New to Dressage - hair and helmet?

[atr]

I’m struggling with mine this year–I’ve grown out a many-year pixie, which was really easy, and now it’s down more or less to my shoulders. But because I have no neck, that’s not much of achievement and certainly isn’t long enough for a bun cover! However it needs to be contained in some way or it sticks out all over the place like Coco the Clown.

I hate hairnets with a passion, so I’m going to go with a low pony tail with a black scrunchie, over an elastic to try and keep it on for a whole class.

It’s a running joke at the barn, as there are several of us with hair in the same state of growing-outness, that if you forget an elastic you just have to go comb through the ring footing for a couple of minutes and you’ll be set…

[alibi_18]

@J-Lu

Ha! I got my bronze wearing laced boots! And black gloves. And a black pad. Regional Championship at Third that year! I “wised up” and got real dressage boots for fourth. /s No white gloves or pad, though.

Like I said, you could wear your laced boots, black pad/gloves in a CDI at GP if you wish.

There is no such thing as real dressage boots.
[Just to be clear, I know stiff boots are made specifically for dressage, but that doesn’t mean dressage cannot be ridden in smooth booths.]

[doublesstable]

Thank you all for the comments… it really does help.

@hoopoe - Thanks… yes comfortable for sure and I don’t want any stragglers… my horse is all braided and looking tidy I shouldn’t wreck it for him… ha… I was able to use a lot of my hunter/jumper stuff. The only things I had to buy was white breeches, a white square pad, a stock tie and of course had to embrace a bit of sparkle in a new brow band. Everything else I had… I just used my jumper coat. Glad I had a black one… I think the black and white looks nice and tidy. I was surprised I kept my white stuff clean… that seems to be another challenge.

@alibi_18 - Ha a flopping sack… that’s funny… And it does make sense it worked better with the top hats…

@equiniphile - I agree it feels heavy and in the way. Glad there are other options. Thanks so much for posting.

@Toblersmom - I really like that idea. I don’t have thick hair but that sounds like it would work. I’m going to try it. Thanks.

@MojitoMare - I’m glad this is the case… could you imagine going into the hunter ring with a big ole bun? I know the jumper rider Danielle Goldstine was talked about because she wore big giant feathers in her hair.

@Texarkana - Right being swept up in trends… something I don’t want to do. I was shocked I even put a sparkle brow band on… I guess all those conservative years in the Hunters I had to break out of my shell but… don’t overdo it. Only distracting I did was go too slow…

@Arlomine - A lot of people do the Hunter Hair… I guess I wasn’t sure; or didn’t look close enough at the other riders that this was okay… like I said, you would never see a snood in the Hunter ring… ha ha.

@ Mjnco - I never even knew was a snood was… what a strange name for it… and LOL - a opossum on your back… so funny and yes; that’s how it would feel for sure… and sparkle moving on the back of your neck may be a bit much especially for us newbies… ha ha. I did see several ladies with those super sparkly helmets… but that’s a no for me.

@EVneo - Good on the Hunter Hair… with the lower helmet I can see too why no snood.

@MissAriel - I like the idea as long as it’s neat no one cares… thanks

@KBC - I would guess there are fashionistas in Dressage too. The dress is actually really beautiful but I could see where it could be over done. I didn’t see anything that stood out too much at the show… most were tasteful and neat. I like the idea that you are neat and tidy the fashion shouldn’t be involved. I did read my tests and they do really have to pay attention to so much. It was so great reading the comments and helpful for my future tests. Not worried about fashion, in the Jumpers I would always be over conservative compared to the riders that chose to do all the colored pads, ear bonnets and leg boots… But after looking at my picture - compared to my white pants and white pad my teeth and my horses socks needed some work… ha

@MissAriel - Agree… you don’t want to overdo - reason for my post… appearing competent… but not. I like to lay low a bit on that for sure. But your right that it does feel nice to feel a bit snazzy… like going out to a fancy dinner… but not overdo it. Your lace shirt sounds lovely. I have seen so many beautiful ones.

@alibi_18 - I’m sure that happens… The white glove thing… come on; don’t we have enough white to keep clean?

@poltroon - Yes the newer helmets with the lower harness makes it tough to do the bun thing. I like the helmets that go lower on the back of your head. Seems like it would protect a bit better.

@Belowthesalt - I like the idea of the braid. I have fairly long hair but thin. Lots of fly-a-ways. The braid seems like it would keep things together a bit better. Thanks…

@CatPS - Yeah that makes sense… and the flopping around would make me nuts… I do like the braid idea for sure… that I think will work well for me.

@J-Lu - Love that… I may have to seek out one of my black pads in my tack room. Much less to worry about keeping clean. And congrats with your laces and all!!

Of course I had to attach a picture of my sweet boy and I at the show. We have another show in July. So excited to work with this amazing horse and get to improve my riding… it’s not easy this Dressage stuff. But super fun and challenging. Again thank you all for your help. You may be hearing from me more often!

