My mum wanted a riding hat for Izzy.....

Anyway it was a brown velvet one with a cream leather strap, and when my mum got it she thought it was odd as she had never seen one in that combination. Our friend works for the BIG riding hat company that apprently made it , so sent it to her to check......most people wouldnt have thought anything of it cos it looks like a genuine version of the hat, I tried it on Izzy and it looked fine!

Turns out its a 'cut and shut' CHILDS riding hat, its very small as in for Izzy in the next 12 months.

The company took it apart and I think they said its made up of the inside of their hat, with welded on rivets in different places to the originals and the strap is not original - and the outer was 'new' too...

So its sparked an investigation cos someone somewhere is making these fake hats and flogging them to parents who believe they are buying one of the safest hats on the market...they are very desirable hats as are the 'show version' rather than an every day hat (hence the price tag)

Izzy now has a brand new genuine hat on the way worth £120 so at least she will have a safe hat ... but it makes you wonder how many little kids are riding in unsafe hats

Makes you worry. I know nothing about horses so if Jamie decided he wanted to ride I wouldn't even know what to check

Glad you did realise though

You wouldnt have an issue buying a normal hat for £40-50... I am guessing that the person making it buys the cheapest version that this company make, which are £45 then does the changes...and flogs it for them for about £120 ... and people buy them cos they need that size, and want it in that colour....which doesnt exist as a genuine hat, but most people wouldnt know that!

OMG that is awful!!!! No way that harness would be safe!!!! I'm actually knocked sick by this and thank god your mum thought it was odd and sent it to be looked at, otherwise who know what could have happened, not only to Izzy but to so many more wee kiddies.

Yeh..but how many are there wearing them already...and they got to try and find the person doing it...apparently the company said it was a very professional job and they were shocked how much effort had gone into it (hence why it looked so good) ...but it still doesnt make them safe cos theyve not been tested or anything!

The reason my mum thought it was odd was the lining was wrong for what hat it was trying to be ... its a small one 49cm...and when my mum checked the official site when she got it - they dont start brown velvet/flesh strap until size 52cm!!

Gosh that is awful Lisa. I'm so glad that you and your family are in the know on these types things but it is awful for anyone who has bought one that isn't.

xx

Omg thats really bad. good job that she saw some thing odd about it

Jezze that's awful, scary!! Good you knew or anyone would have bought it and well doesn't bear to think about I something happened.
X