The Horse Riding Clothing and Saddle Blog

For a new rider, horse riding helmets can be confusing. There’s never just one, is there?  Like everything else related to horse riding clothing, there are many different kinds of horse riding helmets. There are even some horse riding hats. Some helmets are sleek and dark and covered in velvet; some are bright and colorful and look like bicycle helmets; some have visors, some look like cowboy hats, and only a few are allowed in the show ring. So which horse riding helmet do YOU need? The answer to that question depends on what kind of riding you’ll be doing. Are you riding English? Western? Showing? Schooling? What event? I can’t answer any of those questions for you — even with my super-duper psychic abilities — so that means it’s time to get interactive! Follow the steps below to find the right helmet for your head.

Choose a horse riding helmet from your favorite riding style below…

English riding is a style that is both elegant and powerful.  From the delicate control of dressage and equitation, to the mastery of strength and will that is jumping, English riding is classic and beautiful in the European tradition. If you ride English, choose English Riding Helmets or English Riding Hats below.

English Riding Helmets
(for Dressage, Hunter, Jumper, Eventing)

English riding goes back to the days of royal fox hunts, and English riding helmets are based on the look and feel of the English hunt cap.  Whether they’re colorful and informal, velvety and classic, or strong and striped, English helmets are designed to protect your head while maintaining a classic profile. If you’re going to be riding dressage, hunter/jumper, or participating in the dressage phase of eventing, you will need an English riding helmet.

 

English Horse Riding Hats
(optional for Dressage above Level 4, adult Hunter flat classes)

Horse riding hats are just that: hats. Whether it’s the velvety hunt cap on which the English riding helmets are based, or the top hat worn at higher levels of dressage, horse riding hats are not helmets and offer no protection for your head. Still, they’re deeply rooted in English riding tradition and are seen at higher levels of competition. If you’re riding high level Hunter or Dressage, an English horse riding hat may be for you.

 

Western riding is based firmly in the cowboy lifestyle. From the form and endurance of Western equitation and pleasure riding to the strength and control of cutting, reining, and the various rodeo disciplines, Western riding is not for the faint of heart or the shallow of spirit. If you ride western, click Western Riding Helmets or Western Horse Riding Hats below.

Western Riding Helmets
(for Reining, Cutting, Cow Horse, Penning, Western Equitation)

Western riding goes back to the days of the cowboy and the skills needed to work a ranch while sitting in the saddle. Western headgear has long been based around wide-brimmed hats — cowboy hats — as they offer great protection from long days in the elements. What they don’t offer is protection from injury, and that’s why Western riders are beginning to embrace the western horse riding helmets.

 

Western Horse Riding Hats
(optional for Western Pleasure, Western Equitation, most others)

Ah, the cowboy hat. Do I really need to say anything about it?  In case you live under a rock and have never seen a movie western, let me just say this: Western riding hats may not offer any protection from injury, but they are a cowboy’s barrier from the sun, wind, and rain. And they look good doing it. If you want to ride Western pleasure or any of the other slightly less dangerous Western events, try a Western horse riding hat.

As you can see, there are all kinds of horse riding helmets and hats designed for all kinds of horse riding styles and events. As confusing as so many choices can be, if you know what style you’re riding, what event you’re participating in, and whether you’re going to be showing or lesson riding, your choice becomes much easier. No matter what your style or event, make sure you’ve checked with your barn for the local rules regarding horse riding clothing and headgear, and make especially sure that any horse riding helmet you buy is both new and ASTM/SEI certified.

Happy riding!

