Guide to Riding Hats
To protect properly the hat must be fitted correctly, ideally by someone who has attended a BETA hat fitting course.
All hats and skulls must be fitted with an integral adjustable nylon harness and must conform to PAS 015 or EN 1384
If the hat suffers a severe impact - even dropping onto a hard surface, it should be thrown away and a new one purchased. It is easy to replace a hat, but impossible to replace a head!
Which is the Safest Hat?
Firstly it is important to understand that no hat can prevent serious injury in certain circumstances. The British PAS 015 1998 still offers the best yet in terms of shock absorbency, penetration and retention.
Other hats offering a high level of protection are:
The European Standard EN 1384
The ASTMF 1163-95
ASTM Snell E95 (SEI)
Australian/New Zealand SNZ 3838 1998
Who will allow Which Hat?
| The British Horse Society recommends: |
BS PAS 015 1998
BS EN 1384
ASTMF 1163 95 |
| The British Horse Trials Association recommends: |
PAS 015 1998
BS ASTM 1163 95 |
| But they will accept: |
BS EN 1384
SEI Snell E95
SEI ASTM 95
Aust/New Zealand SNZ 3838 1998 |
A definitive guide can be found on the British Horse Society leaflet Protective Headgear. Riders competing under the rules of a Discipline or the Pony Club or Riding Clubs should refer to the respective Rule books as to the standards allowed under such rules. BETA's "What to Wear" also has full details of what hat is required for each of the riding disciplines offered in the United Kingdom.
The System for Standard Changes
Each country has a technical committee made up of experts and users. Each committee sends representatives to a European technical committee that generates the written standard. A standard will be reviewed every five years or following a complaint about its efficacy or when an overseeing standards committee feels appropriate. A review does not necessarily lead to a new standard - though on past history a new standard emerges once every ten years.
PAS standards are managed by BSI staff and are reviewed every two years, but again are only changed when necessary.
BHS Accident Database
Too little surveillance of how helmets perform outside of the test laboratory led to the establishment of this database. The information is used to help set standards of the future. To report an accident please contact the British Horse Society on
Tel: 01926 698855
Legal Requirements
It is a legal requirement that children aged 14 years or younger must wear a riding hat to at least BS4472 when riding on the road. This law was passed when the official BSI hat Standard was BS 4472. It is anticipated that the law will be changed to the current BS Standard. It is now recommended that a minimum of BS1384 is worn.
Fitting
Comfort and correct size are paramount when fitting a hat. A Beta retailer is the best person to advise, particularly if they display the BETA Safety Course Certificate indicating they have been trained to fits hat. Points to remember when buying a hat:
- Care not to choose a hat that is too large because firmness has been mistaken for tightness.
- Adjust harness, chin strap first, then back strap. Check it each time it is used.
- After being subject to a severe blow a hat should be replaced, even though there may be no visible sign of damage
A list of BETA qualified hat fitters can be obtained from:
BETA,
Stockeld Park,
Wetherby,
West Yorkshire,
LS22 4AW
Tel: 0113 289 2267
E-Mail:
info@beta-uk.org
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