[doublesstable]

@atr

I’m struggling with mine this year–I’ve grown out a many-year pixie, which was really easy, and now it’s down more or less to my shoulders. But because I have no neck, that’s not much of achievement and certainly isn’t long enough for a bun cover! However it needs to be contained in some way or it sticks out all over the place like Coco the Clown.

I hate hairnets with a passion, so I’m going to go with a low pony tail with a black scrunchie, over an elastic to try and keep it on for a whole class.

It’s a running joke at the barn, as there are several of us with hair in the same state of growing-outness, that if you forget an elastic you just have to go comb through the ring footing for a couple of minutes and you’ll be set…

Ha I made that comment that I should just cut my hair… but I would look like a guy… It would be reliving my youth… my mom made me get a pixie cut when I was 10 - everyone called me a boy… sooo there you have it. ha ha.

Good luck with you Coco the Clown hair… ha ha… we will figure this out at some point…

[doublesstable]

@alibi_18

Like I said, you could wear your laced boots, black pad/gloves in a CDI at GP if you wish.

There is no such thing as real dressage boots.
[Just to be clear, I know stiff boots are made specifically for dressage, but that doesn’t mean dressage cannot be ridden in smooth booths.]

I wondered about the stiffer boot and what it does… Advantage of some sort??

I have dress boots that are Parlantis (Hunter/Jumper) boot and am using those… Don’t need to spend more on boots… My field boots died twice and I loved them so much I had them repaired.

[DressageD1va]

I’ve scribed a ton and the only thing a judge has ever commented on is if there are flyaways or if the bun as fallen out and the snood is bouncing on the rider’s back.
as for the hunter way of tucking the hair fully under the helmet you are technically diminishing the safety of the helmet by a huge amount.
what my trainer taught me was to use a hair net to make a bun. Then secure the bun with a hair tie and then put another hairnet over the bun. We don’t use the big snoods as they block you from fitting the helmet on properly. I have a kep as well. Make the bun low and very tight. I promise it’ll fit, my hair is long and thick and it works.
as for the stuff boots, we use them in dressage because it keeps our ankle from wiggling and accidentally giving aids that lead to dulling the horse. In hunters you need the softer boot with the shorter stirrup for sure.
Happy riding!!!
btw your pic above looks gorgeous!!!

[oldernewbie]

@atr

I’m struggling with mine this year–I’ve grown out a many-year pixie, which was really easy, and now it’s down more or less to my shoulders. But because I have no neck, that’s not much of achievement and certainly isn’t long enough for a bun cover! However it needs to be contained in some way or it sticks out all over the place like Coco the Clown.

I hate hairnets with a passion, so I’m going to go with a low pony tail with a black scrunchie, over an elastic to try and keep it on for a whole class.

It’s a running joke at the barn, as there are several of us with hair in the same state of growing-outness, that if you forget an elastic you just have to go comb through the ring footing for a couple of minutes and you’ll be set…

I have a bob that’s short in the back and long in the front. Only thing to do seems to be put the tiny bit in the back into a wee pony tail, pin all the stray pieces down around it, and spray lots and lots of hair spray on it. I do put a hair net over it just to keep it rolled up. I have also got a hair piece I sometimes pin back there but I haven’t tried that recently. It also helps to get one of those chignon thingees and roll the hair and hair piece around it.

No matter what, ya still gotta use a hair net, IMHO.

I came from the saddle seat world. I have only occasionally reverted to that since I started riding dressage. We had a few people at schooling shows who just plopped their helmets down on their heads and rode with the hair sticking out all over. I felt like chasing them down with spray and a hair net. Can’t help it, it’s embedded in my genes LOL!

[alibi_18]

@doublesstable

I wondered about the stiffer boot and what it does… Advantage of some sort??

I have dress boots that are Parlantis (Hunter/Jumper) boot and am using those… Don’t need to spend more on boots… My field boots died twice and I loved them so much I had them repaired.

The stiffer boots can help with ankle stability.

But it is not mandatory at all and your Parlantis and field boots will be just as good.

[J-Lu]

@doublesstable

I wondered about the stiffer boot and what it does… Advantage of some sort??

I have dress boots that are Parlantis (Hunter/Jumper) boot and am using those… Don’t need to spend more on boots… My field boots died twice and I loved them so much I had them repaired.

You and your guy make a nice looking pair!!!

The stiffer boots theoretically stablize your lower leg and ankle. This allows many riders to shift the position of the lower leg to signal the horse. I actually hate riding in such stiff boot. I feel that I am at a disadvantage without being able to use my ankles. I school in half-chaps and prefer a boot that allows me to use my ankles a wee bit. I find that I have better control over my spurs and signalling to my horse with my more flexible ankles. That’s just me.

