Helmet Striping?

[What'szat]

Are stripes really going to be illegal next year in the hunters and equitation ring? I have heard rumors about it becoming a rule when the approved helmets become mandatory for 2006. Also what do you think about stripes in the Hunters and Equitation? Should they be legal or not?

[jfleckenstein]

I've heard a similar rumor that stripes are going to be made illegal next year... I don't know if it's actually going to become a RULE, or just be more frowned upon in the hunter & equitation rings. After all, the rulebook states that in hunter classes:

"Riders are required to wear scarlet or dark coats; white shirts with white stock; white, buff or canary breeches and hunting cap, derby, hunting silk hat, or protective headgear. See GR318. Junior riders must wear protective headgear in accordance with General Rules, GR318.3."

Even though the rule specifically says dark coats and white shirts, we get away with wearing beige and grey coats and shirts of any color, etc. So it may just be a personal preferance thing for the judges [similar to the coats/shirts, even though that is a published rule], although I have also heard that stripes will become illegal as of Dec 1. I haven't found anything published on it yet though, so I guess it's still more of a rumor? Anyone know for sure?

Personally, I think that stripes are fine for the jumper ring but really don't fit in the hunter & eq. rings. I think that we've already lost enough of the traditional hunter look & feel, and although I'm not really a "hunter rider," I feel strongly about respect and tradition that is in the hunters... after all, the hunter ring was originally modeled after the field hunters, but you never see hunter classes nowadays [on the west coast, anyways] asking riders to jump logs, coops, or brushes. Staying on my rulebook tangent, it also states that:

"--Obstacles must simulate those found in the hunting field such as natural post and rail, brush, stone wall, white board fence or gate, chicken coop, aiken, hedge, oxer, etc.
--Every course must have at least four different type obstacles. (Exception: see HU136.2).
--In Handy classes obstacles must simulate those found in trappy hunting country. The course must have at least two changes of direction and at least one combination as well as three of the following: hand gallop a jump, bending line, rollback turn, fence at the end of the ring or open a gate while mounted, trot over one obstacle, or lead over one obstacle. Judges must place emphasis on promptness and tight turns with precedence being given in that order."

While most handy courses fulfill the course requirements, I've never seen any jumps that simulate "those found in trappy hunting country."

That was a rather long-winded way to say that I don't agree with stripes in the hunters because I like the tradition of the hunters and think that the tradition is what makes those divisions interesting. I just think it's unfortunate that we're losing some of that, especially in the upper level [by upper levels I mean regular, junior, and a.o. hunters, I can understand not using those things in the children's and baby green, etc... but at the upper levels...] I know that things change and evolve, and that perhaps these rules are a little outdated... but why not just change them then? We have rules to adhere to the tradition, and if the "hunter" type is evolving, then we should change the rulebook to "allow" the things that we already do at the shows. This may all stem from my personal involvement in the Woodbrook Hunt Club, which is a traditional hunt [black coats, stock ties, the whole bit.] It's also a topic I've thought about lately as I've been riding in the hunters this year, and it's the first time that I've ridden in the hunters while being involved with the hunt. I guess I've kind of changed the topic now, which wasn't my intention, but these things have been on my mind & now I finally have somewhere to put them down & get other rider's opinions, which is awesome! Is it just me that thinks that helmet striping is just one more thing breaking tradition? Maybe it's not really a big deal to most people and it's just my frustration with the hunter divisions as a whole [for the other reasons I wrote about above]...

[jfleckenstein]

And having said all that, I don't to make it seem like I'm a poster child for hunter traditionalism. I wear my striped helmet in the equitation, I own many bright shirts and light coats, and my navy "traditional" coat has hot pink lining [although I am currently dedicated to bring back the hunter green coat, so watch for it!] But despite that, I have spent a lot of time thinking about all of these things lately, and this topic kind of provoked me because I am so interested in discussion about this. So! I don't want it to seem like I'm slamming hunters or anything, because I'm not, I just think... well, you know what I think, I just wrote that whole long thing about it. ;)

[plaidpants]

Good post Jfleckenstein :D - I have to agree with a lot of what you said. While I own several pink shirts [couldn't live without them!], and my navy coat has hot pink lining as well - and my main jacket is a grey one [but it's ohsopretty!], I do think that a lot of people take it too far. Certain things look classy, I think, as long as they are subtle shades. There is nothing wrong with wearing a coat color that compliments the color of your horse, same goes for shirt colors and such. And I have an (unstriped) ATH helmet that I love - it fits my head perfectly and I like the look of it. However, major bling on your helmets, spurs, stirrups, brown bands, whatever takes away from the image a lot more than a light yellow shirt or a nice blue shirt or something along those lines. I don't know if it should be made a rule or not, but I definently think people need to be a lot more subtle and conversative when it comes down to it.

