There’s no one on that list we can afford to lose to a TBI.
There’s no one on that list who wouldn’t create hardship and loss for several OTHER people if they had a career-ending TBI.
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So they were 6 months late with their rule change proposal :lol::lol::lol:
BUT they are not allowed to wear crazier jackets. Tell me again how they are arguing for top hats because “muh tradition!”, but want to be allowed to wear colourful gear. Sounds more like they want to keep the top hats because it is a way to be above others in that you have to be at a certain level to wear them.
What an epic waste of time.
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But it’s TRADITION! Full length skirts and side-saddle for women. How dare you try to mess with tradition?
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I don’t care if they want to be careless at home. I do care when they are in a sanctioned competition and essentially representing the sport. Of all the 100s of FEI rules, do they complain about any of them violating their freedom of choice? It’s ridiculous.
It’s surprising to see some of the people who have signed this petition. Many of them have been showing in helmets for years by their own choice, and many are sponsored by helmet companies. I guess for those riders it’s about the choice? For the record–I’m totally in favor or requiring a helmet in competition for many reasons.
Interesting aside–I think the Dutch team is sponsored by KEP, I always found it odd that they didn’t make them wear helmets to compete???
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I’m disappointed on a lot of levels, mainly the seeming desire for fashion over safety. High on my list as well, that kind of goes along with the main disappointment, is that if we want to be taken seriously as athletes, we can’t be prancing around in toppers (or tails, for that matter).
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I REALLY want them to ditch the whole ensemble and modernize for health, safety and atheleticism. White pants are unflattering and no one wears them except for shows. Coats are too hot for most show seasons and are often waved. The tailcoat is just silly looking now. I’d love to see boots, conservative color breeches, a loose fitting shirt with a sleeve (short or long) and a collar and choice of a dark solid color vest, jacket or safety vest. They have a down year and probably another down year to figure this out and bring the sport into the present. Do you know how many red faced overheated people I’ve seen at shows?
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I really don’t get the ‘it’s tradition’ argument. These horses wear $$$$ saddles with newest improvements, anatomical bridles, anatomical bits, fed only the best feed, get steamed hay, seen by top quality vets who use the latest and greatest in diagnostic equipment and most current treatment options, are treated by an assortment of body workers who use a variety of methods and other equipment, travel to shows in rigs valued in the hundred thousand dollar plus range and are flown all over the world. Nothing about that is ‘traditional’.
Top hats look idiotic and only feed into the “it’s not a sport, the horse does all the work” argument. How can an outside observer think a rider is doing anything when they’re dressed like a penguin with a dumb hat?
If I were a helmet manufacturer and sponsoring these riders, I would be quite ticked off.
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No top hats and ANY color tailcoats! http://dressage-news.com/2020/10/27/move-to-keep-top-hats-for-high-level-dressage-too-late-more-colorful-tailcoats-jackets-to-be-allowed-for-grand-prix-special/
How about: No top hats and No tail coats and No white breeches?
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i think that with the variety on helmets today theres bound to be some that fit everyriders head and taste in style. i also think that for the people addament on wearing tophats there sould be a helmet designed to look like one!
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Some of them don’t do it by choice, but because their national federation has helmet rules for national team members.
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I don’t know all the names on the list but some of the ones I do know shocks the crap out of me. What planet are they living on?
Riding with a hard hat is trendy and the way these riders whine about “free choice” for their top hats is quite embarrassing. This is also a full blown slap to the face low blow on the sponsors of some of these riders.
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“Muh Tradition” Dressage riders be like…
[ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“full”,“title”:“topper 2.jpg”,“data-attachmentid”:10762485}[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=JSON]{“data-align”:“none”,“data-size”:“full”,“title”:“topper.jpg”,“data-attachmentid”:10762486}[/ATTACH]
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I’m pretty sure that insurance policies would adjust accordingly. That may make them think again!
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Remove tailcoats.
I don’t buy the “tradition” crap. Dressage outfits are based on 17th century hunting garb. Dressage competition was not a formalized competition until the1900’s, when it was performed mainly by military officers in their uniforms. It was not until 1952 that civilians of both sexes were allowed to take part.
Not really my view of tradition, when you bear in mind classical dressage history. Togas anybody :winkgrin: ?
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Any reference to Freddy Eynsford-Hill gets an up vote from me! 
This issue reminds me of barristers’ perukes. I always said that if I ever needed to appear in court I’d want to turn up in a full Marie Antoinette wig with a small Japanese garden scene tucked into one side. I mean, if I must mimic the dress of the mid 1600s, why can I not at least make it gender-appropriate? :lol:
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This is why the “tradition” argument is absurd. It’s pretty selective to cling to the top hat tradition, when other dressage traditions have fallen by the wayside.
When there are better options available, why wouldn’t you upgrade. Helmets are pretty clearly a better option than a top hat that is purely aesthetic and has zero function. Besides, helmets are looking pretty slick these days, especially with all the customizations available.
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QUOTE
It’s surprising to see some of the people who have signed this petition. Many of them have been showing in helmets for years by their own choice
QUOTE
and there is the word. Their choice. Free to choose.
I am amused that what is largely a group of women do not see the irony of these last 4 pages of discussion.
1 Like
Honestly, I don’t understand the point you are trying to make here.
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Am I the only person here who actually likes the current dressage competition look, even with the helmet? I like the white breeches. I think showing in white breeches and a white shirt sleeve shirt in a hot day is fine and actually ideal. We campaignEd my horse in FL all summer and didn’t see red-faced riders coming out of the ring. If people wanted to wear a coat, they did. If they didn’t, no worries. They were waived. Breeches, shirts and jackets are available in all kinds of technical materials. They are designed to keep riders cooler than the older fabrics, while still maintaining the traditional look There are all kinds of cleaners available to keep your whites clean for years. I’m not the tall, toweresque rider, but white and tan breeches really are not all that terrible or scary. In fact, they are significantly cooler than black or brown! I have friends who school at home in white as it’s HOT in GA. White is actually quite practical in summer.
One thing most or all can agree on is that the top hat, for safety reasons, is outdated. This sport is based on military training. Back in the day,soldiers didn’t wear helmets into battle. Today they do. The military evolved, and therefore, this sport which uses the military as its foundation should evolve along with it. There is really no excuse.
And I also agree the stovepipe eventing top hats look like Abraham Lincoln hats and look RIDICULOUS.
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