Hair Styles For Horseback Riding

Equestrians need their manes tamed too!

It is a truth universally acknowledged among equestrians that life with horses and livestock means messy hair and muddy boots. It’s definitely a dirty lifestyle, in the best way. #barnhairdontcare

But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t know any hairstyles for the barn. You should always have a neat mane while competing, but you can rock the messy chic look while taking lessons or doing barn chores without sticking to messy buns all the time.

There are three basic hairstyle types you can wear around the barn and under a riding helmet:

• The ponytail

• The braid

• The bun

Let’s take a closer look at each of these styles that don’t take tons of time or hairspray, and should fit under your helmet. (You are wearing a helmet, right?)

1 - The ponytail.

Ah, the old faithful of hairdos. Anyone can do it, and it keeps your hair out of the way. It’s still a good option.

High, tight ponytails are popular with some, but I would caution you to wear those sparingly - they can cause a lot of stress to your scalp from the constant pulling of your strands to hold them up, and over time if you wear it constantly, there’s a chance of hair loss. It’s called traction alopecia.

Anyway, there are ways to punch up a ponytail if you’re looking to change things up a bit. You can take a small section of hair from underneath, braid it and wrap it around the base before securing, to pretty it up a little.

It’s cutesy, but pigtails are another option, either for the younger set or the young at heart. I like to wrap a teeny section of hair around the bases for mine.

2 - Braids

Braids are a good way to add some interest, and you don’t have to do anything complicated. If you know how to braid a horse’s mane and tail, you can braid your own hair. It just takes a few extra minutes.

A classic version is the French braid. This is great for keeping hair out of your face, and it fits under your helmet. (Remember, you pass the strands over each other.)

You can wrap the ends into a bun, or leave it in a ponytail.

If you don’t feel like braiding your head, braiding the length of your hair works great too. You can do the classic 3-strand braid, or jazz things up with a fishtail braid, which only takes 2 strands but a bit more time, in my opinion.

3 - Buns

It’s more common to see buns in the show ring, but you can wear them while riding anytime. They’re a classy way to keep your mane contained.

A favorite of mine is the Nautilus bun. It’s fast, easy and compact.

And then there’s the classic low bun.

You can also braid your hair and wrap it into a bun for a more dressy look. Like for barn parties or something. Do they still do those?

And let’s not forget pigtail buns! They’re too cute to pass up. You can make two little braided buns or Nautilus buns or whatever kind of buns suit your fancy. I tend to do knotted messy buns, myself.

These sit higher up on my head and may not fit under a helmet, so I would wear these while doing barn chores. They’re perfect for running around in summertime.

And there you have it! Plenty of hairstyles for riding lessons and barn chores that’ll keep your hair out of the way and off your neck.

Sounds awesome, you say, but what should I use?

You can use basic hair ties, with the understanding that they can snag and break hair depending on what they’re made of, and they can lose their elasticity and fall off. (Horse camp game: how many old hair ties can we count around the barn, kids?)

Bobby pins are another option for simpler styles. They don’t have to be fancy, they just need to be sturdy. The ones I use are pretty strong, so I haven’t had issues with them falling out. Try not to pre-open them so they don’t take in too much hair and slide out, and when you take them out, push them by their feet to minimize hair pulling.

Finally, you can use a hair clip that can stand up to the rough and dirty lifestyle of the horse girl. I like the Flexi Sport, which is waterproof, sweat proof, flexible and nonslip. It’s easy to use and can take a fair beating, so I don’t have to treat it with kid gloves. And it comes in lots of fun colors.

That’s it, y’all. I hope this guide was helpful! Share it with your equestrian friends, and let me know which styles you want to try.