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I have thick and long (down to my butt) hair. And I'm having a bit of a dilemma on what to do with it at shows and would love some advice/thoughts.

It doesn't fit inside my helmet and if it did, my helmet wouldn't fit me!

Most show bows aren't big enough to fit everything, but even when I try to make my own version, it's not a good solve because any kind of bun at the base of my neck pushes my helmet up and forward.

In cooler weather I can get away with braiding and tucking that braid under my coat. it's not the most comfortable, but given that helmet, hair, and coat are all black it's usually not that noticeable and my helmet fit isn't compromised.

But in the summer when coats are waived this isn't a good option anymore. The braid is too visible tucked under a shirt only. Also, itchy hair against my skin on a hot/sweaty day is a big icky no for me.

Anyone have any tricks or ideas for the best thing to do with so much hair (other than cut it off!)??

Well, although I know it must be a problem sometimes, as someone who has never had good hair, its a problem I wish I had >;->

That said, I don't think there is any good option other than a nice fat braid down your back. Maybe double it against itself so it doesn't hang all the way to your bum and I would try to keep it from bouncing maybe...? and so the end is tidy.

Or be like the hunter pony riders, two braids with big bows >;->

My thick hair wasn't quite that long (only mid-back), so this might not work. I would pull it back into a low loose pony tail (loose enough that it didn't displace the helmet or pull), then braid, and roll the braid back onto itself into a loose bun. This is the closest example I can find — scroll to the last photos.

Thanks, Heddylamar and Abby!

I'm not sure a loose bun would hold. But maybe if i can find a net large enough to hold a dangling bun (it would have to be lower than the picture to not interfere with the helmet, but it could be done. Maybe i need to sew it in like a horse braid!

I could also definitely fold my braid up on itself to make things a bit tidier.

In my show this past weekend, i had a serious unraveling of my hair through my test. First my hairnet came off, then the bun came undone (probably because the helmet was pushing against it), then the braid came loose and soon it was just wild and free ponytail flying behind me. EEK. glad the judge didn't say anything--at least it was obvious I attempted to have my hair contained!

when i had very long hair, i braided it down, in two pieces, then joine the two below the nape of my neck away from the helmet, then folded it on itself, hairnet, rubber band over hair net, you have to use a good hair net not those flimsy ones

I have very fine but tons of hair even at my age. Mine is a wee bit shorter but still considered long and often kept in a pony tail. Like you because of the amount I have trouble with a bun that doesn't shift my helmet. I make a loose and very low pony tail on show day and use one of the show bun nets that is a scrunchie type/style with two clips. I use this to keep my bun tidy after I roll up the pony and hold in place with bobby pins. I then place the scrunchy with net around it and thankfully it allows me to stuff all the fly aways and loose strands inside it for it to look neat yet still well below my helmet. Sometimes when I let my hair get real long I have to use additional bobby pins to help the clips keep it up because my hair is so heavy; but, I try to keep my hair at a length just before shows so I don't have to do this. Most hair stylists are amazed at the amount of hair I have and use to hate me in the 80s when perms were a thing.........now they just hate me because of how long a mid 50's woman takes to dry hair in an arid climate state - usually I just tell my 'friend' hair stylist of 20 years to just cut and let me go. The Arizona climate takes about 2 hours to dry my hair as opposed to the 5 hours it would take in regular climates because of the amount of hair I have - not complaining at my age but it use to give me migraines in my younger years.

Unfortunately my hair comes no where close to fitting in those scrunchie hair net things. I have to use a full head hair net like Chisamba mentioned.

Though if I get too low, I'll have a big heavy ball bouncing around. So I'll have to play around/test things out.

Would your helmet fit if you french braided your hair, or did 2 french braids? They would be shorter than a regular braid, and you could basically tie them together at the base of your neck. I'd then put a hairnet around just the braids, twisting and doubling it up if needed, and then another hairnet over your whole head and the braids.

Also, not sure what kind of helmet you have, but if you have one with the little extra "pouch" at the back of the harness, you could tuck one of the braids in there and the other below the helmet harness in a net.

blob wrote:I'm not sure a loose bun would hold. But maybe if i can find a net large enough to hold a dangling bun (it would have to be lower than the picture to not interfere with the helmet, but it could be done.

A dangling bun may be a better term for what I was trying to describe, but, dangling

Anyway, to achieve what I was talking about: pull your hair back in a low pony tail, stick helmet on, jiggle it around a bit so nothing pulls. Then pull off the helmet, braid pony tail, roll into bun, etc. I never bothered with a net -- my hair always escaped. Just rub some extra conditioner or one of the hair "smoothers" into your dry hair before you start and there will be fewer fly-aways.

Nowadays, with short hair, I don't have to deal with any of that. I just have a blunt, green ponytail sticking out