There are two safety standards acceptable in the UK for riding hats as follows:
- EN1384/BSEN1384: The basic minimum safety standard for riding hats. The standard is reviewed every five years or following a complaint.
- PAS 015: A safety standard for riding hats managed by the British Standards Institute (BSI). This standard is reviewed every two years and this is the highest safety standard for riding hats in terms of shock absorbency, penetration and retention.
Riding hats may conform to one or both of the above standards.
Riding Hat Quality Marks
In addition to the standards above, riding hats may also have a quality mark such as the BSI's Kitemark. Quality marks show that, as well as conforming with the requirements and testing of the relevant standard(s) above, the riding hats have also been subjected to on-going quality control usually by regular testing of randomly chosen batches of hats.
Pony Club Riding Hat Safety Requirements
The Pony Club require that riding hats worn at their events carry the EN1384, BSEN1384 or PAS 015 standard plus the BSI kite mark.
Riding Establishments And Show Organiser's Riding Hat Safety Requirements
All riding establishments and show organisers require that riding hats worn at their venue meet current safety standards EN1384, BSEN1384 and/or PAS 015 although the actual standard acceptable may vary, and their requirement for the riding hat to also carry the BSI kite mark may vary also.
Riding Hat Safety Recommendation
To ensure that any riding hat purchased meets the highest safety standards and will be acceptable at all riding establishments and equestrian events it is recommended that any riding hat purchased conforms to BSEN1384 and PAS 015 and carries the BSI kite mark.
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