[mjhco]

RE: Stiff boots I do not like them. I earned my Silver Rider medal in my very well fitting custom field boots. No judge ever mentioned them ever. In fact in the pictures and videos you cannot see they are field boots. I do use my ankles. Now I have a pair of custom Petries. Stiffish on the outside and butter soft on the inside.

[Lucassb]

@DressageD1va

I’ve scribed a ton and the only thing a judge has ever commented on is if there are flyaways or if the bun as fallen out and the snood is bouncing on the rider’s back.
as for the hunter way of tucking the hair fully under the helmet you are technically diminishing the safety of the helmet by a huge amount.
what my trainer taught me was to use a hair net to make a bun. Then secure the bun with a hair tie and then put another hairnet over the bun. We don’t use the big snoods as they block you from fitting the helmet on properly. I have a kep as well. Make the bun low and very tight. I promise it’ll fit, my hair is long and thick and it works.
as for the stuff boots, we use them in dressage because it keeps our ankle from wiggling and accidentally giving aids that lead to dulling the horse. In hunters you need the softer boot with the shorter stirrup for sure.
Happy riding!!!
btw your pic above looks gorgeous!!!

Do you have a citation for your contention about “diminishing the safety of the helmet by a huge amount?” I ask because outside of someone having a ton of hair piled up under their helmet, changing the fit/stability, I’ve never seen any indication of that. I have shoulder length hair and sometimes put it in a pony (for schooling) or up hunter style (to show) and my helmet fits the same either way. A single layer of hair - about 4-6mm - is just not going to materially change the fit.

Whether or not a bun works depends on a lot of factors, including the style of helmet as well as the length of the rider’s neck. I personally cannot tolerate a bun. There simply isn’t enough room between the bottom of my helmet and the top of my shoulder blades.

[Toblersmom]

I think the safety of “hunter hair” depends on how much volume of hair is under the helmet and what is being used to hold it. When my hair was at it’s longest and thickest, there’s no doubt that any method of getting it entirely under my helmet would cause the helmet to sit unacceptably high on my head. At one point I was in a high school play and needed to completely put up my own hair to hide under a wig or something. Even spreading it out and packing it down as tightly as I could, it was still very thick, looked like I was already wearing a helmet. If I’d tried to put a helmet on top of it, it would have been way too high and probably unstable because hair isn’t very structurally sound no matter how much gel you put in. I could possibly get away with it now as it’s only a bit beyond shoulder length, but the nape-of-the-neck thing is a lot easier. Kidlet could probably do it as her hair is very fine and straight. Also need to use clips and pins that are very flat and smooth. Decorative bits like beads and spring devices create a focal pressure point that invite depressed fractures. Think of stepping on a Lego brick that’s 5 mm cube type shape vs. one of the skinny flat rectangular jobs.

[DressageD1va]

@Lucassb

Do you have a citation for your contention about “diminishing the safety of the helmet by a huge amount?” I ask because outside of someone having a ton of hair piled up under their helmet, changing the fit/stability, I’ve never seen any indication of that. I have shoulder length hair and sometimes put it in a pony (for schooling) or up hunter style (to show) and my helmet fits the same either way. A single layer of hair - about 4-6mm - is just not going to materially change the fit.

Whether or not a bun works depends on a lot of factors, including the style of helmet as well as the length of the rider’s neck. I personally cannot tolerate a bun. There simply isn’t enough room between the bottom of my helmet and the top of my shoulder blades.

https://eventingnation.com/six-quick…g-helmet-tips/

one example. But if you go on any helmet site they’ll essentially say the same thing.
if the helmet can’t sit low on the skull and make your forehead move up and down when you try to move the helmet up and down than it’s too loose.
Pretty much all the time you’ll have some wiggle when hair is folded under the helmet. After years of working in a tack shop I’ve seen it a ton.
the hunter style harkens back to before approved helmet when we all wore hunt caps. I was a member of that club too.
They looked lovely and it made sense to flip the hair under a thin hint cap. They fall off if we came off anyway.

[Lucassb]

@DressageD1va

https://eventingnation.com/six-quick…g-helmet-tips/

one example. But if you go on any helmet site they’ll essentially say the same thing.
if the helmet can’t sit low on the skull and make your forehead move up and down when you try to move the helmet up and down than it’s too loose.
Pretty much all the time you’ll have some wiggle when hair is folded under the helmet. After years of working in a tack shop I’ve seen it a ton.
the hunter style harkens back to before approved helmet when we all wore hunt caps. I was a member of that club too.
They looked lovely and it made sense to flip the hair under a thin hint cap. They fall off if we came off anyway.

Thanks. I was looking for an actual study or similar. Fit in helmet land is unfortunately quite subjective; beyond the “does it move when you tug on the brim,” there are few measures. But unless you are piling quite a bit of hair under your helmet and actually changing the fit, a layer of human hair under properly fitted headgear is not going to change much.