No I don’t know how… the tacking assistant at my barn said she could help me. Maybe she can figure out if my helmet is actually too small or not, because the tack shop really liked the fit, but it’s very painful.
Did they like the fit with your hair down? Because that will not likely be the same helmet you need with your hair up.
OP, I’m sorry you have a helmet that hurts and no quick access to a tack store for alternatives.
It is a really bad idea to second guess what activities are more or less safe on a horse. Most of us older than you can give you lots and lots of awful examples. Worst two accidents I’ve known about personally were 1)mounting and 2) trotting in an indoor.
Since your current helmets are old/dirty and don’t fit properly, the number one priority before you show is to get a presentable one that DOES fit properly.
If you don’t drive, can you get your parents to take you? Or a friend? It’s really, really important.
Good luck.
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Yes, there are a few riders who have been spotted with their hair out of their helmet in the hunter ring.
But the OVERWHELMING majority of hunter riders and trainers still put their hair up. This kid isn’t going to change that. She’s been made aware there’s studies to suggest this is less safe, now let her go.
Kid, you’re going to need a new helmet. You’ll have to suck it up for the one show unless you can get to the tack shop or borrow a friend’s.
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I’ve literally fallen off at the walk. I watched a kid (who is now a pro and does the grand prix) fall off while their pony was halted at the ring and broke her leg. Saw something it didn’t like… spun, dropped her like a hot potato, and took off. Never discount that because you’re not airborne with your horse that you won’t be airborne and hit hard.
FWIW, the worst fall I’ve had in over 15 years was when horse heard a door shut while I was cantering in a half seat on a loose rein while warming up. In hindsight, he was too fresh. Put head between knees bucked, took off, bucked again, and spun. I got launched and landed on shoulder/collarbone and took a chunk out of my helmet when my secondary impact was my head.
It sounds like you’re still very much on the novice/beginner path… please do not assume that because you’re not jumping that the risk is less. My worst horse-related injuries have mostly involved being on the ground or doing flatwork. True story.
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Two of my three worst falls have been since I switched to backyard dressage. My latest - I put my leg on to ask for a trot and wound up with miss rodeo queen. I’ve been riding the majority of my life. Random stuff happens.
ETA: My latest was in March, I was wearing a -GASP- dial fit helmet with MIPS…
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It is a key reason why my current trainer has a HUGE pet peeve in making sure that horses stand like statues at the mounting block. She preaches the importance of them understanding and respecting the mounting block process. I appreciate the focus on safety. So much can happen.
I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but regardless of the hair type, it can be “discreet”. It’s how its styled. I know this because when I had braids as a child, my mother would make sure it was styled appropriately for shows.
.
You took an inch and found, nay, created ten whole miles of patriarchal oppression, and a disdain for femininity in your reply to my comments. Which at no point dumped on anyone’s hair choices or slammed ethnic hair or dreads. I merely and, I thought, politely (considering some of the exchanges I’ve seen on COTH) questioned with the necessity of a rule when I thought the tide was changing.
However I also asked how that Hot Take would be enforced, what a rule would look like in action. This is the point where advocates of a rule can demonstrate that they’re serious and that, if they haven’t given it thought, are willing to explore it.
Not just being Drive-By Provocative on the internet. Seeking cheap agreement or looking for a fight where there is none, just opinions that aren’t totally aligned.
If you were having a crap day, I hope you’re having a better one today.
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What are you talking about? I wasn’t talking about you I was talking about this ridiculous norm in the hunter ring. Did you have a point here that I’m missing? Because this really wouldn’t be that complex of a rule. Don’t stuff hair I’m helmets. Make it go in effect in 3 years so that everyone can buy their next helmet in the correct size. Idk why you’re talking about how enforcement would be an issue. You can tell from across the arena if someone’s got their hair shoved in their helmet or not. This is not hard.
No idea why you take such offense to that but
Maybe take your own advice. 
No I had my hair in the helmet and I mentioned that it was painful but they said it would look great and the foam would compress if I wore it enough, but I can’t bear wearing it at all for more than 10 seconds now.
- i said look- i meant fit
I do have a helmet that fits properly but it’s blue so I can’t show in it. My old black helmet doesn’t fit very well.
Ok sorry i said that, that is pretty extreme what happened to you
THIS. 
Your parents need to stick up for your safety.
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Are you wearing the Charles Owen JR8? That’s what I wear now, and the filling will indeed compress. I’ve been through three of them, and when I was first deciding between two sizes when I first bought the JR8, I went with the larger size, and it was too loose after about 6 months.
I’m not saying this to bang on about the hair-in-helmet thing, but the first JR8 I purchased when I was still wearing my hair up in a no-knot hairnet. I bought it in summer, when my hair tends to be very frizzy, and the compression combined with my hair shrinking in the lower humidity of winter resulted in it being too large within a few months. So those factors might be what the fitters are taking into consideration. I then bought the smaller size and started wearing my hair in a bun.
At minimum, I would keep the helmet as is for now, if it fits with your hair out and keep an eye on the compression.
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Not that extreme. I can’t think of many of my friends that haven’t had a stupid fall that’s resulted in some random injury or falling on their head and needing to replace a helmet.
Also, what’s wrong with a blue helmet? My show helmet is blue and I do the hunters???
Blue and Black are both pretty typical colors now.
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it’s not like navy blue though, it’s bright turquoise
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I think it is a jr8 from the pictures I looked up but I have to have a helmet that is not giving me excruciating headaches for the next 6 months, and I can’t show without my hair in it.
OP I actually got a new Charles Owen last week after having my old one for about 10 years. They do stretch out a lot. The first couple rides in my helmet gave me really bad headaches but now it fits like a glove. If you must wear your hair up in your helmet try putting just the knot below the helmet and then spreading the pony tail out over the back of your head.
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