The seatbelt analogy was in reference to the helmet not being too loose and not flopping around back and forth; that part of the conversation had nothing to do with hair up vs hair down - he simply said the helmet has to cover the head all the time and they want a helmet between the rider and the ground. Burek said that when it comes to hair, it’s a personal choice and indicated that they really just want a helmet that fits properly on every head. He absolutely did not say that under no circumstances is wearing hair up in a helmet safe.
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I can only presume that people are bored at home and can’t get out to ride their horses so splitting hairs and dancing on pinheads is deemed to be fun.
Are we at least all agreed that wearing a helmet is better than not wearing one - because tests and experience say it is so? I’m only here because of wearing a helmet and I’m so trained that I once lasted perhaps ten minutes without one before I put it back on, despite the ferocious heat.
Then perhaps leave Hunters to do their hair thing all alone?
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And I refer you back to my post #9 or 10. It was Roy Burek I was talking to.
I remember back in riding camp in the early 80s, I was sent away with a hunt cap–I guess you’d call it a patey or crash cap. I was a nervous rider, and was told by the instructor not to worry, “because if you fall off, you’ve got your hat on”! No chinstrap, either, except a bit of elastic. I had a big head as a kid, and I don’t think my mom could find one that fit with one of those plastic tan straps.
Of course, now we have much better technology (thank heavens) and understand better how to protect ourselves.
I am not going to proclaim myself Dr. Google or a scientist, since we have actual experts in this thread. It doesn’t surprise me, however, that there isn’t literally mountains of research on this in the public domain, because this is a relatively niche subject. Also, most research on any scientific issue is not 1,000% conclusive. But the preponderance of the evidence I’ve read suggests that helmets are safer if they fit as snugly to the head as possible, with minimal interference, irregularities, and air pockets, which hair stuffed up in the helmet can create.
Anecdotally, to support my wearing my hair outside in a bun, I’ll also note that when I did obey people about putting it up (this was like, 5-6 years ago), I noticed a compromised fit, as my helmet would be looser in the winter versus the summer, because of the way humidity affects my hair texture. And yes, I wore it up for about a year when I was riding at a hunter barn and there was a big-ass deal about putting it up in a hairnet every ride. Eventually, I quietly got a new tighter helmet and started to wear it out, and occasionally got comments about that, which I ignored. I ride dressage now, so wearing it in a bun is not an issue.
I agree that more research should be done on different hair types. I’d hope, like all safety research, this is an evolving subject. But simply because there isn’t a single, big public domain study that demands you leave your hair out doesn’t mean you can’t make an optimal decision about the evidence that’s out there, which is wearing your hair up is less safe and compromises fit. It wouldn’t surprise me that it might be less of an issue for some hair types, but just because it’s not AS dangerous for everyone equally doesn’t make it safe.
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Funny you should say that.
I was just thinking the other day that it was during this week many years ago that I signed up and posted on the BB for the very first time, since I was home for the holidays and cooped up in a house full of relatives due to a blizzard. So I was in desperate need of a diversion to pass the time. Lol.
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The original thread with excellent instructions on how to use pantyhose to imitate “hunter hair” if one had short hair seems to be gone, but there’s some discussion here, on a thread from 2013… One poster says that the H/J forum must have a thread on hunter hair for things to be right in the world.
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Ha, that was mine! I still use a half Buff under my helmet, just to absorb the sweat. Fun colors at home, a demure color in public (mostly foxhunting these days - the Buff definitely helps keep the ears warm.). My hair is now ponytail length, but I can wrap it around and secure it in the back of the Buff instead of putting it up under the helmet.
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First world problems, so fraught!
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I do believe everything on a horse forum is a first world problem, since we are discussing expensive pets.
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No, we’re not discussing pets. We’re discussing women’s hair, helmets, and what is supposedly a sport.
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On a horse forum… horses are an expensive sport pet, which makes all the discussions here associated with those pets, including how we do our hair at horse shows, is very much a first world problem.
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Since this thread popped up, I will note that Brianne Goutal showed in the Grand Prix tonight in Wellington with her ponytail hanging down out of her hat, but when I’ve seen her show hunters lately, I believe she had her hair up.
The beauty of a BB is that people can call their animals sport horses or pets, depending on their own preference.
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Well, I’ve found the discussion useful. I have hair. I ride jumpers. I need a way to keep my (very long) hair neat and out of the way. The OP was asking for tips on how to manage her hair in way that was safer than stuffing a bunch of it under her hat, but still looked good. How is that a problematic request?
Yes, it’s a sport but how is that even relevant? All sports have a certain style to them, because we are human and (in general) like to look good. And, again, the hair needs to be managed for safety and to make it less irritating (in my case). I rode the other day with a ponytail because I was just hacking out and it drove me nuts.
Usually I do a braid, coil it in a loose low bun thing, cover it with a RWR hairnet, and it sits nicely contained below my hat. I think it looks sort of hinky to have a bun, even a braided one, and would rather it fit under my hat but it doesn’t so this is my solution.
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If they want to invoke 'tradition" women should be riding side saddle.
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I noticed that last night but thought over the summer I had, on some livestream or other, seen Brianne Goutal with hair down in a hunter class or two.
On the flipside, I also thought I saw hunter hair on a young European rider, I think that talented kid from Belgium that made the jumpoff. I thought “oh! She’s assimilating!” 
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Whilst wearing a silk hat with a veil–and long hair in a bun.
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Maybe she just has short hair. Lol.
Brianne definitely showed some hunters last year with her hair down in a ponytail, and won on them.
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My hair is very curly, what I do is do a low ponytail have 1 hair net cover my head secure it with the pony tail and then do another hair net to keep that first hair net from moving. I usually also try to keep my hair shoulder length so it’s easier to maintain and to put in the helmet
THANK You! The last time this thread flared up, I went down the Google Images rabbit hole trying to confirm that I did not hallucinate that
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