[QUOTE=asterix;7965361]
You aren’t actually riding in a skullcap from the 90’s, right?[/QUOTE]
Eh, well - 2002?! That’s better, right?
[QUOTE=Blugal;7720402]
Nobody’s mentioned yet that it’s what they do in England, and therefore it must be a trend to be followed… I think it actually started with racing jockeys, since they are the ones who use silks and are switching them between races.
Also since these “brims” are just hat covers, there is no concern about them impeding (or not) a fall. It is all just fashion.[/QUOTE]
I thought it was an American thing! I’d honestly say that I see more straight than titled right up. Though I do have one silk that starts out straight then gradually creeps up as I ride.
[QUOTE=EventerAJ;7723958]
I suppose it could be helpful for the true purpose of preventing a fly from buzzing an ear, but let’s be honest…how often does that happen in competition? I can think of ONE dressage test I’ve had, out of hundreds, where a bug caused my mare to shake her head repeatedly and bothered our score. I chalked it up to one of those things that happens. I also tend to think ear bonnets hold heat in at the horse’s poll and I’d never use one on XC.
Trail riding? Sure, bonnets are a big help when your horse is swarmed by deer flies as you walk in the woods. But if deer flies are eating us on XC, I’ve got bigger problems. ;)[/QUOTE]
Boy, I want to compete where you are. We have flies and knats and other flying bugs attacking us all the time in dressage and warm-up. Bonnets and LOTS of fly spray are very needed. And I can think of many tests and warm ups that my horse had a meltdown over bugs. My current horse is SUCH a diva about bugs…he has a meltdown over flies even in the indoor. If one touches him…he spends the entire ride trying to get the damn thing off him…even when that turns out to be his mane…
Not to mention, I thought everyone knew the real purpose of fly bonnets is to keep the ear pom poms from falling out and getting lost. :lol: My jumper trainer prohibited us from letting anyone leave the barn without a bonnet after we lost half a dozen sheepskin pom poms when they first became the rage back in the 90’s – someone shakes their head too vigorously and suddenly $5 is just gone and the horse is suddenly spooky again. After that, everyone got stuffed and everyone got a bonnet. We were FAR from the only barn with this policy for this reason. The hunters, we all carried a backup pair of stuffies in our pockets just in case to the warmup ring. Flies were just a side benefit!
(ETA, went back and saw devvie posted basically the same thing. that will teach me not to read all the posts first! except we weren’t trying to hide anything, just trying not to lose the expensive sheepskin pompoms…those are a lot nicer to use than the cotton because there are no loose fibers to maybe get lost down in the ear. My trainer did not stuff with cotton because he worried about debris though I know some barns stuff with cotton dyed to match horse colors.)
[QUOTE=bornfreenowexpensive;7967328]
Boy, I want to compete where you are. We have flies and knats and other flying bugs attacking us all the time in dressage and warm-up. Bonnets and LOTS of fly spray are very needed. And I can think of many tests and warm ups that my horse had a meltdown over bugs. My current horse is SUCH a diva about bugs…he has a meltdown over flies even in the indoor. If one touches him…he spends the entire ride trying to get the damn thing off him…even when that turns out to be his mane…[/QUOTE]
Aint that the truth. I actually had a judge write on one of my tests “more fly spray”.
[QUOTE=triple;7967169]
Eh, well - 2002?! That’s better, right?[/QUOTE]
Um, no. You do know the materials degrade over time, right? Do your head a favor and get a new one. A 13 year old helmet isn’t going to give you sufficient protection in a hard fall.
1 Like
You know what I really think about the tilted helmet covers, esp. when it comes to Charles Owen? It so that the LOGO will show, of course!
[QUOTE=Huntin’ Pony;7719877]
I always thought it came from race jockeys, whose body/head position is more horizontal and thus the brim would impede vision if it were “down.”[/QUOTE]
There you go.
