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| Kinda like this |
George Morris would have been appalled, but all I know about him was the column in practical horseman and for some reason, I focused on learning what a "safe jumper" and a "base of support" looked like instead of turnout details. Sue me.
Then I rode with a much stricter trainer as an adult and learned that we had to buy more expensive helmets (meh), replace them when we fell off (this is good. do this.), and always put our hair up under our helmets. It's a very polished look and I do appreciate it.
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| otoh this sparkle CO is amazing |
But now I'm doing dressage and "the look" if you will, seems to be bouncing pony tail to school and bedazzled black hair net thing to show.
Which sort of feels full circle to me?
Regardless. I'm now on the fence about the hair-under-helmet thing because while it's fine if you have short or thin hair, thick-haired people are most definitely compromising their protection and since it's really not fair to them to be the only ones with their hair out, it seems to me that we should choose our safety equipment based on what is actually safest and not what makes Georgie or the O'Connor's or whomever most aesthetically happy.
Because I'm most happy when I'm not sporting the latest TBI.
So. What do you do under your helmet? Short hair? Buzz it off? Put it up? Hairnet every time?
I never put my hair in my helmet. I've got so much hair that it really compromises the fit and safety. For schooling I put it in a low messy bun and pair it with my everyday Tipperary. For showing it's a tidy low bun, hair net and my purdy CO.
ReplyDeleteNow that it is a bit shorter I don't mind it under my helmet, but I still worry about the safety factor, did the helmet testing and approving happen with hair under the helmet?? I hate hate hate when people put hair under the helmet and then said helmet sits on the top of their head, not only does it look ridiculous, hello zero safety value.
ReplyDeleteMy hair is just shorter than shoulder length and I always put it up under my helmet. It's not super thick and doesn't seem to impact the fit of my helmet. I used to keep it in a pony tail or braid but after riding at a hunter barn I got used to the hair net and it has stuck. Double bonus, no more annoying fly always tickling my face when I'm trying to focus!
ReplyDeleteHairnet every. single. ride. I can't ride without one. A giant pet peeve of mine is not having a hair net when showing (I'm looking at you, jumper ring). The look of loose hair is fine for schooling, but maybe try to look put together at shows? Hairnets take maybe 30 seconds to put on, and ups the polished look by like, a million.
ReplyDeleteEver since I cut my hair to shoulder length in college (and learned how to do hunter hair), I've worn a hair net every single ride. My hair now is usually even shorter - around chin length - so even if I wanted to just let it hang out there in a ponytail, it doesn't actually DO that. I buy my helmets so that they fit with my hair up in a hairnet, since that's pretty much my only option. I don't understand how people with long, thick hair get helmets to fit properly with their hair up!
ReplyDeleteI hate show bows so much. Like, an unreasonable amount. I put mine completely up in hairnet, because the last thing I want to see is strands of hair all over the place, or a sack of hair hanging out the back. Shudder. I even have two different size liners for my helmet - one that fits better with my hair out (like if I'm just hacking or something) and one that fits better with my hair up. Miracles of modern helmet technology.
ReplyDeleteI have a ton of hair. No way is it fitting up under my helmet. For schooling, I do a ponytail. For the only show I've done in the last billion years, I tried to fake it and did a bun sort of thing. It wasn't great, but better than a TBI. I might have to experiment more. And that stabbing feeling Georgie has in his chest - it's me, not wearing a hairnet :)
ReplyDeleteMy hair is super long and there's a lot of it, so NO WAY does it go under my helmet. For every day riding, I do a low bun with a scrunchie. For shows, I do a low ponytail, braid it, pin the crap out of it into a bun, put a hairnet over bun and the rest of my head, and put a velvet scrunchie over that mess.
ReplyDeleteI do a messy bun the majority of the time. If I want to be more polished I braid then bun so I don't get stray floppy hairs. I care about my noggin more than my looks because it's the money maker.
ReplyDeleteI school at home without a hair net and with a pony tail... For lessons, clinics, and shows I bust out my good show helmet that I bought a little large so that I could fit my hair under it. I used to do the sparkly dressage bun, but the straps of my good helmet nixed that- they simple don't allow that kind of thing since they sit too low and close to the back of my head near my neck. I would like to learn how to do a proper "hunter hairnet"!
ReplyDeleteMy hair does not fit under my helmet without severely compromising the fit of the helmet. I ride with just a ponytail most of the time, but for shows I try to do a "forelock braid". I french braid my hair into a single plait, and then thread it back up to create a low flat bun, pinning it in place. That usually is enough. I'll often put a show bow on it (but the braid means nothing is floppy, it's just covering my hair), but the braid is neat enough that I don't really need to.
ReplyDeleteI'm incredibly lazy with my hair. Schooling at home I toss it into a loose messy bun. Shows I don't do much better. I wrap it in a tighter, but still messy bun and throw a hairnet over it. It doesn't look bad, but it doesn't look amazing either. When I do some recognized shows I might up the ante a bit.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the ugly show bow camp. I attempted to match mine to my black/silver dressage gear and from a distance, it looks like I managed. I struggled with helmet fit long enough that I can't stand riding with a headache, which hair up in my helmet tends to give me. Plus, it's shorter and curly so it's easier to just contain the mess and shove a hat over it when I'm not wearing a helmet. I embrace the show bow... and kind of want to go looking for one that better matches my gear :D
ReplyDeleteMy hair is so ridiculously baby fine, my helmet doesn't fit any differently. For schooling, I either pull a ponytail at the nape of my neck, or I use a no-knot hairnet and pull it up (exactly the way I would for a show). *shrug*
ReplyDeleteOMG how do people ride with their hair in their helmets?? OUCH. I french braid mine then bun it up at the bottom and call it good. Plus if I tried to stuff my hair in my helmet I would need a new helmet about 2 sizes bigger. Nope.
