| All hats and horse riding helmets worn for horse riding | | | | There are different styles of horse riding hats and |
| should be designed and manufactured to conform to | | | | helmets to suit different purposes and each hat should |
| the correct safety standards. Safety standards for | | | | be chose with the discipline they are to be used for in |
| riding hats in this country include BSEN1384 and | | | | mind. Each horse riding discipline, dressage, eventing |
| EN1384 which are the basic minimum safety standards | | | | and show jumping requires the rider to wear a riding |
| that get reviewed every 5 years if a complaint is | | | | hat with specific qualities and designs. There are many |
| made and PAS015, which is a revised safety standard | | | | different riding hats but all fall into one of two |
| that addresses new areas of protection for riding hats | | | | categories, Riding Helmets and Skull Caps. Hats used in |
| including stability tests on hats when worn. The Kite | | | | Dressage competitions are top hats and can be made |
| mark signifies continually tested products conforming to | | | | from materials like velvet and fine fur felt. |
| the required safety standards and the CE mark | | | | Riding Helmets are the more traditional type seen, |
| shows quality and ensures that any product being sold | | | | some are velvet covered with a peak and others are |
| in the European Union meets the required safety | | | | plastic and look more like a bicycle helmet and are |
| standards. All riding hats and helmets should be | | | | commonly worn eventing etc. |
| replaced after a fall even if damage cannot be seen. | | | | Skull Caps are commonly worn by jockeys and can |
| Even with all the safety standards in place a riding hat | | | | be personalized with velvet or Lycra riding hat coverts. |
| or helmet that in incorrectly fitted can be useless and | | | | It is important to remember that no hat can prevent |
| unable to provide protection in the event of an | | | | serious injury but they can offer excellent protection. |
| accident. Ill fitting riding hats can be uncomfortable and | | | | Hats can be replaced but heads cannot. |
| completely inappropriate for the job in hand. | | | | |