How to take care of your hat

By Your Horse

Tack and equipment advice

02 February 2012 14:54

Riding hats are precision-made items of equipment so it’s only fair to take good care of yours. Make yourself familiar with our handy list of hints and tips for looking after your hat.

* Don’t expose your hat to extremes of temperature by leaving it out in the sun or in an unheated tackroom in freezing conditions.

* Hats survive wet weather well, but should be allowed to dry out naturally and slowly – never put your hat on a radiator to dry.

* Try not to leave your hat lying around on the yard, sat on the wall, perched on a gate post, rattling around in the car boot or on the ground near horse’s feet. Hats can also take a battering, rattling around in trailers when travelling to shows.

* Many makes of hat are supplied in neat drawstring carry bags, and others come in cardboard boxes – try to keep the bag or box it came in. Padded hat bags are also available, while rigid hat boxes, if you can find one, are a good idea for storage and preventing damage in transit.

* A handy hook on which to hang your hat outside the stable or where you tack up is ideal, and never goes amiss in the lorry or trailer either.

* One of the most common reasons people cite for not wearing their hats is that it’s too hot and smelly in summer. That’s no longer an excuse, as there are spray-in hat fresheners that work really well.

* And finally, don’t dry clean your hat or expose it to adhesives or solvents.