Is Your Hat Competition Legal? Read The 2019 Updated Riding Hat Rules To Find Out
Is your hat up to standard? If you're looking to take your horse out competing it can be difficult to decipher what the rules are for hat regulations.
Hat safety standards can look like a lot of letters and numbers that get confusing, right? Well in this blog we'll be breaking down exactly what standards your hat has to meet. We'll cover British Dressage, British Showjumping and British Eventing competitions based on the 2019 riding hat rules.
If you've been riding a while, you may remember that the hat safety standard (BS)EN1384 was withdrawn back in 2016. You should always aim to replace your hat at least every five years and after every fall or if you drop your hat. If you still have a hat with just the (BS)EN1384 standard then firstly, well done for not falling off or dropping it over the last few years, but secondly unfortunately it will not be legal to wear for competitions under 2019 riding hat rules. If your hat has the standard (BS)EN1384 along with another of the standards accepted by your chosen discipline's governing body then you will be allowed to wear it.
When competing your hat will need to be checked by an official. They will be looking to see that your hat meets the safety standards and if so, for certain competitions, they will put a little tag on it to show it has been approved. Normally each governing body for a discipline would have a different tag colour. However, in 2018 British Eventing, British Riding Clubs, the Pony Club and British Team Chasing joined together under one colour, Aqua. This means if your hat has been approved at a Pony Club event it doesn't then need to be re-tagged for a British Eventing competition.
Now let's take a closer look at the rules for each of the major disciplines here in the UK. If you're still unsure depending on your chosen discipline, check the rules for each competition.
2019 Riding Hat Rules For British Dressage
To make things simple, take a look at the labels inside your hat. If the hat has any of the below standards then you will be allowed to wear it for British Dressage competitions.
All PAS 015
VG1
EN1384 (2017)
SEI ASTM F1163 04a onwards
Snell E2001 and E2016
AS/NZA 3838 2003 onwards
They highly recommend that hats also have the BSI kitemark in addition to the above safety standards. For dressage, a protective hat must be worn by all riders. The only exception to this is that riders in Advanced and Grand Prix classes may wear a top hats or uniform cap if they are 26 years old or older. The rules state that hats and hat covers must be in a conservative colour (for example, black or navy) and hats that are completely mirrored are not allowed at competitions.
2019 Riding Hat Rules For British Showjumping
If you're looking to compete at a British Showjumping competition then be sure to check that you have a hat that meets one of the standards below:
All PAS 015 (Provided it is BSI Kitemarked)
VG1 (Provided it is BSI Kitemarked)
All SEI ASTM F1163 04a onwards
SNELL E2001 and SNELL E2016
AS/NZS 3838 2003 onwards
You must wear your hat at all times when mounted at competitions, even if you're not competing, and the harness must be properly adjusted and fastened at all times.
2019 Riding Hat Rules For British Eventing
Obviously eventing incorporates three disciplines, dressage, cross country and showjuming. For all disciplines you should wear a hat that meets one of the standards below:
PAS 015 1998 or 2011 (Provided it is BSI Kitemarked or has the Inspec IC Mark)
VG01.040 2014-12 (Provided it is BSI Kitemarked Inspec IC Mark)
ASTM F1163: 2004a onwards (Provided it has the SEI mark)
Snell 2001 or 2016
AS/NZS 3838 2006 onwards (Provided it has the SAI Global mark)
For dressage and showjumping phases you can choose to wear a hat with a fixed peak or a skull hat with a hat cover. For these phases the hat or cover should be in a conservative colour (for example, black or navy). However, for the cross country phase, fixed peaks are not allowed. You should wear a skull hat that doesn't have anything that sticks out above the eyes further than 5mm. In this phase your hat cover can be any colour you wish so be sure to get creative.
The British Horse Society BHS Approved Hat Rules 2020
As mentioned, these British Eventing standards are now unified with British Riding Clubs, the Pony Club and British Team Chasing.
We hope this has helped you to find the safety standards required for your chosen discipline according to 2019 riding hat rules and regulations. If you have found that your hat isn't competition legal n your chosen discipline or you feel it's time to get a new hat why not browse our range by clicking the link below.
For more information, please visit BHS Hat Standards 2020.