[Courtneyfiona]

approved helmets become mandatory for 2006.

I'm not in the loop - is this true?

[plaidpants]

I'm not in the loop - is this true?

Yup - for everyone under and over 18, professional or not.

[What'szat]

Awesome replys! I also agree that we need to stick to tradition in the hunter ring. I think some people definitely went over the top with the glitter and glam when it comes down to helmet striping and hunt coat colors and linings. About the approved helmets becoming a rule for everyone I say IT"S ABOUT TIME!! I mean come on we are talking about our heads! It just seems crazy that anyone would want anything but the best on their head when they are riding around, and especially jumping around.

[tmanross]

I would wear a striped helmert for home.

[HHTrump76]

[FONT=Verdana][SIZE=1]I recently allowed my friend to rhinestone my helmet. I ride jumpers, (I haven't ridden hunters in....4 years?) and I decided that it would be a fun thing to do. She likes doing all that crafty stuff (she did my spurs as well). Though it's obscenely gaudy and probably a bit tacky, I still get a hoot out of it. :) Anyway, I know I"ll never mix my helmet up with anyone elses!

But I do think that we need to keep it traditional in the hunter ring. It's supposed to be about the HORSE, not about how bling you can be. Although I do think it's okay for subtle things to be used.

[Fortune]

I've heard similar rumors but when i've asked around but no one has seemed to heard of it. Also I couldn't find anything on the USEF and USHJA pages. I think striping is a fun way to "personalize" your tack and makes things more diverse. I've heard people make comments about being "blinded" from the rhinestones on people's helmets. Which, hey, if you don't want a judge to see something, this could work to your advantage. Rhinestones is to much "bling" for me. I'll be sad though if they do ban striping on helmets. :(

[minime1]

When you get your hunter geen coat out will you please wear it with rust breeches. that is the look I remember and love maybe I'll have to get back on a horse myself just to be the one who does it any one else game?

[GloryBoundhj]

I'm going to get brown boots so I can look neato with a greeen polo for jumpers. I would love rust breeches, but they're hard to find now.

[ProvidenceJRhtr]

I hope not I love my helmet with its bling bling! lol

[tacotory]

I think it will be too bad if they have to ban striping in the hunter ring. If they do, I think it will boil down to the old saying "all in moderation".

Tasteful stripes look great and promote barn unity, but as always seems to be the case, it can go over the top- jewels, reflective stripes, etc.

The bottom line is that in the hunter ring, it's all about the horse. If we start to do things that distract from the horse, the officials have to do something.

[AidEE]

I kind of hope that this is just a rumor. I do think that you want to be pretty subtle for hunters, but i dont think that helmet triping should be banned. A lot of people wear striped helmets in the hunters. it is a way of expressing your personal style. they do make stripes now that can be removed and put back on easily. I am wondering if judges look down apon striped helmets in hunters and eq. ???????/

[Savanna]

Isn't there a rule against distracting headgear? I remember reading about it in some magazine.

I had my helmet jeweled at Hood River. People said it looks classy w/o being to over the top. Here's a picture http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v604/SP07/Helment%20artwork/b7770738.jpg

[imyournaveed]

I haven't yet heard anything about striping bans, and we usually hear at the tack shop where I work. I'll have to ask about it though.

I did, however, hear that if a judge can tell that a rider is wearing lowrise pants (like the pants are so low that the shirt cannot be tucked in and you can see skin) that the rider can be disqualified or asked to leave the ring.

All of this, I imagine, is to keep things as traditional and professional and equine-focused as things can be.

Truth be told, we don't sell a whole ton of striping kits where I work. It's Wellington, which is a little "hoighty toighty" as it is, but I have seen a lot of people getting jewels on, still, it's not too popular. A lot of trainers that I've talked to won't allow it except at home.

[jfleckenstein]

When you get your hunter geen coat out will you please wear it with rust breeches. that is the look I remember and love maybe I'll have to get back on a horse myself just to be the one who does it any one else game?

heck yes if i can find my old rust breeches i will totally rock them next week! that would be so awesome.

[JessiMW]

I see nothing wrong with the stripes in the hunters or the equitation, as long as they are just plain stripes and not the big sparkles and rhinestones, because those are a little distracting. I've heard that it will be fine in jumper ring but it will be illegal in the hunters and equitation.

