Helmet vs Top Hat

[whitewolfe001]

I personally think it does matter… as part of a neat and aesthetically pleasing turnout. No, the judge shouldn’t care, but judges also aren’t supposed to care about things like ‘bling’ but people still debate it. (Judges are human, after all, and do have their own preferences.) One of them I’m sure is simply to see that effort has gone into presenting a nice turnout.

I am often disappointed to see poor turnout.

It really does not make sense to me to see riders who obviously have put a great deal of time, effort and money into their dressage endeavours and yet enter the ring with dusty boots or something equally correctable.

But then maybe I’m just an old stick in the mud. I like to see horses braided at schooling shows and I will never ever take my jacket off, no matter how hot it is. I can survive five minutes in the ring with a jacket no matter what.

[Ajierene]

[QUOTE=whitewolfe001;3426166]
I personally think it does matter… as part of a neat and aesthetically pleasing turnout. No, the judge shouldn’t care, but judges also aren’t supposed to care about things like ‘bling’ but people still debate it. (Judges are human, after all, and do have their own preferences.) One of them I’m sure is simply to see that effort has gone into presenting a nice turnout.

I am often disappointed to see poor turnout.

It really does not make sense to me to see riders who obviously have put a great deal of time, effort and money into their dressage endeavours and yet enter the ring with dusty boots or something equally correctable.

But then maybe I’m just an old stick in the mud. I like to see horses braided at schooling shows and I will never ever take my jacket off, no matter how hot it is. I can survive five minutes in the ring with a jacket no matter what.[/QUOTE]

Interesting topic. There was on a while ago about wearing jackets at shows. The main reason given for not wearing one was safety in the heat - which is a good reason. In earlier decades, though, you wore that jacket no matter the temperature. So now people say that disposing of the jacket is fine, but choice of headgear is not. If it were me, I would say safety helmets should be mandatory at all times at shows, but that’s just me - I know plenty of people that have gotten hurt falling off well trained horses.

[Cowgirl]

I personally think a top hat and short coat look nice, but the rider has to be very quiet in their body to pull it off. The flat top of the hat makes it more noticible when the upper body is bouncing around.

Anyway, I don’t care what people dress in–it’s how the horse is going that matters most.

[drsg4me]

My personal thoughts are…

-helmet if on a green or unpredicatable horse

-Hunt cap if in a snaffle bridle

-top hat if in a double.

Although- I have to confess, I do love the look of the top hat- but I find mine terribly uncomfortable (I have a funky shaped head and it has to be SOOOOOOOOOOO tight so it doesn’t fly off mid-test that if gives me a headache) that often times I find myself wearing my hunt cap unless I’m in tails. My hunt cap is just sooo comfy I could wear it all day. And when I wear it I find I don’t spend my entire test thinking “man my head really hurts, are we done yet?” and actually thinking about my ride…novel concept haha

Thats just me though. It really doesn’t bother me to see people either way. As long as the pair looks clean and polished, whatever they want to put on their head is fine with me!

[slc2]

a bowler is more traditional at the lower levels

[Dressage_Art]

[QUOTE=dalpal;3425821]
I vote for shadbellys at the lower levels too. :lol::lol::lol::lol: They have no negative effect on your horse either, except maybe the embarrassment he may feel with his horsie peers laughing at his rider. :lol:[/QUOTE]
? Except there is a RULE about shadbellys at what level they are permitted. There is NO RULE about top hats. See the difference?

PS: I don’t even bother to show in very hot months - I can not last even with out a jacket in temps above 100F - I simply faint as I discovered already. And I have to confess, the so called “athletes” who are wearing their wool coats in 100F+ weather, do put a smile on my face Since I use to ice-skate competitively and I don’t remember any of ice skates wearing wool jackets on ice :lol: but dressage riders have to!!! World at times doesn’t make any cense!

[Sabovee]

I’ve shown up to Intermediare, I wear my top hat at licensed shows - only on horses that are trustworthy. I see lots of adult ammies wearing top hats, or people showing training level wearing them (that aren’t pros, and that haven’t shown above 1st).

Personally, if you wanna wear it - wear it!

I think it makes a nice picture with my Cavallo Ganimede jacket.

http://photos.l3.facebook.com/photos-l3-snc1/v274/28/82/818070045/n818070045_3709866_1165.jpg

Pic above is of a Second Level horse I’m showing this year.

[merrygoround]

[QUOTE=slc2;3426661]
a bowler is more traditional at the lower levels[/QUOTE]

So wear it in good health, with my blessings. I’ve owned one for over 45 years, a Locke, no less. I still prefer a well fitting, nicely shaped top hat. :winkgrin:

[dalpal]

[QUOTE=Dressage Art;3426761]
? Except there is a RULE about shadbellys at what level they are permitted. There is NO RULE about top hats. See the difference?

PS: I don’t even bother to show in very hot months - I can not last even with out a jacket in temps above 100F - I simply faint as I discovered already. And I have to confess, the so called “athletes” who are wearing their wool coats in 100F+ weather, do put a smile on my face Since I use to ice-skate competitively and I don’t remember any of ice skates wearing wool jackets on ice :lol: but dressage riders have to!!! World at times doesn’t make any cense![/QUOTE]

OMG people, it was a JOKE, a JOKE…hence the laughing faces…I realize there IS indeed a rule against shadbellys…and although there isn’t a rule against top hats, I just don’t think they are tasteful at the lower levels…just my own opinion. Well, at least I thought it was funny.

Jackets are part of the dressage scheme because it orginated from the military…it’s part of the uniform. Last time I checked, we never had any militant ice skaters

[atr]

It would be so nice if there were any shows around here that weren’t in the hotter months…

I’m sitting here in a hotel room in Boise, Idaho. It was still 97 degrees at 7pm this evening. I’m showing tomorrow at 12.30ish and 2.30ish. (We must be insane… ) My helmet is really very warm, so that won’t be fun.

(I won’t be wearing wool, though. I bought an Arista Modern Competitor jacket. It may be a little unconventional looking, but it actually feels cool to the touch. I’ll let you know how it “rides.”)

[ThreeFigs]

Oh, dear God, not again! Not playing this time…

[FancyFree]

OMG people, it was a JOKE, a JOKE…hence the laughing faces…I realize there IS indeed a rule against shadbellys…and although there isn’t a rule against top hats, I just don’t think they are tasteful at the lower levels…just my own opinion. Well, at least I thought it was funny.

I thought it was funny and I agree with you. There may not be a rule against wearing a top hat at the lower levels, but it doesn’t seem appropriate to me. I always wore a hunt cap.

But I do have to say that you look great Sabovee. Your turn out is always perfect. Gorgeous picture.

ETA: I just Googled your coat. That is really nice. It’s cut away in the front. I’ve never seen one like that. Cool.

[Dressage_Art]

[QUOTE=dalpal;3426864]
OMG people, it was a JOKE, a JOKE…[/QUOTE]
Calm down now,… breathe in and then out… in/out… feel better now?

@dalpal;3426864

top hats, I just don’t think they are tasteful at the lower levels…just my own opinion.

Yep, it is just your opinion… so again nothing that should get your panties in a twist…

I personally never wore a helmet riding dressage (up to FEI) before I immigrated to US or saw anybody else wearing a helmet riding at any levels at dressage… now I actually do wear a helmet, but top hat still looks the best at any level to me … IF a horse is safe and rider knows what she is doing.

I wonder if dressage riders in Europe wear helmets now at lower levels?