 

Technorati Tags: horse riding clothing, horse riding equipment, horse riding helmets

Choose an English horse riding hat below…

English Hunt Caps
(optional for upper level Dressage and Hunt Seat flat classes for adults)

Introduced in 1780 and made popular by King George III when he wore one in Windsor Park, the Hunt Cap is the hat on which most horse riding helmets are based. Traditionally made of a shellacked felt covered in velvet and featuring a padded interior, hunt caps are basically just stiff cloth hats that offer no protection for the rider’s head. Unless you’re competing at an extremely high level, stay away from the hunt cap and stick to a helmet. Click the hunt cap to compare the various brands…

English Riding Top Hats
(optional for upper level Dressage)

Top hats are one of the earliest types of hats to be worn in riding, and are still part of the traditional dressage ensemble. Like the hunt cap, the top hat is basically just a very stiff hat that will possibly protect you from minor scalp lacerations, but won’t protect you from a major impact of any sort. Shorter than a normal top hat, these top hats are designed to stay on the head while riding. Unless you’re riding dressage at the FEI level, you don’t need a top hat. If you are, check out the different brands of riding top hats and see what sets them apart… 

Dressage Derbies
(optional for upper level Dressage)

Dressage Derbies are very similar to top hats, and in fact started out as an evolution of the top hat design. When William Coke, Duke of Norfolk, lost his top hat while riding, he engaged a hatmaking family, the Bowlers of Southwark, to make him a smaller, rounder, more wind-resistant version. The Bowler hat, later known as the Derby, was the result. These days, derbies have fallen out of vogue and are rarely seen outside of the UK and higher level dressage. If this hat is right for you, click the dressage derby to find out more...

Technorati Tags: horse riding clothing, horse riding equipment, horse riding hats, horse riding helmets

Choose an English horse riding helmet from a category below…

Show Helmets are pretty much what they sound like: helmets you wear to shows. They’re more formal looking than other horse riding helmets, but will still protect your noggin in a fall (or kick). If you plan to ride in front of judges for Hunter, Jumper, or Dressage, you’ll need a show helmet.

Classic Show Helmets
(for Dressage, Hunter, Jumper, Eventing)

Classic show helmets are what most people picture when thinking of equestrian events. Modeled after the English hunt cap (which is basically just a velvet hat that offers no actual protection), classic helmets are darkly colored — usually black — and either covered in velvet or given a finish (or cloth cover) that resembles velvet. Unlike hunt caps, show helmets actually do protect your head, usually have some form of ventilation hidden under the surface, and strap on for a tight fit. Click the classic show helmet to learn more…

Modern Show Helmets
(for Dressage, Hunter, Jumper, Eventing)

Modern show helmets are sleeker, more abstract versions of the classic hunt cap look. They also owe some of their atheletic appearance to the shape of the polo helmet.  Still darkly colored — generally black or dark gray — modern helmets often forgo the traditional velvet cover for a matte, sometimes textured finish. Many of them also feature a central, highly visible ventilation stripe which helps to keep the rider’s head extra cool, but also contributes to the nickname “skunk helmets.” If you like this look as much as I do, click the modern show helmet…

Schooling Helmets are what you wear when lesson riding. They’ll protect your head like show helmets, but are far more casual-looking and thus inappropriate for show riding. The good news? School helmets are way cheaper and you can wear them in tons of fun colors, allowing you to really express your own barn rat style.

Schooling Helmets
(for learning Dressage, Hunter, Jumper, and general riding)

 When riding for lessons or while practicing, riders have the option to wear schooling helmets. Though they protect your head the same as show helmets, schooling helmets are way more informal and way less expensive. This means not only can you express your personal style with one of the many fun colors available, you can also save your much more expensive show helmet from all the wear, tear, dust, and dirt of daily or weekly lessons.  Unless you have money to burn and your favorite color is black, you’ll want to pick up a schooling helmet.

NOTE: Even though schooling helmets look a bit like bicycle helmets, they’re very different. A bicycle helmet WILL NOT protect you from the sort of forces and damages you are likely to experience in a horse riding accident, so please make sure you purchase a proper, ASTM/SEI certified helmet that’s made specifically for horse riding.

Technorati Tags: horse riding clothing, horse riding helmets