Changing ribbon "tail" direction on helmet...has anyone done this??

[Satin_Filly]

Hi all…I posted a question in the H/J forum about this, but given that most people who show don’t have to worry about which direction the tails are turned, I’m not sure anyone has ever done this. Hoping the hunting COTHers can advise!
I want to reverse the tails on my CO Hampton helmet, they are turned down and I’m going hunting this winter with a very formal and traditional hunt…tails must be turned up unless you’re hunt staff. Has anyone reversed their tails on this helmet? Are they just glued on??
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?379105-Has-anyone-removed-and-or-reversed-the-ribbon-tails-on-a-helmet

Thanks!!

[rebecca_yount]

Yikes! Good thing I saw this. I have three Hamptons, too and I usually don’t wear them for everyday. I thought the ribbons are pointing up. But I am going hunting soon and I’ll have to check mine. Pinning sounds like a good idea, as someone on the other thread suggested.

[Beverley]

The ribbons should point up for an amateur, down for a professional (and yes, gluing them is fine).

In France it’s the other way 'round, but nobody strung me up the year I was there and rode jumpers just because I didn’t reverse them (didn’t get any hunting in that year though!).

[CC1]

My Hampton is a few years old so I don’t quite remember how I got it off but do remember that it was quite easy. And yes, I do know that I glued it back on.

Is that helpful LOL!

[The_Centaurian]

Definitely check with the hunt secretary before you do anything drastic to your nice helmet. My bow points down, too, but our local hunt kindly assured me not to worry about it!

I would probably consult my local joann fabrics or favorite handy seamstress. And then I would sleep on it. And then I would probably just look for a new helmet that comes out of the box with the bow facing the “right” way, lol!

Perhaps double-sided tape or hem tape might work, just flip the ends of the bow up without detaching it completely?

[Satin_Filly]

[QUOTE=The Centaurian;6708365]
Definitely check with the hunt secretary before you do anything drastic to your nice helmet. My bow points down, too, but our local hunt kindly assured me not to worry about it!

I would probably consult my local joann fabrics or favorite handy seamstress. And then I would sleep on it. And then I would probably just look for a new helmet that comes out of the box with the bow facing the “right” way, lol!

Perhaps double-sided tape or hem tape might work, just flip the ends of the bow up without detaching it completely?[/QUOTE]

The MFH stated specifically that tails must be up for me. Heck…he said they even frown upon field boots, but since I’m a guest I can wear mine. If I hunt with them on a regular basis he said I’d need to have dress boots. For now I’m just going to tuck my laces in and hope no one really notices.

Oh…your signature made me chuckle!! Now I have a legitmate reason to explain to my non-horsey husband why we should have kids. :lol:

[tangledweb]

I’ve done a bunch of CO helmets, so I can do it in about 30 seconds now.

I take a teaspoon and gently pry the ribbon and glue off the velvet but only about half an inch wide area in the center. Then I poke the tails through the hole I made and flatten the whole thing down.

If I’m unusually organized for me and it is not the morning of the hunt, then I’ll glue them in their new spot to make sure they stay tidy, but even without glue it stays pretty flat if you don’t pull off too much of the factory glue.

[rhymeswithfizz]

Or, try a nice stretchy velvet helmet cover. I put one over my grey/black CO and it looks great. But maybe your MFH has sharper eyes than me

[rmh_rider]

May we have a picture of this for the, ummm, UNinformed-hunt type people? For the helmet that is.

I have done a hunt. But, it was boxing day, and apparently VERY informal. I did take my 15.3HH grey arab endurance riding mare, and she did GREAT on all jumps. Me too. I did wear the correct clothing, and tack.

[tangledweb]

[QUOTE=rmh_rider;6711792]
May we have a picture of this[/QUOTE]

A picture of ribbons?

Look at the back of a hunt cap or a helmet designed to look like one.

Some have the ribbons up, like this:
http://img2.etsystatic.com/008/0/6664238/il_570xN.397417906_pbjx.jpg

Some have the ribbons down, like this:
http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/ProductImage.ckimg?img=2980026.jpg&size=large

[Beverley]

[QUOTE=tangledweb;6712107]
A picture of ribbons?

Look at the back of a hunt cap or a helmet designed to look like one.

Some have the ribbons up, like this:
http://img2.etsystatic.com/008/0/6664238/il_570xN.397417906_pbjx.jpg

Some have the ribbons down, like this:
http://www.adamshorsesupplies.com/ProductImage.ckimg?img=2980026.jpg&size=large[/QUOTE]

In the second picture- ribbons down example- the ‘bow’ is not like I have ever seen for a ‘hunting’ bow, I am more accustomed to the ‘single bow’ look in the first picture. Don’t know that any turnout police would care- just my observation.

More important is being behind a good, hard huntin’ pack of hounds, so no one has time to even look at the bows! File this away as alibi: ‘Gosh, most exalted Master, my ribbons were Gorilla-glued up as they should be when we started today- we had to gallop soooo fast to stay with those fabulous hounds that the Mach 1 wind effects just blew that glue away!’

[CarrieK]

Or, “Gosh, exalted Master, I just returned from France and can’t remember which way is up.”

(I can’t even afford to go to Toledo, Ohio and some folks here go overseas
:: gives some fancy schmancy person the stinkeye ::)

(:; reconsiders :: Well, if she wasn’t so nice I would just sit here and
:: stinkeye :: but aw, what the heck :: passes cookies and Couvousier and boa to Beverley ::)

[tangledweb]

[QUOTE=Beverley;6715223]
In the second picture- ribbons down example- the ‘bow’ is not like I have ever seen for a ‘hunting’ bow[/QUOTE]

It’s just a stock picture of a Charles Owen in a catalog. It’s a popular brand, so I’m sure you’ve seen them. I suspect you are demonstrating that as you said, when hounds are working you have many better things to than examine your fellow hunters’ ribbons in detail.

[ideayoda]

It’s just about ONE stitch tacking the tails up or not. But I have NEVER heard of a hunt that uptight…and field boots are for weekday (more informal) hunts or with something less that black or pink coats. And bow with tails down=proffi/and bow with tails up=amateur. Has nothing to do with field/staff. (My mom was sec. of a hunt for 20+ years.)

[BCGirl]

So this is embarrassing…I hadn’t even thought to check, what a dope I am! And of course, the ribbons have been pointing down all season, eek!
Although, following tangledweb’s suggestion, I wielded a teaspoon, pried them off, flipped them through and glued them back down! Easy as pie! And it is a CO helmet and no damage done.

I just feel like a doofus for not checking earlier…:eek:

[rebecca_yount]

Hey, TW. do you wield the teaspoon starting at the bottom of the helmet or do you pry it off starting at the top of the bow? I started examining my CO yesterday and picked at it a bit with my thumbnail, but I might end up just pinning it. I have been told, idea yoda, that staff are who may wear the ribbon down and other riders have to point it up.

[ideayoda]

The staff wears it hanging down because traditionally they were paid professionals.

[Fillabeana]

I think that staff should wear jockey shorts, and hunt members should wear briefs.
If female, staff wears a thong, hunt members granny panties.

For guests, depends.

[rebecca_yount]

I’m going to wear a tiara.

[Beverley]

[QUOTE=ideayoda;6717224]
The staff wears it hanging down because traditionally they were paid professionals.[/QUOTE]

Actually, no. Professional staff should wear down, amateur staff, up. This I know as a former and still occasional whipper-in.