IIRC brims have been worn that way for over 35 years. Why change now.;)
Well duh. Because It looks uber cool on WFP.
[QUOTE=devvie;7969426]
You know what I really think about the tilted helmet covers, esp. when it comes to Charles Owen? It so that the LOGO will show, of course![/QUOTE]
I’m pretty sure that is the case! Traditional nylon covers would sometimes “ride up” a bit … So they just made it extreme to show the logo button off on the front of the helmet!
I have a CO Pro II and I think it’s kinda annoying that I can’t get the cover that came with it to actually, well, cover the helmet… Makes me want to order a custom one just to have a helmet cover that fits!
I had to go check my pictures to see my brim hahahahahaa. I only have mine tilted up a wee bit, I also wear goggles on my helmet. I got them while training track horses but they are really useful in windy or snowy days!!!
I set my black satin helmet cover on my J3 skull cap in 2007. It was set level with a slightly upward tilt to the visor but not in the respect that everyone is speaking of. It was set even and though I have replaced the rubber band twice due to it snapping from years of abuse, my cover and helmet remain set. I dont like the look of the super upturned visors. Never have honestly, but to each their own. I use satin covers so wtf do I know. Im old fashioned and likes what stays put. I hate losing a helmet cover on xc which happened when I bought my pro II in 2010. Promptly switched out for another black satin cover. The one that CO provided was too small for the helmet and was ugly.
[QUOTE=vineyridge;7719867]
Also, the Brits think it’s safer in falls than having a straight visor. Little chance of the visor hitting first and breaking a neck.[/QUOTE]
That’s what people said when I was over in the UK and asked that question about the CO eventer helmets.
I think all skullcaps look dumb… sorry! I run XC in my GPA and will do so forever! My hunter-land fashion sensibilities die hard. 
I also use an ear bonnet for bug protection, plus they look cute, so why not?!
It’s relatively new and came about with CO helmets…
they just want to show off the logo on the front.
I think the helmet covers look ridiculously stupid.
Soft helmet covers are used for safety. Sure, now you’re going to smash your nose but at least you don’t bust up your head from hitting the hard ground bill first.
It’s very easy to find the skull cap helmet covers that lay flat.
; )
[QUOTE=merrygoround;7969605]
There you go.
IIRC brims have been worn that way for over 35 years. Why change now.;):D[/QUOTE]
[URL=“http://ebid.s3.amazonaws.com/upload_big/7/1/6/1268683785-28077-0.jpg”]
Here’s a photo from 1980 of jockeys
Eventer 1… ha ha just kidding!
Now, given CO has been making hats since 1911, I can’t find photographic evidence of pre-1911 helmet cover fashions…
Just be thankful we don’t still wear the humungous pom-pom on the top of the helmet to go with the tilted brim!!!
soooo… there are always fashion trends and what looks great to some, looks silly to others, only based on their sense of fashion. Flared breeches were once the rage. Canary breeches were once the rage. Brightly colored square pads with matching boots were once the rage, oh, and those pom-poms!
So the tilted helmet covers are a fashion. Covers with the brim set straight out look nerdy to me now, and that is only because I do not see them that often. And if you turned up with flared canary breeches, I would think it was some sort of costume parade. Despite what we might think, we are ALL fashion conscious in what we wear riding… and it is all based on taste and exposure.
So I wear my helmet cover fully tilted upward, with the CO logo displayed, even though they don’t sponsor me. I probably do this because I am also trying to be like the amazingly talented up and coming riders who are sponsored by CO. Yes, I admit that I am into being like and riding like them and I work on visual imagery as part of that. I will sometimes sit back, close my eyes, and “pretend” like I am much better than I am as a means to improve. Sooo the tilted helmet covers may just be a simple psychological “thing” that have taken over only because the famous introduced them. Nothing wrong with that. It is human.
Anyone who says that they openingly defy fashion is silly. Defying current fashion is just another fashion statement.
:lol:
