Hobby Horse Show Hats and Helmets
The black velvet show hat is one of the most recognisable shapes in equestrian sport, and in hobby horsing it does exactly one job: it completes the turnout in classes where a judge is scoring the picture. This is our hobby horse show hat — the traditional rounded crown, short peak and ribbon bow, in six sizes.
Read This First: What This Is and Is Not
This is dress-up for a sport ridden on foot. It carries no safety certification — not ASTM F1163, not SEI, not CPSC, not CE — and it is not protective equipment. Do not use it for riding a real horse, cycling, skating or anything else where head protection is required. We would rather lose the sale than have this misunderstood.
Hobby horsing itself is why that is not a problem. The rider is on their own two feet; there is nothing to fall from. Competition rules reflect that: a helmet is not generally required, because the hazard a riding helmet exists to address is not present.
Where a Show Hat Belongs
Dressage
Turnout is scored alongside the movement, and a rider in a show hat, a fitted jacket and full-seat breeches reads as finished. This is where the hat does real work.
Showmanship and realistic classes
The whole class is presentation. The hat is part of the same picture as the horse's bridle and the rider's boots.
Show jumping
Less useful. Riders are running and turning, and anything on the head that can shift becomes a distraction. Some organisers do ask younger riders to wear a helmet in jumping classes — check the schedule, and note that a requirement like that is usually satisfied by a certified helmet rather than a show hat. The full picture is in our competition rules.
Getting the Size Right
Show hats are sized on head circumference, not on a general S/M/L guess. Run a tape measure around the head just above the ears and across the middle of the forehead, then match the number: XS is roughly 52–54 cm, S 54–56, M 56–57, L 57–58, XL 58–60 and XXL 60–62. Between two sizes, take the larger — the chin strap takes up slack, a tight shell does not loosen.
The four-point chin strap adjusts at a side buckle, so a hat can be fitted to a child in the autumn and still work in the spring.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this a real riding helmet?
No. It is a show hat with no safety certification, for a sport ridden on foot. It must not be used for riding a real horse or for any activity where head protection is needed.
Do hobby horse riders wear helmets?
Generally not, because the rider is on foot. A velvet show hat is worn in dressage and showmanship as part of the turnout, and some organisers ask younger riders to wear a helmet in jumping classes.
How do I measure for a show hat?
Tape measure around the head just above the ears and across the middle of the forehead. Match the centimetres to the size chart and take the larger size if you are between two.
What colour show hat is correct?
Black is correct in every class and is what almost every rider wears. Navy appears occasionally in showing classes.
Can an adult wear this?
The range runs to XXL at roughly 60–62 cm, which covers most adult head sizes. Measure before ordering.
Looking After a Velvet Show Hat
Velvet and velvet-look finishes mark easily and do not respond well to water. Brush dust off with a soft clothes brush in one direction rather than scrubbing at it, and lift a mark with a piece of sticky tape before reaching for anything damp. Never soak a show hat and never put it near a radiator to dry — heat distorts the shell and flattens the pile.
Store it crown-up on a shelf rather than face-down or squashed in a bag, which is what flattens the peak. A hat that has been sat on does not recover, and it is visible from across an arena. The ribbon bow at the back can be re-tied if it works loose.
