New equestrian riding hat standards come into force

As of 1 January 2016, new riding hat standards have come into force for all British Olympic equestrian sports.

According to Horse and Country, the previous specification (BS) EN 1384 has now been withdrawn. Hats made according to the specification will no longer be able to display a CE mark which indicates compliance with EU legislation.

Participants in equestrian events will now need to ensure their hats conform to standards PAS -15, VG1 and have a kitemark, American standards SEI ASTM F1163 04a onwards and SNELL E2001, or Australia/New Zealand standards AS/NZS 3838 2003 onwards.

The change was adopted by British Eventing, Riding Clubs, the Pony Club, British Showjumping and the British Horse Society, with a 1 January 2016 date for introducing the new rules. British Dressage has indicated that it intends to remove the old standard by 1 January 2017.

The rules apply to anyone mounting a horse at an affiliating event, whether or not they are competing. This means grooms and assistants will need a hat of an appropriate standard if they ride a horse on the event site. British Eventing rules specify that hats must be checked by an official and tagged with a visible compliance label.

In February 2015 there was concern in the equestrian world as European legislators were unable to reach agreement on an updated standard.

Although hats can no longer be manufactured under (BS) EN 1384, riders have been advised that there is no need to discard their hats. Claire Williams of the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA) said: "Hats certified to this standard have reduced injuries and saved countless lives. The protection that (BS) EN 1384 offers has not changed."