Which Riding Hat Do I Need For Each Discipline?

Whether you’re in the saddle or working on the ground with horses, a riding hat is an essential part of your kit as it helps keep you safe and reduces the risk of injury.

There are a range of riding hats available and the type you need can vary depending on your discipline and the riding activities you plan to do. With this handy guide, we’ll help you find the right type and level of protection needed for dressage, eventing, show jumping, Pony Club & British Riding Club.

What are the riding hat safety standards?

Riding hats must meet one or more of the below safety standards which test that riding hats provide the right level of protection in different scenarios. The table below by The British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) shows the scenarios each standard is tested for:

Which safety standards do Karben riding hats meet?

Karben Ellipse Riding Hats: Tested and certified to PAS 015:2011 and EN 1384:2023 (with CE & BSI Kitemark).

Karben Original Riding Hats: Tested and certified to PAS 015:2011 and EN 1384:2023 (with CE & BSI Kitemark).

Karben Amity Riding Hats: Tested and certified to PAS 015:2011 and EN 1384:2023 (with CE & BSI Kitemark).

Karben Sonic Riding Hats: Tested and certified to PAS 015:2011 and EN 1384:2023 (with CE & BSI Kitemark).

Karben Jockey Skulls: Tested and certified to PAS 015:2011 and EN 1384:2023 (with CE & BSI Kitemark).

Quality Marks

Alongside a safety standard, a riding hat may also have a quality mark which helps you know it has been tested and certified to meet a specific standard. Quality marks also indicate that the manufacturer is continually monitored by independent bodies who check that approved products continue to comply with the standard.

Karben riding hats have the BSI Kitemark which is a trusted certification used as a symbol of quality and safety. Products that are BSI Kitemarked have to comply with a rigorous system of regulation and testing and this includes regular batch & audit testing of random samples.

Which riding hat do you need for each discipline:

Which riding hat is best for dressage?

At a British Dressage competition, a riding hat must be worn by anyone mounted and this includes when exercising, warming up or competing. The riding hat and hat cover should be a conservative colour and hats that are completely mirrored are not permitted.

A riding hat worn for dressage should meet at least one of the standards below:

A quality mark is not required for this discipline, but it is highly recommended to choose a riding hat that has the BSI Kitemark or INSPEC IC mark (for PAS 015, VG1 and EN1384), the SEI mark (for ASTM F1163:2015 hats) or the SAI mark (for AS/NZS 3838).

From the Karben collection, the riding hats that can be worn for dressage are: Karben Ellipse Riding Hats, Karben Original Riding Hats, Karben Amity Riding Hats, Karben Sonic Riding Hats and Karben Jockey Skulls.

Which riding hat is best for eventing?

At British Eventing competitions, you need to ensure you wear the correct riding hat for the phase you are riding. For the dressage and showjumping phase, a riding hat with a fixed peak or a jockey skull with a hat cover in a conservative colour should be worn. During the cross country phase, a riding hat without a fixed or flexible peak should be worn.

A riding hat worn for eventing should meet at least one of the standards below:

From the Karben collection, the riding hats that can be worn for the dressage and showjumping phase are: Karben Ellipse Riding Hats, Karben Original Riding Hats, Karben Amity Riding Hats, Karben Sonic Riding Hats and Karben Jockey Skulls. For the eventing phase, the Karben Jockey Skulls can be worn.

Which riding hat is best for show jumping?

At British Showjumping competitions, a riding hat must be worn by anyone mounted (including riders that aren’t competing) and this must meet one of the below standards:

For British competitions, the Karben Ellipse Riding Hats, Karben Original Riding Hats, Karben Amity Riding Hats & Karben Sonic Riding Hats can be worn.

Which riding hat is best for Pony Club?

Members of Pony Club must wear a riding hat at all times when mounted at tests, rallies, competitions or training sessions.

For cross country riding (including Eventing, Arena Eventing, Tetrathlon and Horse Trials) and Pony Racing, a jockey skull cap must be worn with no fixed peak or peak type extension. If a hat cover is worn for showjumping, this should be plain dark blue, black or brown with no additions to the hat cover (such as pom poms).

For dressage, riding hats and hat covers must be predominately black, navy blue or a conservative dark colour that matches the rider’s jacket for Area competitions or above (the Pony Club Hat silk is also acceptable). For mounted games, hat covers, if worn, should be dark blue, black, or brown only.

Riding hats worn for Pony Club must meet one of the below standards:

From the Karben collection, the riding hats that can be worn for Pony Club are: Karben Ellipse Riding Hats, Karben Original Riding Hats, Karben Amity Riding Hats, Karben Sonic Riding Hats and Karben Jockey Skulls. For cross country riding, only the Karben Jockey Skulls can be worn.

Which riding hat is best for British Riding Club?

Whether competing or not, a riding hat must be worn at all times when mounted at any British Riding Club event. When mounted, harnesses must be correctly adjusted & fastened at all times.

For cross country riding (including eventing, tetrathlon, hunter trials, pony racing and mounted games competitions), a jockey skull cap must be worn.

Riding hats worn for British Riding Club must meet one of the below standards:

From the Karben collection, the riding hats that can be worn for British Riding Club are: Karben Ellipse Riding Hats, Karben Original Riding Hats, Karben Amity Riding Hats, Karben Sonic Riding Hats. For cross country riding, a Karben Jockey Skull can be worn.

Frequently Asked Riding Hat Questions Answered

When to replace a riding hat

Your riding hat should be replaced every 5 years or if you've had a fall and hit your head. In some cases after a fall, your riding hat may look fine to use again, however there will be damage that is not visible to the eye so the riding hat should be replaced.

Where to buy a riding hat from

We recommend visiting your local Karben stockist who will be able to help you choose the right riding hat and ensure it fits correctly. Never buy a second hand riding hat as if you don’t know its history then it could have been worn during a fall or been dropped.

We always recommend having your riding hat fitted and checked by a trained hat fitter at a local Karben stockist.

This blog was published in September, 2026. To find the latest information about the riding hat you need for your discipline, please refer to the discipline's competition handbook or the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) website.