consider anything without BOTH PAS015 and BSEN1384.

I'm difficult to fit for hats which makes getting something nice more difficult, but I will probably buy a velvet hat when I start competing a bit more but I'll keep it for best.

DH has a just togs velvet hat which is lovely and looks great but he only really does showing and dressage, nothing high risk.
 
CatStew said:
I have a Harry Hall Legend black peaked cap. I've never known anybody else to have this hat though.. not sure if I should be worried!! I like my hat, its comfortable to wear for a long time, although it doesn't have as much ventilation as I would like
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I think mine is a Harry Hall legend but I can't find any online that are the same colour. Mine's a grey and silver version. Maybe they've stopped making them in that colour now.

I love it. I think it's the most comfy hat I've ever had.
 
I invested in an HS1 a couple of months ago and I wear it for absolutely everything. I feel reassured knowing that I'm wearing the best possible head protection.
 
CatStew said:
I have a Harry Hall Legend black peaked cap. I've never known anybody else to have this hat though.. not sure if I should be worried!! I like my hat, its comfortable to wear for a long time, although it doesn't have as much ventilation as I would like
Click to expand...

I've got one and rode in it all the time until we had an interesting time at a jump :o I ended up in pain after the peak didn't flex when it came into contact with my horses neck.

Now have a HS1 and no sore neck :)
 
a KEP thats fixed
a champion evolution thats fixed
and a toggs velvet thats fixed

I think they really need to do change the peaks on a lot of jumping hats so that their flexible.
 
I have a Champion Junior Riding Hat which is a velvet peaked one. I chose this as it was the best fit. Although i always used to wear a Charles Owen (i think) Skull, after a break of 5 years from Horses none of the skulls seemed to fit well, not in my price bracket any way!

haven't left the ground on a Horse yet but i think i would prefer to have a skull for X-Country so will have to save up, not sure what the riding school i go to want you to wear if you have a X-Country lesson.

The other half will not be impressed when i mention that i need a body protector and a new riding hat to be able to go X-Country, but hey i spent £300 on my motorcycle helmet so by comparison riding hats are pretty cheap
 
Charles Owen adventura. Love it! Have one on and one in the wash! Had a fab gift of an Uvex for Xmas from YO. Light as looks like it'll be great for summer.
 
I have a champion ventair one (with peak!) and love it, so much nicer than my old one which was so hot and uncomfy to wear. If I ever manage to get out xc-ing again I'll be investing in a hat without a peak but for now I'm happy with my current one :)
 
Actually I was riding last night and thought I could do with a really well vented hat for schooling so that my hair doesn't end up smelly and gross. Any suggestions for something that would fit a champion shaped head (so not charles owen)?

Would run it alongside my skull cap so it doesn't matter if it is unsuitable for competitions.
 
I have a Charles Owen velvet one with a peak. It's the kids one, but its not fitting right so am in the process of getting a new hat :) I was looking at the Harry Hall Legend one but apparently they've stopped making it so the tack shop couldn't order one in my size. Was a shame cause I really liked it!
 
Kat said:
Actually I was riding last night and thought I could do with a really well vented hat for schooling so that my hair doesn't end up smelly and gross. Any suggestions for something that would fit a champion shaped head (so not charles owen)?

Would run it alongside my skull cap so it doesn't matter if it is unsuitable for competitions.
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Little tin of hat deodourising spray is a must! I live in a HS1 purely as I love XC
 
I fell off show jumping outside in May and my fixed peak broke my nose. I had a roman nose before and now it has an 'interesting' lump to the left as well. I will never ride in a fixed peak again. I went straight out and bought myself and my daughter Charles Owen Kids Own skull hats as they fitted us the best. I don't really care that I've technically got a kid's hat - I'm happy and confident that I have a safe one that fits me really well :)
 
Bayneddie said:
I fell off show jumping outside in May and my fixed peak broke my nose. I had a roman nose before and now it has an 'interesting' lump to the left as well. I will never ride in a fixed peak again. I went straight out and bought myself and my daughter Charles Owen Kids Own skull hats as they fitted us the best. I don't really care that I've technically got a kid's hat - I'm happy and confident that I have a safe one that fits me really well :)
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Sorry to hear about your nose :( but kudos for going out straight away to protect yourself and your daughters for further damage! I really think I'm going to buy a skull hat now next time around!
 
Thanks ^^^
I also read recently in the Evening Standard I think that a doctor was saying that horse riding seems to have overtaken rugby in the number of A&E cases he sees and that fixed peaks are his biggest concern, not only from broken noses but also from neck injuries caused by the head being forced back unnaturally upon impact.
Not sure how true that is statistically but interesting...
 
I have a Champion Ventair with a fixed peak and a Gatehouse HS1 skull. I used to have a Champion skull before but put it between my knees one day whilst tying up my hair and heard it creak! So that went in the bin and I decided to buy something decent!

I wear the HS1 most of the time, Ventair is only for shows and schooling if it's hot. It was hugely discounted when I bought it so I don't feel bad about not using it very often. The HS1 is comfier and safer, and I don't want the Ventair to fade in the sun and go a weird brown colour!
 
I think mine's a Champion (skull) but it's at my parent's house as I don't usually ride during term time so can't check right now. I am going to invest in an HS1 when I get back though.

ETA : I had a friend who sustained some horrible brain/neck injuries from a fixed peak and I would never buy/wear one now.
 
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I've two helmets.
Charles Owen skull cap and a Choplin peaked helmet (same style as Harry Hall Legend).
I use the skull cap for pony club, XC and such. The peaked one I use for schooling, lessons at the yard etc.
 
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