# Dressage.....Helmets with no straps?!



## rodeogirl309 (Aug 11, 2008)

OK, I was looking at pictures from our 2008 county fair and while going through the dressage pictures, I discovered that some of the rider's helmets have no straps on them! Am I missing something or what is up?!


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

There are many different types of head coverings in competition. Over fences and in other sports, protective headgear (helmets) are required, but in dressage after you are a certain age you do not need to wear a helmet, but many people choose to. There are three other main types of head coverings, the hunt cap, the bowler and the top hat. hunt caps and bowlers are popular at lower levels of dressage and are worn with a short jacket. Top hats are highly suggested (although no longer required - it is a novelty to see a higher level rider in a helmet in competition) at higher levels and are worn with a tail coat. Top hats are not traditionally work with a short jacket, but this has become very common in recent years.








Hunt Cap








Bowler








Top Hat


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

I would also like to point out that it is traditional for male riders to actually take the hat off when saluting and having no straps does make it a lot easier in those cases.


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## Erin_And_Jasper (Jul 5, 2008)

i have a helmet with no straps. its not usef (?) approved but my sis wears it when we ride on the road, at a walk


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

They are used in all disaplines, the only one I think that hunt caps are not allowed in the XC phase of eventing. IF you watch Rolex, some riders don't wear helmets in Jumping. ANd they are popluar in Hunters.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> They are used in all disaplines, the only one I think that hunt caps are not allowed in the XC phase of eventing. IF you watch Rolex, some riders don't wear helmets in Jumping. ANd they are popluar in Hunters.


Helmets are required in showjumping. Have been for a few years now.


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

Those are considered "items of apparel only" and have no safety value. If I remember correctly USEF requires all juniors (anyone under 18) to wear an approved safety helmet and most shows under organizations that are affiliated with USEF will require all riders to wear them regardless of age. I'm assuming your county fair is not affiliated and doesn't follow those guidelines.


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## Skyhuntress (Sep 9, 2008)

upnover said:


> Those are considered "items of apparel only" and have no safety value. If I remember correctly USEF requires all juniors (anyone under 18) to wear an approved safety helmet and most shows under organizations that are affiliated with USEF will require all riders to wear them regardless of age. I'm assuming your county fair is not affiliated and doesn't follow those guidelines.


 only if they are under 18 are they required to wear a certified helmet. after that, no one really cares. its required to where SOMETHING in the actual show (ie a tophat or a bowler or whatever) but its not actually required to wear a helmet


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

~*~anebel~*~ said:


> Helmets are required in showjumping. Have been for a few years now.


 maybe in the actual sport of SJ, but some eventers don't, at least I don't think so


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> maybe in the actual sport of SJ, but some eventers don't, at least I don't think so


In the approved US Eventing Association rule book.............

EV 114 Dress

In all levels of eventing from beginner to advanced in the competition the rider must wear a hard hat on the flat and jumping ANY obsticle.

I would have though you would have known.

http://www.usef.org/documents/ruleBook/2009/12-EV.pdf


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## ShowJumpLife (Jan 17, 2009)

must be differnt over here.
over here anything pony club you MUST have an approved helmet on, even if its just walking around on the lead rein you must have one.
anything over jumps in any competition you must have a helmet approved by the show organisers.
dressage you must wear an approved helmet with propper straps untill.. level 5 and even then you must wear a helmet for all warming up untill the final warm up then you can swap to a top hat or bowler.
and for A&P's on the flat you must wear an approved helmet untill the age of.. i think 18 but it may be 16.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Oh, maybe it was just my eyes playing tricks on me, thanks for clearing that up Anable(sorry if spelled wrong!)


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## upnover (Jan 17, 2008)

upnover said:


> Those are considered "items of apparel only" and have no safety value. If I remember correctly USEF requires all juniors (anyone under 18) to wear an approved safety helmet and most shows under organizations that are affiliated with USEF will require all riders to wear them regardless of age. I'm assuming your county fair is not affiliated and doesn't follow those guidelines.



haha, so i just reread my post.... i meant to write that juniors are anyone under 18.... not under 18)!! hopefully you got what i meant as there are not a lot of babies under 1 that are competing these days. 

i think back in the day a lot of grand prix show jumpers were wearing the strapless helmets but these days you don't see that anymore. thankfully.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

> I would also like to point out that it is traditional for male riders to actually take the hat off when saluting and having no straps does make it a lot easier in those cases.:razz:


I see that allot in GP Jumping. I remember when I was growing up, I would always watch CNN's Spruce Meadows Competitions, and I would often see the men take their hat off and salute.