ReplyDeleteI always wear my hair up in my helmet with a hair net for a few reasons, and because of that, I just make sure to buy a helmet that fits safely with my hair underneath, and with the varying hair lengths I've had over the years, I've found different ways to make sure my hair doesn't compromise the fit.
ReplyDeleteI always wear a hair net, because I hate little fuzzies and flyaways, and it makes the whole picture so much nicer and neater. I wear it up all the time, because for like 8 months out of the year, it's too hot to have hair on the back of my neck, and in the past I've actually gotten a funky tan on the back of my neck from riding with a pony tail. And the other 4 months--well, my helmet fits with my hair up, and that's what I'm used to anyway.
My hair is long enough that if I gathered it at the back of my neck and flipped it back up over my head it would reach down below my nose - therefore hunter hair is out (plus I'm not a hunter).
ReplyDeleteFor everyday riding, I just put my hair in a low ponytail.
For shows I haven't yet figured out the optimum way to do my hair. I've done a low bun with a hairnet, but my show helmet comes down lower at the back and so there's not much room for a bun.
i prefer my hair under the helmet (tho the harness of my helmet disguises the actual nub of my pony tail, so that's not actually impeding the fit of the helmet!).
ReplyDeletemostly tho i just CANNOT STAND frizz in my face while i'm riding and will practically claw my face off in an effort to remove it. so hairnets are kinda a must for me...
I have some short layers right now. so my hair doesn't always stay back completely in a low ponytail, so I've been doing the low ponytail with hairnet to keep the fly aways at minimum. Typically for shows, or more formal occasions, I put my hair up in my helmet.
ReplyDeleteMy eventing trainer insisted I stop the h/j hair under the helmet thing because it made her nervous. I got in the habit of wearing a low bun with her and used some clips to keep the layers up and out of the way. As soon as I switched trainers, back under the helmet. I can do it really quick with a low pony tail or I'll pop on a hair net if I don't want my hair to escape mid ride. My hair is super fine and escapes easily. It doesn't affect my helmet fit because I've been doing it for so long I know how to settle it in place and my hair is quite fine (and slippery as all hell). I hate having it in a pony tail or braid because I inevitably have bits escaping and I look like a fright. I sport a hair net for my dressage shows, it's the only look that stays for more than two seconds. Even with a bun, hair net over top and then rubber banded into place to keep my hair under control.
ReplyDeleteI have very long, thick hair that will not go under a helmet. So, I make two braids a la Pippi Longstocking and wind them around the bottom back of my head, then pin them behind my ears and throw a hairnet over the whole thing. Kind of like this: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/59391288808458818/ It's apparently called "the reverse milkmaid". (I gotta say, that is not the first thing that would come to my mind if someone asked me for a "reverse milkmaid")
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing sits under the bottom of my helmet and doesn't interfere at all. When I'm not showing, it just goes in one long braid.
Do the braids do a full circle around the back of your head? How far up can you get them so they don't interfere with your helmet? Curious minds need more details!
DeleteI have waist length hair and a large head, so I'm always looking for workable options.
MY hair is pretty thin so I just hairnet and throw it under a helmet.
ReplyDeleteI only ever put my hair up under my helmet to show when I showed IHSA. I got naturally gifted with a giant head as well as thick hair and I got extremely lucky someone else had the same problem and I could borrow her helmet to show.
ReplyDeleteHunter Princess Tracy says hair in a hair net, up in your helmet EVERY. RIDE.
ReplyDeleteMy hair is mostly in a low pony tail or braid (depending on how long it is) for riding. I tend to grow it out really long and then chop it off, so putting it in my helmet really isn't an option.
ReplyDeleteFor shows I put it in a bun. Usually in one of those bun cover things, which I still think look so much better with a top hat. The helmet kind of squishes it.
My hair is so thin and fine (my entire ponytail is about the diameter of a penny), I toss it all up and put on a hairnet. I think the key is buying your helmet to fit whatever you do.
ReplyDeleteUmmm, I am a hot mess when it comes to putting hair in a hair net. Or braiding it. Or doing anything with it.
ReplyDeleteHunter hair erry ride. Although I do admire those with longer hair and their sleek pony tails in the jumper ring (Hunter Princess confession)
ReplyDeleteMy hair is way too thick for hunter hair. The few times I showed, it was with one of those combination bow/net thingies from the 90s that I don't even know if they make them anymore.
ReplyDeleteEveryday, it's a braid (French or otherwise) or a ponytail.
I have superrr thick hair and I can't stand it outside of my helmet. I literally buy a size for when my hair is tucked in so that it's snug and fits properly. It's a hassle for sure when helmet shopping but ya gotta #mindyourmelon!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a teen I would just ride in a pony tail. Didn't even know what hunter hair was. Now I use of those no-knot hairnets and squish my thin and fine hair into my helmet. I like it off of my neck.
ReplyDelete