Have you checked out the Tipperary helmet? It is more oval, for oval heads, like mine. No other helmet style really fits me.
My personal experience is that most people don’t wear Tipps, but those who do say that nothing else fits them. True for me as well! So glad Tipperary is providing them!
I have and really liked the fit. If I have another horse to ride in the future, I will likely get one. I found them very comfortable!
I show at ARHA (American Ranch Horse Association) shows in an IRH, and it looks plenty “western” enough for me. Not one person has ever made a peep to me about it, and I am not the only person on our circuit who shows in a helmet instead of a cowboy hat.
I do not like the look of the helmets with brims added, personally. I think they are more obtrusive than just wearing a regular helmet.
(popping in to say I love this photo! 
)
USEF has a lot of things going on and not sure they are bettering the sport or not. IMO USEF is venturing into areas that are not necessarily focused on the betterment of the sport, and getting a little too far reaching beyond the competition ring. As far as this book goes - looks like the Amazon synopsis and TOC is enough of a read for many.
About helmets, back in the day noone wore helmets in any sport. These days, you wear helmets for cycling, especially extreme mountain biking, snow boarding, parachuting, bungee jumping, motor bikes, all the cool extreme sports.
I think the visuals and associations of helmets have changed since the 1980s, also the tech and the styling. Those matte brown Western helmets don’t look at all incongruous in a Western outfit.
The Western hat is super functional in a true oprn range situation for sun protection and short rain storms, but most of us aren’t riding in those situations any more, or only on horse camping vacations!
I have considered a pop on brim for my helmet just because you don’t get a lot of shade on your cheeks from the helmet visor and gross brown age spot blotches appear with a tan! Of could mega sunscreen too
Tired of the “wealthy elite” description. 
Pick something else.
I see non-wealthy elite riders and owners almost every day.
Did you not read the rest of my posts, or are you just going to cherry pick a sentence out of here?
Well- what’s your definition of wealthy elite? Having horses? Probably not. Being able to afford 2-5 k a few shows a month, that’s more than the most can afford and is wealthy elite. If you don’t see that- that’s the definition of privilege. It reminds me of when my child was 7 and told a table full of my mother’s friends SHE wasn’t spoiled because she only has TWO ponies. Perspective.
Bloomberg, Gates, Jobs, Springsteen, Wahlberg, Selleck, Spielberg… and those are just (some of) the household names. Truly, is there any sport out there more populated by the offspring of millionaires & billionaires? We do ourselves a disservice to not recognize the extraordinary privilege it takes just to step foot onto these showgrounds.
Great point bringing up those names. Don’t forget spending 6 figures on a creature that perpetually tries to die and does not have an infinite “shelf life”. Wealthy elite, indeed.
@Pennywell_Bay Well- what’s your definition of wealthy elite? Having horses? Probably not. Being able to afford 2-5 k a few shows a month, that’s more than the most can afford and is wealthy elite
I’ve been avoiding getting into this thread and just watching since the beginning but I wanted to comment on this. I don’t know what area you live in and I understand that this sport is heavily dependent on location, so I just want to make it clear I’m not trying to fight or start any issues, just support your point. I totally agree with you.
In the area where I live (wich is full of the names @dags was talking about) just bording a horse at a cheap, do it yourself, no trainer barn is going to run you about $1500 per month NOT counting your other expenses. Say you want to go to a show barn, now your looking at leases running you around 2k a month base fee (again not counting your lease fee, vet bills, farrier, incidentals…). Now if you want to do a single day show, at least 1k, don’t even get me started on multi days with renting stalls, feed, who knows what else. This sport is absolutely INSANE. Even after that, just tack, clothes, meds, feed, vet, and farrier is thousands. I am now realizing I’ve forgotten to mention the price of the horse itself. (I realized this as I was walking from history class to math class)
@Pennywell_Bay Don’t forget spending 6 figures on a creature that perpetually tries to die and does not have an infinite “shelf life”
Havent heard it phrased better. Horses themselves are ridiculously priced, and yeah blame this on covid or tariffs or whatever 6 billion reasons people come up with, but that’s a pure fact. Say your just getting into the sport, and have found an amazing trainer and an amazing place to keep your horse, you’ve taken lessons, and are ready to start showing with your own partner. A horse to truck you around the 2’6 (mind you is not a crazy hight), is going to run you 20-50k. Now say you want to do something like the 3’-3’6? 120-inquire-for-sale-price. (don’t get me started on the pony division and those prices)
To add my own perspective to the rest of the thread:
Yes, USEF has ALOT of issues, no trying to implement DEI is NOT one of them. Our sport desperately needs more diversity, and we need to share the JOY of horses with EVERYONE. Sports closed off to the wealthy elite don’t gain traction or growth, and keep shrinking until only the top 1% can enjoy it. 
