Good hat recommendations...

[muppetisacat]

I have started having riding lessons in an effort to keep up with my dd - the dream being i can comfortably hack out with her and not be a total wimp!

My riding school says my old hat is no longer up to standard (yes it's YEARS and YEARS since I've ridden ).

Now I've been looking at hats and my word things have come on!

Any recommendations between skulls and riding hats ... any particular makes to avoid

We ride in Champion skull caps with velvet covers in Winter although we have a troxel hat for hot summer riding (like a bicycle helmet in plastic).

The vented hats are trendy with fixed peaks are popular for showjumpers but not for us.

For showing we have Charles Owen velvet hats for ourselves and DD. I also hunt now in my velvet show hat as it is smart and still high safety standard. I show my cob in a bowler by Locks.

we have cheapest of the cheap vented Onyx skull caps, detachable peak, just add silk (actually mine is highly decorated with L plates drawn on in liquid chalk and advice to 'keep your distance')

I think they are quite rubbish actually because the padding/lining sort of shrinks over not much time - well mine does, but the childrens' haven't, probably I am just a sweaty monster? But I ride more than they do. Next time I might splash out on something else, but the difference in price between those and the next similar hat is about £50 in our tack shop

My daughter is v keen on the fixed peak vented type that Butkin describes

PS have fun in your lessons! have you started yet?

just make they they are up to the correct standards and have a kite mark - a few of the very cheapest may not have a kitemark. It is best to go to a large saddlers and try on several makes within your budget as each brand fits differently. All will be roughly as safe as each other but the difference is in comfort, fit, finish style etc. There is an organisation that did some alternative testing of hats but have a feeling it is not recognised by BETA (british equestrian trade organisation) It is called the Mark Roberts Injured Riders fund. I think their tests date from 3/4 years ago though so will not include the most up to date models. Personally I have the basic charles and owen skull cap, about £48 i think. It is recommended to replace them about every 4 years i think anyway and as at the moment i am not doing any cross country etc, i went for a fairly basic one and will replace it at the end of that time with a more high tech one if necessary. Don't scimp on hats, you only get one head but equally, if it is up to standard, a £50 hat is not 4 times less safe than a £200 one. There is a high element of fashion involved too! Don't worry that a correctly fitted hat will feel a lot tighter than your old comfy one, it is dangerous to ride in one that is too big. I made the mistake of buying a hat in my usual size but a different brand without trying it on and it never fitted properly, banging down almost on my nose when jumping, it was quickly replaced. Enjoy your lesson!

I've got a Harry Hall hat. I chose it because it was a perfect fit! It is the comfiest hat I've ever owned.
We also have a Polly Hat I got because it was only £10 in a Tesco sale. It is adjustable so useful to have as a spare for visitors, and it is light and airy for hot weather. It looks a bit cheap TBH but it does have a kitemark.

Thanks everyone... just bought a Harry Hall riding hat online through robinsons. It arrived the next day - cost about £60 but as you say - you only get one head. Plus I looked at the old one and the kitemark was from 1988!

Lesson went well but my goodness my legs and bum hurt today! Instructor is some kind of sadist making me do unmanageable stretching and holding my legs out from the saddle with knees bent etc. Tried to tell her my stomach muscles have a 3 mile gap between them after 3 children but she was having none of it .

oh no! unfortunately the only real cure for that is to go riding the next day and the next and the next! after that you don't get any pain! I would count myself as pretty experienced but only riding infrequently at the moment and still get twinges a couple of days afterwards! As that is probably not practical, ask her to suggest some exercises you can do during the week. I teach some weekly/fortnightly riders and it is really hard to improve without doing some other exercise during the week. Core stability is really important. Have you got a big exercise ball you can sit on? Even just being more aware of your posture during the week can help as you won't instantly turn into an elegant, posied rider on a horse if you spend all week slouched! (sorry, not implying you are slouched!) There is a book by cadmos publications think called learn to ride as an adult and it has some useful suggestions for exercises etc. Doing some gentle stretching as soon s you get off may help, like you would do at the end of an exercise class. This should prevent stiffness and delayed onset of muscle soreness.Have fun, i'm sure you will be out enjoying hacking in no time!

Horseymum - yesterday I could no more have ridden a horse than fly to the moon, I would have needed winching on by a crane and would have needed to be sellotaped to the horse. Today I am a little better.

I have been given a few exercises (all equally nasty) in an attempt to help my core muscles and posture. Let me tell you - the only thing I can say about my posture is that I no longer have one!

Here's to keeping my shoulders back and having outer thigh muscles to die for!

how are your achey bits now muppet? hope they ease in time for your next lesson!

just posted on my clipping thread - but wow - my achey bits recovered just in time for my lesson today where I realised I am years off being able to ride like my daughter!

I can barely stand up and hold my balance whilst trotting and my jumping position is non existent! My instructor must be wondering what the hell to do with me!

Added to this I had the bounciest horse I think I've ever known.

Must persevere with my leg strengthening exercises and find a sense of balance from somewhere!