Ian Millar would enter the ring with his chin strap unattached, salute, put his helmet back on and then snap the chin strap in place.

~~~~

I was always under the impression, for the fascillities liabillity reasons....that you should wear a certified helmet when doing dressage?

I of course, am only at low levels - so I could wear a hat instead of a helmet?


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

I'm pretty sure that anyone in eventing can wear a hat insted of a helmet in dressage, but don't take my word for it, haven't read the Omnibus yet!


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

I am talking about USDF. Not USEF.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

For USDF yes, my mom wore a top hat and shadbelly for her level 1 tests


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Huh, cool. I always thought that was more required from mid to upper levels. 

I'll stick to my short dressage coat and helmet. lol.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Yup, my mom was really serious about dressage. She always won or, very rarly, came in second on her 18.2HH freasian draught cross, Appolloux


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> For USDF yes, my mom wore a top hat and shadbelly for her level 1 tests


Top hats are accepted (although some people will frown on their use at this level) but _*she would have been eliminated*_ for riding in a shadbelly at level one. The rules CLEARY state that the tails are ONLY allowed at FEI....several levels ABOVE level one.

*IF* what you say was done it couldn't possibly been at any rated/recognized show that used a proper judge or rules. And if that was the case and they used the official tests then that show could have been fined.


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## Skyhuntress (Sep 9, 2008)

MIEventer said:


> Huh, cool. I always thought that was more required from mid to upper levels.
> 
> I'll stick to my short dressage coat and helmet. lol.


 yup, you'd be allowed to wear a bowler or top hat if you wanted to. 

as for the tails, as spyder said, you have to be in the FEI levels. I believe that if you are riding two horses consecutively - as if if you were showing a young horse in 1st level, and your main competition is, say, Intermediaire, then you could also wear the shad in 1st level. but otherwise, only in the higher levels!


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

Skyhuntress said:


> as for the tails, as spyder said, you have to be in the FEI levels. I believe that if you are riding two horses consecutively - as if if you were showing a young horse in 1st level, and your main competition is, say, Intermediaire, then you could also wear the shad in 1st level. but otherwise, only in the higher levels!


 
Actually no you would still not be allowed. They would however allow time to change dress.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Well, maybe the rules changed because she did. She rode at REGOGNIZED shows with it


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## Spyder (Jul 27, 2008)

StormyBlues said:


> Well, maybe the rules changed because she did. She rode at REGOGNIZED shows with it


I have ridden recognized (and some schooling) for a very long time and as a carded dressage judge I HAD to know the rules. Never was a shadbelly allowed in any dressage level under FEI.


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

Whatever. I know what my mom did, so I really don't care. I'm not a dressage rider anyway. To slow for my taste.


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## MIEventer (Feb 15, 2009)

Too slow for your taste? Dressage is the fundamentals for all aspects of riding - even GP Jumpers do Minimal of Levl 3 Dressage.

Anways - thanks for letting me know about the Shadebelly - I always wondered. I was under the assumption that they were only permitted for higher levels, and not the low levels I do.

I only do Training Level, so I never really researched the rules to find out the facts.

I do appreciate the information!


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## StormyBlues (Dec 31, 2008)

yea, too slow in a literal sense. The fastest you go is an extend canter, I like being out in the feilds galloping. I do do dressage and do flat work and collection-extention regualrly though


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## rodeogirl309 (Aug 11, 2008)

Back on topic guys.......

Ok, so that clears things up. So it's basically a hat for looks.


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## ~*~anebel~*~ (Aug 21, 2008)

Shadbellys ARE NOT EVER allowed below PSG dressage PERIOD. Not even if you have to switch horses. There is a rule for competition organizers (and it's common sense) to allow 30 minutes or more for riders to switch horses.
I have been involved in running numerous recognized shows and am helping out running a CDI** this year, so naturally I basically have the rule books memorized


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