There is genuinely no downside to diversifying our sport, including everyone in it, and trying to level the playing field. The equestrian community has an often erased diverse legacy. From the black cowboys in the wild west to TB trainers who didn’t get their accolades because of racism, we need to highlight these stories, not just “nepo baby wins championship on horse that costs more than the average American makes that they bought last week.” I also think the conversation about making helmets for more hair types than just straight/wavy is another great thing. This thread spurred me to do some independent research, and I hope it will be able to help me fit helmets to EVERYONE. If anyone has any more resources or personal experiences, please contact me!!
LGBTQIA+ people have been a part of the horse world forever. USEF isn’t pushing any agenda or attacking anyone. People living the way they are doesn’t hurt you.
Megan Thee Stallion promoting equestrian olympic events was funny, the ad was funny. It was geared towards my age demographic (gen z). If it wasn’t made for you, it will not resonate with you. Not everything is made for everyone, sometimes marketing agencies or promoters will see what demographic they are lacking, and target them. Oh no, basic principals of marketing… so scary… so “woke”.
He’s 6’5" and looks awkward enough on many horses without a top hat.
As a younger millennial right there with ya on this paragraph especially (and the whole post).
I’m going to give everyone some food for thought:
How many younger people without immense wealth are even exposed to horses as something attainable for them?
Again. I’m early 30s, I would say my family was basically middle class but “middle class in a generally blue-collar farm and factory midwestern town” sense not “ritzy suburb” sense. My mom had a college education, grew up on a (non-horsey) farm, and for most of my childhood worked at the county’s tourism director (did not make amazing money b/c the good ol’ boys running the county didn’t tend to pay women in leadership positions what they were worth). Only child, divorced parents, raised by mom and maternal grandma, dad not in the picture much 'til I was about 8, and even then he still wasn’t much of a parent to me. I’m also white and have all the privileges that come with that, the basic privileges some don’t want to acknowledge like being judged on the content of my character not the color of my skin by people who would be inclined to judge someone of good character as lesser by the color of their skin, not having to fear for my life if I’m busted speeding by a cop, etc.
I rode at a rough, backyard barn with dubious basic horsemanship skills because that’s what was in my area. Lessons were…I don’t even know how cheap but after a few years they said if I didn’t want to show (and I didn’t - they had turned me against it by being super-negative about it and I was young, didn’t know anything of the horse world past what they told me and all I’ll say is when I was in HS is when this place started realllly showing it’s true colors, in hindsight. They took in horses from a local neglect case, tried to start a “rescue” but they didn’t really train the horses or try to adopt them out and I swear to god I will be the least surprised person if it ever turns out those people end up in a hoarding situation and that’s all I’m saying on that) there wasn’t much need to keep paying so I basically was a barn rat from about age 13-14 on up. Started out at community college so was riding there into my early 20s, wised up when I was about 21 and got out of there and to a better barn.
Even horses on the scale I had it growing up, marginally involved in the horse world, would be a privilege or luxury in some situations. Still had to have money for lessons for about 3-4 years even if the lessons were in the lower end of double-digit prices. Still had to have a ride to the barn, gas in the car going to the barn, money for boots, etc.
And I wasn’t in some childhood bubble of friends with backgrounds nearly identical to mine. I had friends who had rocky relationships with their parents, friends who didn’t live in the best neighborhoods in town, etc. I knew my family wasn’t loaded but I also knew there were people worse off than us.
Great post overall, and this actually makes a lot of sense for the Olympics as a whole. I suspect that the Olympics, which has for decades relied on TV networks and 3am time slots for less popular sports, has a hard time reaching on-demand Gen Z. I suspect that, like many things, they are struggling to maintain relevancy given the sheer audacity of putting on this event, from potentially bankrupting host cities to massive resource consumption.
