The safest helmet is the one that fits your daughter’s head. I have yet to find a MIPS helmet that fits me.
Most kids at the top level are wearing Samshields, some wear Kasks. I personally find the wider brim option on both brands to be flattering on most.
White shirt, clean breeches, and a dark navy jacket that is well-tailored will never be incorrect. Find a brand that fits well and shop for used apparel, especially jackets (I buy and sell on TriedEquestrian.com) to build up the wardrobe (and if your kid happens to be a ladies XS/24-26, PM me).
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I concur.
The kids might follow the brands or the trends, but the classic look in the ring will never go out of style.
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I personally don’t care what a washed-up sexual predator has to say about any of these things, but YMMV.
Lots of good advice here. I run a tack shop and I’d say that we’re selling about 50-50 Samshield and Kask now. I switched to Kask last year and LOVE it. I do find them to be a higher quality helmet than Samshield, but my trainer still has the equitation kids stick with the Samshields.
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This is all super helpful. Thank you! Especially about the coats, because the one we bought her for this season is indeed black.
Thank you! I’ve been looking at various helmet safety studies but had not seen that one.
You may also want to consider a safety vest for your daughter, whether a “hard” vest (e.g. Tipperary Eventer Pro) or an air vest (e.g. Hit Air). The juniors riding with my trainer are advised to wear a safety vest when they progress to jumping, and many of the rest of us have followed suit, even for flatwork. It is true, however, that widely comparative safety studies are not yet available.
The vest can really make a difference in a fall, particularly if one is tutored in rolling. Personally and anecdotally, I have had easier landings and fewer bruises from wearing my hard vest. I have not noticed any penalty for wearing one in the show ring.
Much like a helmet, you want to pick the vest that fits best, and scrutiny of ratings and tests is wise. Good luck and welcome!
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@CableRoad has a good point.
I, too, now ride in an airvest - mid 30s now with that big rehab for my AC has me knowing how hard the ground can be.
Equisafe does Zoom fittings for both helmets and vests - Kimberly Chick is amazing. https://www.rideequisafe.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopBMSOWZDkSiR8ZGnYt5JAJRa_80LRVHlnbXwiX5O5Oreq65DZs
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It specifies in the USEF rules that no one can be penalized for wearing a safety vest.
They are a very common sight in the show ring these days, so everyone is used to seeing them by now.
See GR 801.4
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Life of KASK helmets is 10 years from date of manufacture not 5. That was enough to sway my decision.
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Another jacket question: is it ever appropriate for juniors to wear a contrasting collar on their jacket in the H/J ring these days or no? Is that only for the jumpers ring?
Thank you so very much to all of you who are being so welcoming, patient, and kind in answering my various questions, and in offering recommendations and suggestions. I really, really appreciate it.
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YMMV but I prefer really plain coats in the Hunters and Eq. The Eq more so even than the Hunters to be frank.
I personally think contrasting collars look best in the jumper ring. When kiddo ages out she can come to the dark side of jumpers 
I flirt with all 3 rings as I don’t own - so whatever horse I am leasing / have access to is what ring I ride in - plain show clothing is just much easier to be versatile in. Plus at her age - she might grow out of whatever you buy in a season or two. Or maybe not - I’ve been 5’9 since I was 14.
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So my 14 year old daughter is now “on” to the Samshields being the helmets that “everyone”'is wearing in the h/j ring. Teenagers being teenagers, she definitely wants to wear what all the girls w/ the most expensive horses and equipment have.
However, I require her to wear a show helmet that is MIPS certified, and I cannot find a Samshield that meets MIPS certification.
She also really likes the “rose gold” look on show helmets, but I want to be certain that this is not considered too flashy for the traditional juniors h/j ring.
Is this Charles Owen helmet (which is far more affordable than the Samshield, and has the look she wants, plus offers MIPS certification ) considered appropriate for the juniors show ring? Or is it too flashy?
Thanks again for all the kind guidance and help everyone is offering as I get back up to speed on being a horse show mom who knows what’s “in” and “out,” as well as what’s considered appropriate tack and attire in today’s show ring.
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Definitely have her try helmets on. Requiring MIPS is a good thing to narrow the pool. FWIW I tried almost every MIPS helmet that Dover carries a few months ago - I used to wear a CO but the Kylo didn’t fit me at all. Neither did any of the OneKs (although they are likely the second most common helmet seen in the junior rings). I ended up back in a Tipperary - the Windsor fit me, but the Royal did not. I did not try any of the TraumaVoids.
I say this to point out that even with the dial fit, helmets really vary on shape. Including within the same brand. She really needs to go try helmets on with a qualified fit expert.
As to your question, I would call that Kylo too flashy. The rose gold doesn’t bother me as much as the sparkle, but it’s worth asking your trainer what they think - they may approve it for home use but not the show ring. Also, rose gold and sparkle comes in and out of style, you’re safer going with something a little more muted IMO. I know OneK lets you buys different accent panels and switch them out so that may be an option if it fits her.
The safest helmet is the one that fits, and the one you will wear.
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I’m laughing just because I had no idea this was even a thing. Who knew??
I totally concur with the idea of trying the helmets on in person to check the fit. There is a huge amount of variation between the different brands and styles.
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The best person to ask about this would be her trainer, who might have an opinion on the bling depending on the classes your daughter is going to show in. Your trainer might think it’s a little much for the equitation ring, for example. But it’s no wilder than the rhinestone stripes we used to put on our GPAs (or tape stripes, if we didn’t have a spare $300… or just the regular old helmet stripes, if our mothers put their feet down about wearing racing stripes in the Children’s Hunters) and if it’s safe and fits your daughter’s head, it’s appropriate.
If she really wants the rose gold, OneK and Tipperary both have that as an accent color in MIPS, Tipperary has it in wide brim. The Tipp Windsor has a similar profile to the Samshield.
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This. Right. Here.
The man used to fat-shame women.
Bye Felicia!
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Oh yes! We would never buy any helmet without having it properly fitted in person. I am simply asking whether this is a helmet (because it’s one she likes) that would be appropriate in the juniors h/j show ring in terms of the look.
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Is the wide brim something kids are wearing?
Yes, I see regular and wide brims around here, with wide getting more and more popular.
I wear a wide brim helmet myself and it makes a big difference in the summer- much less glare on my glasses. I appreciate the shade. I also like the way it looks.
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