Yes, we’re still having an occasional vent here at e-Venting. My pet hate for a long time (and it’s really not just pernicketyness, it’s a safety issue too) is long hair flying around, so you can imagine the delight with which I read of the new FEI rule:
Yes, ladies (and gentlemen too, if you really are a barber-dodger), it’s time to get those scissors or those hairnets out. Beautiful long flowing pony-tails belong only on your horse’s posterior, and ideally not coming from under your hat.
However undeniably luscious your locks, you should keep them bound up until you dismount. Then you can take off your hat and hairnet and do a Timotei-ad stylee liberating head-toss to let those beautiful waves flow down in the most appealing, sensuous ‘come and get it’ way. From prim equestrienne (or equestrian… I guess this applies to guys with pony-tails too, although I’ve yet to see that particular look sported at an event) to total sex bomb. What’s not to like?
Seriously though, I heard of a rider who had a bad fall XC and the horse, scrabbling to its feet, in that desperately dangerous ‘absolutely no idea of where I’m putting my hooves till I’m vertical again’ way that horses have, trod on her long pony-tail, and, pretty much… erm, sorry, no nice way to put it… scalped her.
If that doesn’t make hairnet sales soar, I don’t know what will!
Take off hat, hairnet and do Timotei like head toss? Nope – peel off hat which has stuck to forehead due to intense effort; sport the Ena Sharples look momentarily then remember hair net still on head; peel off said hairnet and wrap dripping hair into a stray plaiting band!
Well… yes, that’s probably much more like it! Although the modern vented hats are a lot less sweat-making, and people with them swear that they reduce/avoid ‘hat hair’! I have the Champion Ventair, which is excellent… far less sweat-inducing than previous unsexy hats!
I always see it as pony tails for showjumpers (must be blonde), buns for dressage riders (must be blonde) and sweaty messes for eventers!
I don’t know what everyone else does, but regardless what I am doing… whenever my helmet comes off, it’s all a sweaty mess! In saying that, It is always up in a bun or a hair net.
Pony Club insists that girls (and boys, I guess) with long hair wear a hair net due to the possibility of scalping….. A fairly compelling argument I think