Us older folks are already hooked by the warm, fuzzy memories of Mary Lou Retton and such, they don’t need to blow their gazillion dollar ad budget preaching to the nostalgic choir.
Once again, not everything is for you proves to provide excellent insight.
Someone is always complaining about ads not mean for them. 
There was definitely a campaign to get horses on the radar of the casual Olympics viewer. Snoop Dogg at the dressage arena – that was also funny! And I found it interesting that the equestrian promotions seemed to focus more on dressage, the dance-y equestrian sport with music.
My real curiousity about the promotion to new audiences is – why? And what exactly are they promoting? They seemed to emphasize the pure entertainment aspect of watching. No understanding needed. Hoping viewers switch on when one of the more pop song freestyles is on the screen.
But what is the purpose of attempting to interest random viewers to watch people dressed like orchestra conductors ride a horse? Often to ponderous classical music? I don’t think it was growing sport participation.
Was it just to get more viewing hours, generally? This definitely isn’t a sport that kids everywhere can reasonably aspire to do one day, by joining the local kids’ league.
Equestrian wasn’t the only obscure Olympic sport to be promoted to the general lot of viewers hypnotically watching anything in front of them. My guess is just to get more people watching anything Olympic, and watching for longer, for the advertiser revenue. But, just a random guess.
I mean… always you are looking for new audiences. Because your current audience will have attrition, due to death, changing interests, etc. This is pretty fundamental to any activity people want to continue, for profit, nonprofit, participatory, view only, whatever.
Also - people like to watch sports that they don’t participate in. I personally love watching the whitewater kayaking and canoeing in the Olympics. I have no desire to ever do them.
I did a little bit of gymnastics and soccer and volleyball and figure skating in my past and I like watching those women’s sports but I have no illusions that I will ever pursue any of those again.
I also enjoyed watching the climbing walls and the surfing. Obscure Olympic sports are among my favorites, and I don’t care at all about the headliner events that I’m supposed to like.
We really need an ESPN 8 (“The Ocho”). Dodgeball reference, if you’ve seen the movie.
I don’t know if there is anything to learn from 
The Olympics … or just to contemplate …
When the Olympics opened the door to professional athletes in the late 80’s, to people who earned money doing their sport, who found income from sponsors, who were helped and funded by interested promoters, that move brought a wide range of ethnicities and nations into the mix who could not have been there under the old amateur-only rules.
After that, especially the summer track & field Olympics weren’t nearly as white, European and North American. So much more fun to watch!!! (imo)
The Olympics began as a competition for athletes from the elite wealthy class. Allowing only amateur athletes meant that only those who could afford to buy the equipment and spend the time to train to the highest level would compete. Without outside compensation, without commercial sponsorships. Basically, self-funded athletes who already had the funds.
Somewhere along the line it was noticed that there is not necessarily a genetic link between money and talent. Many of the best athletes in the world were not at the Olympics because they were of modest means, or professionals in their sport, who needed outside income while competing – the very thing that was not allowed. Also the rampant flouting of the ‘amateur’ rules.
Nowadays in the world of USEF, many pro trainers/riders have commercial sponsorships. Even in local barns. The brands and labels are on display in their barns and on their tack stalls for all to see.
Could junior & amateur riders opt into the same route to at least help with the necessary funds? Sponsorships, paid positions.
The adult ‘amateur’ division could be switched in description to those not showing above a certain level. Eventing has such a description, I think it is 2 years since the last competition at a higher level. There might be pros vs amateurs, but they would be on the same level.
Yeah ok I know! ‘No one wants to see logos on rider’s breeches!’ But jockeys have gone this route. Even college football is now allowing players to earn income from their names and images.
One thing that keeps Western showing going is the prize money and sponsorships. What, we don’t want to be barrel racing, with logos all over the trailer? Well why not? If it would put some people into the game who can’t afford to be there now.
If there is enough outrage at allowing juniors and amateurs who can’t afford it, to find ways to fund their way into the USHJA through their presence and talent at shows, well, let’s just say that this is a sport where the elites prefer to be with the elites. That’s ok with me – just don’t pretend otherwise.
Just a random thought, y’all. 
There is no USEF rule that prevents a junior from getting paid or having sponsors.
The amateur rules on the subject do not take effect until after exhibitors age out of the junior division.
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
