Keeping hair inside a riding hat

You could put it in a bun under the hat or braid it maybe.

>>1. Which is easier to learn, the bun or braid.

Well both are pretty easy to do, braid you just do a simple one.

>>2. How do I do the bun? I mean just some simple instructions. and do I just push it under the helmet

A bun you pull the hair back or ponytail then take it and twist into a bun shape the pin it with bobby pins.

>>3. Should I just do the simple braid. Should I just push it under the helmet.

Well I would play with it and see what works for you.

When I had long hair I use to braid or put it in a bun all the time, I wear it short now.

>>Thanks for answering me. And when I win a competition I'll be sure to thank you here.

Thanks Lisa

Lisa, Thanks for the reply. I guess we were posting at the same time. Bobby pins, I guess these are the same as what Karen was talking about. I'm writing that down so I can go to the store soon. I think I may do this tonight while I am getting some courage up. Thanks again. Andy

Hi Kuroneko, thanks for your support and advise. I wish I had read this before I went in and got the hair things. I did feel embarassed and I think it showed when I got to the register. I got through it, but I think I was deep red all through and Im sure the woman who served me guessed they were for me.

I've had a really frustrating weekend with this though and I'm seriously thinking about giving up either the eventing or the long hair. I don't really want to give up either but I am getting no where.

I printed off Karen's directions on making the bun and I must have spent an hour trying this before my arms felt like they were going to drop off. I can't even make the pony tail band things stay in my hair. I pull my hair back and put the band over it but it seems to be too loose. I didn't see any smaller ones but the hole seems to be too big. Am I doing it wrong? I tried doing it without the pony tail bands but that made an even bigger mess. I got it all off my neck using the whole pack of bobby pins (60) but it looked a mess from behind and I don't think my hat would sit on it very well. I know I probably just need practice but I don't think I am even practising it right to begin with.

It was much the same with the braid. I am learning how to braid my horse right now but doing it behind your head is much harder. I need to be able to see what I am doing. I tried looking in a mirror behind me, but that just confused me even more. And even when I pull my hair back in making a ponytail (like a braid would do) I have a lot of side hair that isn't long enough to reach back that will stick out of the helmet at the sides. Should I just pin that up with bobby pins?

I know some of these questions may seem dumb but I am really going from zero here and need some pointers.

Not this Wednesday but next Wednesday, I am meant to be fitting my new helmet, so I kind of need to decide if I can do this or not by then. And I have my first proper instructor lesson, not this Friday but next. I've been told I don't even get on my horse for the first 3 weeks. The first week is all about me and how I look and appear. The next two are preparing the horse. This lady who is training me though is apparently very hard but also produces a lot of winners so I guess she is just very detailed.

I guess I am prepared to give myself a whole week of practice at this until next Tuesday. If I can't get it right by then, I may need to decide whether to cut it or just give up on the eventing. I don't know which I would choose yet.

I did have one idea but I don't know if its possible or not. I was wondering if I went to a hair stylist if they could maybe show me what I needed to do. There is one close to where I train. I was thinking maybe they could even just do my hair for me before I put on my helmet. But I don't know how much that might cost. And it could get expensive if I have to do that every time I train as well as compete. And sometimes I will need to travel for long ways as well. But how much does a hair stylist usually charge to put hair in a bun or braid?

I have to go for now, but I hope someone can answer my questions.

Thanks Andy

Thanks Tiffany_Q. I really want to say thanks to you all for helping me with your advise.

I had a long chat with my cousin yesterday using IM. She used to live near us and actually schooled in the same club that I am going to compete with. But they moved to the West Coast last fall. She really asked me a lot of questions to find out what I really wanted to do. As I said yesterday if I had to choose I wouldn't know whether to cut my hair or give up the eventing. She made me realize that the only decision I have to make is that I am going to have both long hair and do the eventing as well. It's dumb to let myself be beat by little rules or my own attitude or just plain giving up. So I am really determined to stick with this now. It helps that she has always liked my longer hair and she encouraged me to keep growing it. She actually put the idea in my head that my mom may have encouraged me and signed me up for the eventing half thinking that it would make me cut my hair, because she knows the standards are more stiff. That makes me determined not to cut it as well.

I have some more questions though after yesterday. A lot of different stuff happened yesterday. Firstly I did have a bit more success on using the bobby pins in pinning my hair back. I wouldn't think it still looks like a bun but I seem to be getting better at using the pins. So that gave me some encouragement. But the most important thing is more related to the club rules. Its complicated and lots of different things are depending on what happens but I don't have time to write everything down. I'll just write on the hair side though here.

We got a call from the club last night as they have gotten my application forms. Because of my age, I can start the year as a junior or senior, although I have to switch to the senior category after my birthday. My instructor says its my choice but she suggests my starting in the juniors first to get some experience and she thinks I stand a chance of winning some competitions. She thinks this will be good for me before I move to the seniors where she thinks I will have a lot to learn. The juniors though have some different rules. In some ways they are more relaxed in terms of dress, but when it comes to hair and helmets they just say the following.

g) * The wearing of a hairnet, or braided pigtails for members with shoulder length hair or longer, is compulsory. The use of hair accessories or ornaments which may become loose during unsaddling are prohibited.

It also goes on about the helmet fitting right and so on as with the seniors.

If I do go into the juniors then, I have no choice on what I do. But if I go into the seniors I do. And I will probably go into the seniors anyway after my birthday anyway.

So my questions are

1. What are braided pigtails. I think I know but I am not sure. Are they easier to do than a regular braid.

2. For Tiffany_Q. I looked in Walmart last night for the silver clip that you explained. I didn't see any there that looked like that. Do they have a name.

3. My cousin suggested I look into trying a baratt I think it was. She said I could just twist my back hair up off my neck and keep it in place with that. I guess that is something like Tiffany_Q was saying with the silver clip. Is this a good idea. What is a baratt. My cousin tried to explain but I didnt really get it.

I have to go now but I may try and post more later. I want to thank you for helping me with advise.

Thanks Andy

Thanks Kurenoko. That was the same image I had in mind, although I was thinking Brittney Spears. I will definitely prefer to go into the senior events then from a hair point of view. I wouldn't feel too comfortable wearing pigtails like that. I will keep looking for the silver clip things.

Thx Andy