[minime1]

You go girl be a trend setter or at least the one to bring it back go on with your bad self

[NatBeu]

On my show curcuit (N.I.H.J.A.) approved helmets have always been required. We all wear our velvet helmets at home, and save our GPA's and IRH's for shows. (well most of us do). I'm thinking that our trainer would be mad if we had glitter and stripes on our show helmets. She's very traditional, i mean if the judge waves hunt coats, we still have to wear them (unless we're gonna die!) but yet, i do not know this since no one has tried it. I like the whole traditional thing. Most of our riders have navy blue hunt coats with a little pin stripe (not much!).

[.diana.]

I'm all for the subtle rhinestones and stripes. But I am strongly against the extreme rhinestoned helments such as this:
http://www.jennyoz.com/admin/images/Big/titanium_img09.jpg

But I love these ones:
http://www.jennyoz.com/admin/images/Big/titanium_img23.jpg
In fact I'm going to get some rhinestones and do some subtle touches on my helmet soon.

I'm opposed to the extreme rhinestones even in the jumper ring. I was at Spruce a could weeks ago and since rhinestoneing isn't big on the island (where I live) I saw my first rhinestoned helmets. Some of the blinded me they were so crazy! It was distracting from their ride and I found myself looking at their helmet instead of the horse.

A note about the approved helmets, it's about time! The hunt caps personally scare me... I would never use one.. it's just a shell. You rarely see hunt caps around here. It's all GPAs now :)

[butterflyfx]

subtile rhinestones look nice, but not for the hunters...i don't even like stripes in the hunters. plain helmets in the hunters please. :)

[Jumper_Sassy]

I think striping is a fun way to "personalize" your tack and makes things more diverse.

i agree. i think its fun for the jumpers but maybe a little too much for the hunters?

[jumper_268]

I wouldnt wear a striped helmet in the hunter ring.....plus i would never ruin a 500 dollar helmet by putting tacky striping stickers on it either lol. i think it should be made illigal for hunters becuase it just looks....bad.....a proper turned out hunter should look proper with a dark jacket white or striped shirt, beige breeches, feild boots and a velvet helmet. no big pimped out helmet...yuck

[Lindsayanne]

I have a GPA titum- I think- the one with the reflective type stripe. It's more comfortable on me than the other, but I don't like the reflective thing. It looks like one of those stupid reflective stickers we put on our bikes when we were kids. (okay, those of us who were children of the 80's) I'd liek to stripe it just to cover it up, but am afraid I'd screw it up. :o

[HunterDreams]

I'm all for the subtle rhinestones and stripes. But I am strongly against the extreme rhinestoned helments such as this:
http://www.jennyoz.com/admin/images/Big/titanium_img09.jpg

But I love these ones:
http://www.jennyoz.com/admin/images/Big/titanium_img23.jpg
In fact I'm going to get some rhinestones and do some subtle touches on my helmet soon.

I'm opposed to the extreme rhinestones even in the jumper ring. I was at Spruce a could weeks ago and since rhinestoneing isn't big on the island (where I live) I saw my first rhinestoned helmets. Some of the blinded me they were so crazy! It was distracting from their ride and I found myself looking at their helmet instead of the horse.

A note about the approved helmets, it's about time! The hunt caps personally scare me... I would never use one.. it's just a shell. You rarely see hunt caps around here. It's all GPAs now :)

I love the second one! Thats my limit, the tiny tiny little pretty stones look quite nice but I'll stick to my plain helmet! The GPA stripes that are just silver are fine but when people over-do it and do it themselves and it looks like a hillbilly did it, thats when I really want to kill stripes/rhinestones etc..

[gloryrider]

Yes, hunters should stay more tradtional. GPA's are great, and even the ones with a few rhinestones along the edges like in the second picture .diane. posted. The first GPA picture was REALLY COOL, but I don't know if I would even wear it into a jumper ring. They're awesome, but that's really flashy.

[_KELSEY_]

I have stripes along my GPA, but very subtle. My trainer has the silver rhinestones along the edge like .diana. posted, and I love it.

Diana, you know at Benefit, Shelly had a rhinestoned helmet on that was done at Indio. Looked good though eh?

I want to get something subtle for Jumpers, but I don't really want a different helmet for Jumpers and a different one for Eqs...

[AidEE]

i LOVE striped helmets...but not 4 hunters...i think GPAs r bad enough. they ARE far frm traditional. but i would def. wear my striped helmet in jumpers.